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Above the Thunder: A Novel
Anna has just turned fifty, widowed, estranged from her only child, and embittered by a life that is full on the surface but empty at its core. When her daughter, Poppy, calls after a twelve-year absence and asks if she and her family can visit, Anna reluctantly agrees. Soon after, Poppy's husband and their ten-year-old daughter, Flynn, show up on her doorstep without Poppy, to stay.
As a favor to a friend, Anna agrees to help coordinate a support group for HIV patients. On the first day she meets Jack, who must choose between his "considerable appetites" and Stuart, his partner who has been unwaveringly faithful for over a decade. Stuart, in turn, struggles with whether his deep love for Jack will survive the storms ahead.
It is Flynn - imaginative, inspired, and haunted by her convictions about the spirit world - who becomes the center of this unlikely but devoted family.
As a favor to a friend, Anna agrees to help coordinate a support group for HIV patients. On the first day she meets Jack, who must choose between his "considerable appetites" and Stuart, his partner who has been unwaveringly faithful for over a decade. Stuart, in turn, struggles with whether his deep love for Jack will survive the storms ahead.
It is Flynn - imaginative, inspired, and haunted by her convictions about the spirit world - who becomes the center of this unlikely but devoted family.
- GenresFictionContemporary
334 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
5 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Renée Manfredi
8 books6 followersRenée Manfredi received her MFA from Indiana University, a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and was a regional winner of Granta's Best American Novelists Under 40. Her short story collection, Where Love Leaves Us, won the Iowa Short Fiction Award. Her short stories have been published in The Mississippi Review, The Iowa Review, The Georgia Review, and the Pushcart Prize Anthology, and featured in NPR's "Selected Shorts" series.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 30, 2008
I just re-read this book -- I was looking for a short segment to read at a friend's wedding and it had been a long time since I had originally read it, but I remembered it as a book full of love.
And it is. It's a beautiful first novel. Part of my enjoyment is that I feel such kinship with the protagonist -- a terrible mother who feels neither matronly or nurturing, a scientist at heart, but a loving grandmother and friend. She opens herself up to a love that would remind her of her past love and in doing so ends up opening the doors to the loving and caring of an extended, makeshift family.
But what great love doesn't come with grief and sorrow? Heartbreak, cheating, divorce, death, and departure are evident in equal, if not greater, parts and while it might make you sob like it did me, there is always healing and moving forward.
And it is. It's a beautiful first novel. Part of my enjoyment is that I feel such kinship with the protagonist -- a terrible mother who feels neither matronly or nurturing, a scientist at heart, but a loving grandmother and friend. She opens herself up to a love that would remind her of her past love and in doing so ends up opening the doors to the loving and caring of an extended, makeshift family.
But what great love doesn't come with grief and sorrow? Heartbreak, cheating, divorce, death, and departure are evident in equal, if not greater, parts and while it might make you sob like it did me, there is always healing and moving forward.
December 6, 2017
Onvan : Above the Thunder - Nevisande : Ren̩e Manfredi - ISBN : 1400078504 - ISBN13 : 9781400078509 - Dar 352 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 2003
September 6, 2016
This book could go both ways now. I'm half way thru it and it could be a miraculous and gutzy and ballsy masterpiece OR it could turn into a pukey stupid insipid morality tale.
If it does the latter - which I suspect it might- I am not even going to finish it. I am so tired of dumb women writing dumb stories about dumb women who are so passive and so manipulated and so lifeless that they make you want to die. BUT on the other hand here is a woman-her main character- who does not have a maternal streak- Thank God-who does not want children at all- Thank God- who absolutely wanted an abortion when she did get pregnant-Thank God-BUT had the baby because her husband wanted it...???? Bad sign -very very bad sign- but then she goes on to tell us straight out-that she really did not want a daughter-which is what she got.And here's the best part - she cannot stand her daughter.She hasn't seen her in 12 years.Why not? Because she can't stand her. See what i mean?
A great and brilliant woman .A LIVE FISH- AT LAST.
Then why do I have feeling that it's all going to turn into this bullshit hideous syrupy phony morality tale?? If it does-I quit. I'm finished with women writers forever.It just ain't worth the time or the energy to read their pap.
2 days later:
Finished. Completely finished. I read drek like this and I think if women in this country are second class citizens it's their own bloody fault.They portray themselves like mealy mouth nurturers-Ana spends half the book cooking soups for EVERYONE- she lets everyone walk all over her and guess what? She LOVES it.She is FINALLY HAPPY. She has seen the darkness in her low down ways and she has converted to Lifetime Channel gooey mushy crap- forever. And guess what? Guess the end. You got it. Naked in a Jacuzzi- she meets a handsome stranger -and sure enough -did I mention naked in a Jacuzzi?- they have a lovely lovely conversation and THAT mes amis is how it ends.True love at last.
Now tell me this; why is it the only book about a thoroughly strong woman was written by a MAN ??
I'll tell you why . Because women who write drek like this don't deserve power-maybe at best they deserve an electric can opener.The book ?about a strong and I might ad completely unlikable and brilliant woman? Florence Gordon by Brian Morton.Read that.
This one? Don't bother. It's drek.
JM
If it does the latter - which I suspect it might- I am not even going to finish it. I am so tired of dumb women writing dumb stories about dumb women who are so passive and so manipulated and so lifeless that they make you want to die. BUT on the other hand here is a woman-her main character- who does not have a maternal streak- Thank God-who does not want children at all- Thank God- who absolutely wanted an abortion when she did get pregnant-Thank God-BUT had the baby because her husband wanted it...???? Bad sign -very very bad sign- but then she goes on to tell us straight out-that she really did not want a daughter-which is what she got.And here's the best part - she cannot stand her daughter.She hasn't seen her in 12 years.Why not? Because she can't stand her. See what i mean?
A great and brilliant woman .A LIVE FISH- AT LAST.
Then why do I have feeling that it's all going to turn into this bullshit hideous syrupy phony morality tale?? If it does-I quit. I'm finished with women writers forever.It just ain't worth the time or the energy to read their pap.
2 days later:
Finished. Completely finished. I read drek like this and I think if women in this country are second class citizens it's their own bloody fault.They portray themselves like mealy mouth nurturers-Ana spends half the book cooking soups for EVERYONE- she lets everyone walk all over her and guess what? She LOVES it.She is FINALLY HAPPY. She has seen the darkness in her low down ways and she has converted to Lifetime Channel gooey mushy crap- forever. And guess what? Guess the end. You got it. Naked in a Jacuzzi- she meets a handsome stranger -and sure enough -did I mention naked in a Jacuzzi?- they have a lovely lovely conversation and THAT mes amis is how it ends.True love at last.
Now tell me this; why is it the only book about a thoroughly strong woman was written by a MAN ??
I'll tell you why . Because women who write drek like this don't deserve power-maybe at best they deserve an electric can opener.The book ?about a strong and I might ad completely unlikable and brilliant woman? Florence Gordon by Brian Morton.Read that.
This one? Don't bother. It's drek.
JM
October 13, 2015
Talented writing goes amiss in this very strange book. This novel is filled with contradictions. It seems to be a story about people sticking together through thick and thin, building alternative families to support each other through what life throws at them, liberally accepting alternative lifestyles and choices. But it is also a novel that has unexplained goings on in it, even supernatural ones. Some things that happen are quite hard to believe, while others seem completely understandable and right for the characters. Then again, the characters sometimes act in ways whose motivations are unclear. Why does a scientist believe in premonitions and intuitions? Why does she never bother to get help to improve her relationship with her daughter, get that daughter the help she needs, or get therapy to deal with her granddaughter's obvious childhood delusional schizophrenia? There are many other issues in the novel that are badly answered, treated or explained. Is that supposed to deliver a message about real-life people's actions being hard to explain or unclear at times? Still, it seems weird and out-of-character. There is also a strange lack of affect in the different characters' reactions to very dramatic and emotional happenings in the novel. Are these people all autistic or sociopaths? I enjoyed the writing, which somehow did drew me in and made me want to finish reading the novel, but I'm still unsure about how much I liked it or appreciate it.
March 14, 2012
I don't know how to feel about this book. The writing style was excellent even with the various typos missed in editing. It was different than I expected (plot twist) but I could have done without some of the gay sex information. Author left some issues unresolved with the reader having unanswered questions at the end of the book. I'd much rather read a book with an element of hope threaded throughout. Most of the story was dreary. Not enough information related to the mother/daughter relationship between Anna and Poppy. Would have loved more character information regarding Violet, Anna's neighbor lady in Maine. Greta's friendship with Anna did not seem sincere. I did not see Anna having any real "depth of character" and she seemed a bit flaky overall. Not enough solid information regarding the marriage between Anna and Hugh. I loved Flynn but there should have been more exploration regarding her hallucinations or confirmation if she was seeing the "spirit world." Issues of grieving should have been addressed more in depth and more realistically. However, all this being said, I would not hesitate to read another of Ms. Manfredi's books in the future!
September 27, 2010
Excellent writing and well-developed characters in a story that brings together several lonely people. The granddaughter was a little too far-fetched, and I wouldn't recommend this book to someone looking for a pick-me-up despite the fact that it has hopeful and life-confirming moments.
August 12, 2012
A remarkable book.
October 3, 2024
I just turned the last page, expecting to read more and encountered the “Acknowledgements”. And you know what? It was perfectly fine! The story ended on just the right note, a positive, hopeful one. Who knows where Anna’s journey will end?
Anna is a widow, a professional woman, and estranged from her only daughter. Then, quite unexpectedly, she gets a phone call from Poppy, saying she, her husband Marvin, and granddaughter Flynn were coming for a visit.
In the mean time, she meets Jack, and his partner Stuart, at an AIDS support group. Jack becomes a friend despite the initial antagonist interchange.
There is also Greta, her best friend, struggling with an absent husband, and wanted a child. (I gotta say i am irked with the back blurb on the copy I have, not mentioning Greta at all. Hmph. Her journey is important too….
Anyhow, after that Anna’s life is anything but serene. Marvin shows up without Poppy, but with his curiously imaginative daughter. They end up living with her, something she at first felt “over my dead body” about. She loves it… Flynn becomes her life, her lifeblood.
Jack’s infidelities get him kicked out of his 10 yr old relationship with Stuart, and Anna becomes a support.
At some point she decides to move to her second home, in Maine. Large, old family home, full of history… With bedrooms for all! Jack comes for a forever visit, Marvin visits, stays mostly too. There is loads of drama with Jack and Stuart…. Greta is part of this all, with her motherhood journey forming her life.
Another character enters - Violet her next door neighbor who surprisingly becomes a quiet support, the friend who is always there. So again, irked the back blurb mentions the men, when these women (and her granddaughter are so important to her)
There is so much happening… not so much in a crazy way, but it’s a rich life, a rich story. You have a reconciliation, a move towards independence, and more critical, some serious heartache. Grief takes over Anna’s life. She is central to all her friends stories, with them orbiting around her, bolstering her, keeping her going.
Then she makes a decision, everyone makes decisions, and it’s a new chapter for them all. (Back to my first paragraph!)
Anna is a widow, a professional woman, and estranged from her only daughter. Then, quite unexpectedly, she gets a phone call from Poppy, saying she, her husband Marvin, and granddaughter Flynn were coming for a visit.
In the mean time, she meets Jack, and his partner Stuart, at an AIDS support group. Jack becomes a friend despite the initial antagonist interchange.
There is also Greta, her best friend, struggling with an absent husband, and wanted a child. (I gotta say i am irked with the back blurb on the copy I have, not mentioning Greta at all. Hmph. Her journey is important too….
Anyhow, after that Anna’s life is anything but serene. Marvin shows up without Poppy, but with his curiously imaginative daughter. They end up living with her, something she at first felt “over my dead body” about. She loves it… Flynn becomes her life, her lifeblood.
Jack’s infidelities get him kicked out of his 10 yr old relationship with Stuart, and Anna becomes a support.
At some point she decides to move to her second home, in Maine. Large, old family home, full of history… With bedrooms for all! Jack comes for a forever visit, Marvin visits, stays mostly too. There is loads of drama with Jack and Stuart…. Greta is part of this all, with her motherhood journey forming her life.
Another character enters - Violet her next door neighbor who surprisingly becomes a quiet support, the friend who is always there. So again, irked the back blurb mentions the men, when these women (and her granddaughter are so important to her)
There is so much happening… not so much in a crazy way, but it’s a rich life, a rich story. You have a reconciliation, a move towards independence, and more critical, some serious heartache. Grief takes over Anna’s life. She is central to all her friends stories, with them orbiting around her, bolstering her, keeping her going.
Then she makes a decision, everyone makes decisions, and it’s a new chapter for them all. (Back to my first paragraph!)
June 11, 2019
I got annoyed with this book about half way through. Dated is one thing - the restaurants have smoking sections and the gay men have AIDS. But I found the way the character of Jack was written particularly aggravating. He's basically what people are imagining when they have prejudices against gay men - promiscuity, cheating on his partner, with a sneaking suspicion he might have AIDS, but still practicing unsafe sex until he's so sick he can't hide it any more. It doesn't help that he's pretty nasty too, which is suggested is exacerbated by the virus. The book seems to otherwise promoting tolerance and compassion, but this doesn't help its case. I expected better of something published in 2003, but maybe we've come further since then than I realized.
July 26, 2022
This is a tough one to explain why I liked this book. Some hard stuff happens which made me sad and skirmish but I’ve learned not to rate low because of being Uncomfortable. I liked the resilience of the main character. I feel the author did a good job on supporting characters also.
February 8, 2012
It's at least six months since I actually finished this book so I'll try to give it a worthy review but it might not be of much use to anyone!
This book was unusual - it kind of unfolded, and unfolded some more... and strangely for a while it seemed like everything might become sorted for the characters, but without spoiling it for anyone, let me tell you not to expect many happy resolutions!
The main character is a mature lady (Anna) whose husband (Hugh) has passed away - she seems reluctant to move on, and in that I felt much sympathy for her. She is not close to her daughter for whom I felt the opposite of sympathy - she seemed a selfish, troubled person and if we were meant to empathise with her, find fault with her mother or find excuses for her behaviour then the book failed to render that within me! But that's just me!
As for the poor granddaughter, a funny and clearly also very troubled child - well that was a different matter. The little girl, named Flynn, whilst slightly irritating at first soon grows in your heart. And the relationship she develops with her grandmother although imperfect is touching at times and you have real hopes for a beautiful future.
In fact, really, the reader ends up having really high hopes for the entire make-shift family.
You see, Anna, also meets an arrogant gay man, Jack, and his devoted partner, Stuart, through the AIDs support group she is reluctantly running, and along with her granddaughter and son-in-law this group and, in part, her slightly loopy (but lovable) next-door neighbour form a 'family' in her house.
Set in Maine, New England (another NE book I've read - I'm beginning to make it a habit... showing how much I love that part of the world!) this story isn't afraid to show the worst of broken relationships and dysfunctional families. I questioned what kind of a person would stand by Jack - in Stuart's shoes could I really forgive, love, and then stand by and watch the love of my life slowly give in to the clutches of early death.
Yes, there is certainly no rose-tinted view, picket fences and Brady children here. But yet, as previously mentioned, the author does not go far enough to make the reader completely lose hope for these characters. Which is actually perhaps the most devastating thing about this book! For what can become of Jack who has AIDs as a result of his constant cheating on Stuart, and what is the cure for Flynn, a child with such disturbing thoughts and questions? And yet I found myself thinking it would all work out ok - especially as the group's ties to one another become ever tighter. But that is maybe a reflection of my personality!
It was certainly an interesting journey and I remember liking... perhaps not 'liking' but being glad of in some way... the ending to the book - I felt like Anna was left with something of a future to embrace, and that felt completely right. It also gave the story the slight lift that it needed, without reducing the realism that makes it so very poignant, and full of impact.
There is insight and wisdom in this book, and also some moments of dry humour. Not an easy read, but definitely a worthwhile one if you don't mind things getting a bit depressing in your reading time.
This book was unusual - it kind of unfolded, and unfolded some more... and strangely for a while it seemed like everything might become sorted for the characters, but without spoiling it for anyone, let me tell you not to expect many happy resolutions!
The main character is a mature lady (Anna) whose husband (Hugh) has passed away - she seems reluctant to move on, and in that I felt much sympathy for her. She is not close to her daughter for whom I felt the opposite of sympathy - she seemed a selfish, troubled person and if we were meant to empathise with her, find fault with her mother or find excuses for her behaviour then the book failed to render that within me! But that's just me!
As for the poor granddaughter, a funny and clearly also very troubled child - well that was a different matter. The little girl, named Flynn, whilst slightly irritating at first soon grows in your heart. And the relationship she develops with her grandmother although imperfect is touching at times and you have real hopes for a beautiful future.
In fact, really, the reader ends up having really high hopes for the entire make-shift family.
You see, Anna, also meets an arrogant gay man, Jack, and his devoted partner, Stuart, through the AIDs support group she is reluctantly running, and along with her granddaughter and son-in-law this group and, in part, her slightly loopy (but lovable) next-door neighbour form a 'family' in her house.
Set in Maine, New England (another NE book I've read - I'm beginning to make it a habit... showing how much I love that part of the world!) this story isn't afraid to show the worst of broken relationships and dysfunctional families. I questioned what kind of a person would stand by Jack - in Stuart's shoes could I really forgive, love, and then stand by and watch the love of my life slowly give in to the clutches of early death.
Yes, there is certainly no rose-tinted view, picket fences and Brady children here. But yet, as previously mentioned, the author does not go far enough to make the reader completely lose hope for these characters. Which is actually perhaps the most devastating thing about this book! For what can become of Jack who has AIDs as a result of his constant cheating on Stuart, and what is the cure for Flynn, a child with such disturbing thoughts and questions? And yet I found myself thinking it would all work out ok - especially as the group's ties to one another become ever tighter. But that is maybe a reflection of my personality!
It was certainly an interesting journey and I remember liking... perhaps not 'liking' but being glad of in some way... the ending to the book - I felt like Anna was left with something of a future to embrace, and that felt completely right. It also gave the story the slight lift that it needed, without reducing the realism that makes it so very poignant, and full of impact.
There is insight and wisdom in this book, and also some moments of dry humour. Not an easy read, but definitely a worthwhile one if you don't mind things getting a bit depressing in your reading time.
May 28, 2008
I did enjoy this book. I found it really hard to get into at first because it just didn't really pull you in with anything in particular. But the good news was that it actually did get better and at one point I felt like I just wanted to go meet the characters and go to a party and hang out with them and get to know this weird little entagled group of people. I would recommend this book to someone who truly thinks it looks interesting, but I'm not going to lie and tell you that it's a great read for everyone out there. If you think it looks good, then go for it, if not then you might want to try something else. Good luck either way!
September 9, 2013
I read this book quite a few years ago and enjoyed it a lot. I found it in our library book sale (it is probably the one I read years ago)and so now I own a copy. It is an amazing novel - especially as it was the author's first!
The book covers a lot of interesting topics e.g. women without maternal instinct, the spirit world, reincarnation, gay love & marriage, AIDS, grief, what makes a family, drug addiction? Amazing that it is all packed into a book of less than 400 pages! The characters are vivid and unforgettable. It really is one of my favourite books of all time.
The book covers a lot of interesting topics e.g. women without maternal instinct, the spirit world, reincarnation, gay love & marriage, AIDS, grief, what makes a family, drug addiction? Amazing that it is all packed into a book of less than 400 pages! The characters are vivid and unforgettable. It really is one of my favourite books of all time.
July 1, 2007
This book is very depressing and very, very good. I admit that I didn't read this book when I was necessarily in the best situations, so I had a little bit of trouble concentrating on the writing style, not to say that there was anything wrong with it. The characters are so fascinating that you can't help not to care about them and want to know what comes next. A wonderful woven little story about family and self-discovery.
December 16, 2013
The stories of the people in this book has more potential than what the author created. I guess I didn't really enjoy her style, her prose. She is often overly descriptive of situations that make the chapters read almost like college papers than a novel. I also found some of the happenings in the book less than credible (I know it's fiction, but... the author just couldn't sell me on some situations).
January 30, 2008
In Above the Thunder, Manfredi takes a look at what it means to be a family, but creating a wonderful cast of characters who meet through circumstance. They discover that blood is not the only connection that create a familial bond. This is a wonderful look at relationships as well as the world of AIDS.
September 11, 2007
At first I thought is was a "woman's book." Andthat it is, but the craft and story draw you in with its gay story and how he loves his partner and the dissaray this love brings to him and to others. This is a book about the "family" all gay and lesbians seem to talk about.
June 8, 2009
More traditional writing style than i usually like, but subject matter was very interesting. Likable but extremely flawed characters.(Hard to do. . .sign of a very talented writer.) Ending made me want to cry.
July 29, 2013
Average story - but I wanted to keep reading to find out how it ended. Unfortunately, the end was sad, so I was disappointed. However, the author was able to demonstrate how the meaning of "family" can be so unique for each person. In that way, it was touching.
January 1, 2025
I’ve read this book over 7 years ago and I am still not over it. The character development still has me in a chokehold. HOW DID I GET TO KNOW AND CARE ABOUT FICTIONAL SO WELL?! It doesn’t matter how many books I read, these characters stick with me for some reason. Flynn sticks with me.
April 11, 2008
This book started off slow, but really kept me intrigued from the middle until the end. I couldn't put it down!
May 13, 2009
Enjoyed--giving of self
October 11, 2012
Excellent book!
May 13, 2013
Helt ok bok.
June 14, 2013
I didn't get into this book at first, but after giving it some time I really enjoyed it. It is not a happy story, but the story is engaging.
October 31, 2013
Really interesting characters. Got better and better as it went.
July 19, 2015
Didn't really care about any of the characters
October 9, 2011
It was depressing at best, and for that reason I loved it!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews