Sedmihlas

by Rebecca Kauffman, Tomáš Bíla (Translator)

Jedna rodina, sedm příběhů.

Sedm sourozenců a dvě události, které otřesou jejich světem. Nečekaná, záhadná smrt matky a šokující těhotenství jedné z nezletilých sester je budou pronásledovat celý život – jako jednotlivce i jako rodinu. V příbězích vyprávěných v různých časových rovinách od počátku dvacátého století po padesátá léta líčí každý ze sourozenců svou vlastní verzi vzpomínek. Postupem času se jejich osudy rozcházejí – někdo se stará o stárnoucího otce, někdo propadne závislosti či se dá na akademickou dráhu, jiný odchází do války, další ovdoví... Zároveň se sourozenci stávají rodiči další generace dětí.

Ve spletenci rodinných vztahů se hrdinové musejí vypořádat s rozvodem, krizí i smrtí – to vše bez matky, která je už dávno opustila. Tím, že se snaží pochopit, jak její smrt formovala jejich životy, se zároveň dostávají k otázkám, které známe všichni: Co je to domov? Co všechno snese láska mezi sourozenci a jaké nečekané léky dokážou zhojit staré rány?

Sedmihlas je příběh o rodině, ztrátě a zotavení, složitých vztazích mezi sourozenci i nečekaných silách, které je nutí jít vlastní cestou, aby je nakonec přivedly zpátky domů.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Family, Adult Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2022

About the author

Rebecca Kauffman is originally from rural northeastern Ohio. She received her B.A. from the Manhattan School of Music in Violin Performance, and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from NYU. She currently lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Reviews

[Terrie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Chorus" by Rebecca Kauffman is an example of how strongly we rely on family and how easily and often we push them away!

This Historical Fiction story of the Shaw Family's seven siblings has multiple timelines beginning in the early Twentieth Century through the late 1950's. Their lives are impacted by two life altering events: the unexpected and untimely death of their mother and the distressing circumstances of a sibling's teenage pregnancy.

Both events shape their childhood and profoundly affect their future. In a third-person narrative, you hear each sibling's memories in alternating 'snapshot-like' chapters through the years. You realize how each is impacted so differently and yet feel so much the same.

The deeper I read the more these characters evolve. They are complex and flawed with closely held secrets, deep loss, painful regrets, and good intentions. They work through some very complicated family dynamics in this story!

The amazing Elisabeth Rodgers is the audiobook narrator and she also happens to be one of my favorites. She succeeds in making what could have been a difficult listen a most enjoyable experience. Her ability to engage the reader through both third person narration, as well as believable gender voicing and voice inflections is something I marvel at every single time. If she narrates a book, please sign me up!

This character driven story is beautifully written and artfully designed, making this family feel painfully real to me. I'm delighted I have found another author to love with a back-list to read and I will patiently wait for each new book she writes. I highly recommend this book to those who love character driven stories and beautiful writing!

Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Rebecca Kauffman for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quiet but impactful book, follows seven siblings through the years as they struggle with two defining events that affected their lives. The beautifully written chapters, go back and forth in time, and the reader gains an indepth understanding of each of these siblings. The chapters follow them as they struggle to define themselves and their place in the family as a whole. Impactful moments in their lives. Families and family members are all so different and events affect each of them differently and this book does a wonderful job showing just that. The ties that bind and events that can pull a family apart. Secrets are exposed and backgrounds and events are more thoroughly elucidated as the book goes to on. Wonderfully written.

Need to mention the cover which I found beautiful.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of the seven Shaw siblings who grew up on a farm in Virginia.
It covers the span of years from the 1900’s - 1950’s.
They grew up with a hard working father and a mother who had severe depression .. actually bedridden from depression
The oldest sibling, Wendy..tended to everything of house, home, and the children.
We are taken back and forth through time in the story from their childhood to middle age adulthood to see how they changed and developed, with their own families and how the tragedy of their mother’s illness affected them and their relationship with each other and determined who wanted to stay on family land and who wanted to leave.
I loved it!

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Kauffman captured my heart with “The Gunners”.
She did it again with “Chorus”….

I’m a definite fan…
desiring to read every book Rebecca Kauffman has written!!!

With multiple timelines, we experienced the different ways seven siblings — coming of age themselves— were affected by their mothers death…..and the complications from a sibling teenage pregnancy.
….the intimacy is felt through memories, marriages, complicated relationships, characters sensitivities, dispositions, personalities, and choices….
through divorces, depression, trauma, addiction, mental health disorders, The Great Depression, WWII, love, loss, and death …
It’s all there — a page turning fabulous family saga … emphasizing sibling bonding written in short chapters—(vignettes) — switching narratives among the characters.
So immensely engrossing!!!

Meet the Family:
Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Marie Shaw and their children:
Wendy,
Sam,
Jack,
Maeve,
Lane,
Henry,
Bette

There are other characters- friends & neighbors who are also extremely relevant to the over all stories—associated with the different siblings.

From 1903 to 1959 …. we get a full panoramic view of the Shaw family through past and present years….through their individual stories….
….shock & sorrow …hardships & trauma …

Both historical and literary fiction — feels like a memoir—The writing fully held me. captive — in the same way that Mary Larson novels can do to me.
It’s so wonderfully exquisitely written —
Fabulous character driven novel!!!

Tasters & Teasers ….
…..better yet: just read this book - it’s excellent!!

…..In 1929..: May 2, 1929, to be exact, was a series of tornadoes from Oklahoma to Maryland. The worst occurred in Rye Cove, Virginia, where a school building was yanked off the ground while the children were on noon recess.
Twelve children died.
The Shaw Family lived a hundred miles away.
[note … I thought about the influence of this historical moment and how it related to the Shaw family throughout]

“Every single person Jim had ever encountered in his entire life mystified him, including his own children, and he often felt woefully
incapable of the simplest human gestures. He worried that his efforts where his children were concerned were either wrong, or, more often, inadequate: saying too little, deferring, deflecting. He was fearful of their faces”.

Mrs. Shaw was often in her bedroom in one of her dark moods. The older children were used to her behavior, but the younger ones still asked after her, still hoping for something different.
Jim knew his wife’s health — her depression — was complicated and Jim
tried to guard the children from too much input.

With the news of the hurricane… (which Jim kept quiet from his wife and children), along his own struggles of his day….
he knew “that this beautiful world had a forked tongue. And he knew that everything he thought and felt and feared was real”

Maeve Shaw (1934)….
….Maeve was pretty sure she was the only sibling aware that it was the one-year anniversary of their mothers death.
[each short chapter allows us to see the inner voice of the individual sibling]

Henry Shaw, (1951)….
an engineer with Bell Telephone, second youngest of the Shaw siblings, was enjoying coffee on the deck of a hotel room with his wife, Anne.
Anne had an elementary education degree but was a stay at home mom until their daughter, Mimi started school.
[I wanted to smack this little girl Mimi for her snotty behavior toward her dad, Henry] …. but excellent intriguing chapter.

Jack Shaw ( one of the brothers), had a drinking problem after returning home from the war. His wife - at the time - Camille had divorced him saying that his drinking was to blame.

Sam Shaw (another brother) had also served in the war. He returned with his own set of issues: flashbacks, anxiety, and hallucinations that all lead to self/medication with alcohol.
Henry missed the draft. He was a little too young.

“With the loss of a mother, well that was so much, whether she was a good one or a bad one, a healthy or sick one, an easy or hard one. And whether her love for you was made known every day, or was as strange and impossible as a miracle; one that either reached you or touched you, or didn’t. One that you either believed in, in spite of everything, or you couldn’t.”

“You knew your own life inside and out, but that was it, wasn’t it? That was all you got. Every other life would contain a multitude of entanglements and obsessions and belongings that you could not even imagine; every other life would remain as alien to you as if it had been lived out on the moon”.

Soooooo wonderful!
I’m ready for another Rebecca Kauffman book soon!

[Brandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chorus is a character driven family saga about the Shaws, a married couple with 7 children. Mrs. Shaw experiences several dark days and dies early in the kids’ lives. Each of the 7 siblings must deal with the impact of such loss. One sister also becomes pregnant and marries quite young, leaving the other siblings with conflicting feelings about her path in life.

The story alternates from the past to the present — set in the 1950s, where the siblings are now grown adults, many with their own significant others and children. While there are a lot of characters to keep track of, I didn’t find this a hinderance to the story, which I really enjoyed. Much like she did in her last book, The Gunners, Kauffman does a great job creating complicated relationships among a group of characters that clearly care about each other.

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved. The sibling relationships. Their own stories about their mother and her death. It was absolutely beautiful at the end. Can’t wait to discuss this one.

[Chantel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on parental neglect, sexual assault of a minor, substance abuse, mental illness, suicide, & others.

It is very rare that one finds oneself reading a book that could be deemed a classic piece of literature. I wonder how often readers of Hemingway, Hugo, Proust, Steinbeck et alt. knew that the books they held in hand would find themselves as highly praised works of classic literature. Without seeking to prevaricate the core of this review I want to highlight that the story that Kauffman has written is most certainly one that will transcend ages & see itself diligently succeeding through the test of time.

Down a rural road, nestled in vast farmland, sits the house of the Shaw family. The seven (7) Shaw children lead the chapters in this book by way of transitions that jump through time & categorically significant events until the reader finds themselves utterly devoted to the well-being of each member of the family. This is not a book for the faint of heart. Comparing Kauffman’s writing to that of Steinbeck, specifically, was not done in earnest. The plot situates itself in the heart of a book that requires stints to ease the flow of the burden, in this case; the ways in which trauma & the development of life hurdles itself at each individual person. Every character in this story was flawed; everyone held secrets that ate at their essence. Relationships were strained & afflicted by the malevolence of misunderstandings & words left unsaid.

This is a short book, one which you might see yourself reading in a single sitting. I had to actively pace myself because I wanted the weight of what was being said to truly seep into my subconscious. The prose in this book was exquisite, morose, elegant, aerial & profound. There is no way for me to render into words the orphic text.

In the opening chapter, we read about Jim, the patriarch, as he holds his youngest son in a race to ensure that his wife has not been found hanging from a tree in their garden. We learn that Marie, the matriarch, is dealing with something which might later become known as Bipolar Disorder. Though I am not in a position to comment on the authentic representation of Bipolar Disorder (Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder & Cyclothymic Disorder), I think it is important to highlight that the author does not necessarily explore the complications that the disorder causes on the person in question. The main protagonists of this story are the children. When we read chapters from the points of view of the parents it is not to reinforce some third-party agenda but to complete our understanding of who these children grow to be as individual people. The inclusion of emotional mania within the story in no way seeks to reinforce any particular subjective understanding of the illness nor was it superficially riddled into the plot as a character arch. Marie is a three-dimensional person, as are all the characters; her illness is not detailed at length because the majority of the story sees the repercussions of the changes she experiences to her mood, energy & overall ability to function through the eyes of a child.

I certainly appreciated the narrative that this book sought to present which is that people who live in a ‘bad’ way (i.e. outside the norm of abilities to function) can still be ‘good’ loving people regardless of the outer circumstances in which we meet them. I have put both descriptors (bad/good) in quotation marks because they might leave a great deal up for interpretation. I am not saying that having a neurological or psychological disorder is inherently bad.

What I am saying & what the book seeks to address is that the consequences of such a disorder as the one that Marie experiences, leave the children in this story feeling that the events which transpire around them, subsequently all that is out of their control, are ‘bad’. The lack of parental presence from their mother because she is unable to leave her room; the lack of facial muscle strength due to medications seeking to address the root cause of her illness; the confusion felt as a young person who knows only to trust & seek affection from a parental figure but has had to learn that violent outbursts, aggressions & fear are emotions that said person is also teetering through. The ‘good’ person is the one that they remember when Marie finds herself in a space that does not bog her down. To be good is to share love; to decorate Christmas trees; to share cookies & play games; it is writing out a final declaration of love before leaving.

It was very difficult to work through this book; the subject matters so close to home. Every single character in this story was so much themselves that I felt at times, as though I were sitting around the table listening to them share stories, rather than being a third-party surveyor who lives outside of their fictional reality. Kauffman has introduced a group of people who are so profoundly well-thought-out, complex, interesting, decisive, intriguing & fully fleshed-out as to make them feel familiar to the reader. I became so invested in each of the characters & felt so very deeply about their experiences that I did not want this book to end. My single qualm is that I flew through this book. I was sad & I felt attached & I was moved; this is a beautiful book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Soft Skull Press & Rebecca Kauffman for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Lisa (NY) · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.5] Chorus is an apt title for this book about the the 7 Shaw siblings struggling in different ways with the legacy of their mother's death. Each family member gets a solo - just enough to bring them into sharp focus. I love the way Kauffman writes and the care in which she creates her complex characters. She accomplishes so much in 248 pages but I finished feeling unsatisfied, unfinished. Perhaps that was the point? But I wanted more.

[Gabril · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Conosciamo ogni dettaglio della nostra vita, ma è il massimo a cui possiamo aspirare, no? È tutto ciò che abbiamo. Qualsiasi altra vita contiene una moltitudine di grovigli, ossessioni e desideri che noi non possiamo nemmeno immaginare; qualsiasi altra vita ci rimane aliena come se si svolgesse sulla luna.”

Romanzo corale che segue le vicende della famiglia Shaw: Jim, Marie e i loro sette figli, dagli inizi del Novecento alla fine degli anni Cinquanta.
Il primo capitolo ci porta nel 1929, l’anno della grande crisi, i cui riverberi si allungano anche su Jim Shaw, che possiede una fattoria in Virginia con cui riesce a dare sostentamento alla numerosa prole.
I capitoli successivi vanno avanti e indietro nel tempo seguendo alternativamente le storie di ogni ragazzo e ragazza della famiglia. Storie che avranno percorsi e sviluppi differenti, ma che ruotano tutte intorno a un fatto traumatico: la malattia psichica che avvolge come un manto oscuro la signora Shaw e la sua morte improvvisa.

Una prosa affabile come una carezza ci accompagna nell’esplorazione delle differenti sfumature dei sentimenti umani; ci parla di noi attraverso gli altri: personaggi che sentiamo presto come nostri affini; ci porta a cogliere le differenze e a capire che l’altro rimane sempre un mistero incomprensibile, ma che l’umanità di ciascuno è il filo conduttore che ci tiene uniti tutti.

Bravissima la Kauffman a realizzare un racconto che nonostante i salti temporali, il non detto di ogni vicenda e gli intervalli dilatati riesce a delineare nove personaggi diversi distillando l’essenza di ognuno, senza perdere mai di vista il filo conduttore di tutta la storia.

Un libro sulle cose della vita, umane troppo umane, sulle relazioni necessarie e sulle ferite che portano, sui traumi inevitabili e il loro inevitabile superamento. Sulla vita che evolve e matura. Sugli errori che dovranno essere perdonati. Sui legami che non finiscono, sull’amore che è sempre opaco e controverso ma che non muore. Con pacatezza, senza enfasi, con intrinseca lucente verità.

[Emily Coffee and Commentary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somber meditation of a family reeling from the effects of absence, grief, and strained relationships. Through the eyes of the Shaw children as they attempt to heal from their mother’s untimely death, we see the ways in which children’s lives are shaped by sorrow, how the desire to fill a void takes many forms, and has complex results. This is a story that resonates with families who fight to understand secrets, judgments, dissatisfaction. These vignettes are filled with compassion and reflection.

[Mary Lins · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Chorus” by Rebecca Kauffman, grabbed me immediately, and by the second chapter I was so enamored with her writing style that I’d already ordered all her previous novels!

“Chorus” is the story of the Shaw family of seven children (3 boys and 4 girls) from 1903 to 1959. The Shaw’s Virginia farm was once large, but the Great Depression caused Jim Shaw to sell of his land in bits and pieces. The mother, Marie, has confined herself to her room with severe depression. Thus the seven Shaw children are largely on their own or paired off with siblings closest in age, to grow up.

Each chapter is a vignette about a different character in the family, and each is beautifully written and thoroughly engaging. This study of sibling relationships over time, and how childhood experiences inform and shape our entire lives, touched my heart and held me spellbound to the end.

Rebecca Kauffman is a wonderful and engaging writer, and I can’t wait to read more from her.

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty)]

Abandoned at 30%. Reading this is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle with a lot of missing pieces. You have to guess what would be in the empty spaces, and you know you'll never get a complete picture.

Slava Ukraini!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Rebecca Kauffman's previous novel, The Gunners, so I was very excited to read her upcoming work, "Chorus". This was another really beautiful heartfelt story about a big family living on a farm in Virginia. Each chapter is a different point of view from The Shaw Family. Also, each chapter takes place in a different decade in the families ever-changing lives. The story jumps in time, and back again (non-linear). Kauffman is an amazing and natural storyteller. In "The Gunners" - the focus centered around a group of childhood friends, and in this one, the central story surrounds a poor but close-knit family. Kauffman understands the complexities of family; the challenging and joyous parts of it. It was interesting to read how all of the Shaw children felt about their mentally ill mother, and their supportive but emotionally aloof father. Certain situations felt a little repetitive but overall, "Chorus" is a very heartwarming and poignant novel.

Thank you, Netgalley and Counterpoint for the digital ARC.

[Destiny · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 48%. I just really couldn't get into this. I couldn't care about any of the characters - despite there being a plethora to choose from. The Plot was really non-existent by mid-book and it just went nowhere. I couldn't continue.

[Bonnie Brody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you pick up this book and start reading, prepare yourself for total immersion. It is THAT good, I don't know why Ms. Kauffman hasn't been on my reading radar before 'Chorus' but she is now on my radar for good. I ordered two of her other books as soon as I finished 'Chorus'.

Chorus is a novel of interwoven narratives about seven Shaw siblings, all of whom struggle with a childhood trauma that has no clear or definitive answers. Each of the siblings has their own story and interpretations of childhood memories. We are with them as they mature from children to adolescents and adults. They go through marriage, divorce, addiction, trauma, and ultimately, reconnect with one another in subtle and not so subtle ways.

The writing is superb. Each chapter is gripping and, together, the story is a chorus of family, love, individuation and separation. I loved every bit of it and was sad when it ended. It will definitely be one of my top ten books of 2022.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, Loved , Loved this book !!


The Shaw family members were so intriguing, and each chapter seemed like
a short story with in itself. Just under 250 pages long, this is a gem that can be devoured in one sitting!!


Highly recommend !!


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars !!!

[Aoife Cassidy McM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chorus is Rebecca Kauffman’s fourth novel, and the second of hers that I’ve read after enjoying The House on Fripp Island. I would describe this one as a more mature, assured work. It was close to perfect for me.

Chorus tells the story of the Shaw family in episodes spanning the first half of the 20th Century, moving seamlessly back and forth in time.

Jim and Marie Shaw are a farming family living in Virginia with seven children through the Great Depression and Second World War.

The episodes paint a portrait of the family, in an honest and true way, not skirting away from heartbreak and disappointments but not ever over-egging the drama at any point. I was reminded of the book Betty by Tiffany McDaniel a few times while reading Chorus - another tale of a large family and sibling relationships but one that I did not enjoy much, and couldn’t help but think how much more meaningful Chorus was in all that is unsaid.

I was completely invested in the lives of the family and could easily have carried on reading for another couple of hundred pages but actually, the length was perfect (it comes in at under 300 pages). It was so beautifully written and the story so well told and perfectly paced.

How do you know when you really love a book? Let me count the ways. There were spin-off novels that could be written about characters in this book (Marie, Thomas, Norma, Lane, Jack, Marie’s mother) and I would read them all. Kauffman is going on my auto-buy list. Honestly, just gorgeous. Buying a copy to hug it. 5/5 ⭐️

*Chorus by Rebecca Kauffman is out today, published by @serpentstail @viper.books @profile.books. I was very grateful to read an advance copy courtesy of @netgalley. As always, this is an honest review.*

[Abigail Dosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. As soon as I started reading, I swear my English teacher bells and whistles were ringing! Dare I say it could be a modern classic?

The imagery and themes presented could be discussed in depth and I'm shocked that so much could be fit so beautifully into less than 300 pages. I was angry, hurt, heartbroken, happy, sad, content, unsettled - just to name a few emotions. People argued that some characters were underdeveloped but I strongly disagree. This is the type of book that requires you to read between the lines, which is what I absolutely loved most about it!

I'll be thinking about this book for a very long time. I'm considering re reading and I think I need to purchase my own copy to take notes. This isn't a book you can passively read you need to be ready to truly engage with the words to find hidden meaning. It's character driven, so don't be disappointed by a lack of plot - that's the nature of the genre. The way the author moved between time periods/narrators was a stroke of genius. Again you cannot lazily read this story it requires focus and intention.

If you like character driven stories with hidden symbols/themes and much to discuss then this one is for you!

TW: suicide/mental illness

[Quill&Queer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spanning nearly 60 years of a large family's life, this managed to really capture the dynamics of the Shaw family, as they struggled with grief, loss and the aftermath of war. My only issue was that I felt this would have been strong if this was told in a linear timeline.

[Marilyn C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides having a beautiful cover - basically lost on those of us reading the e version - Rebecca Kaufman’s novel “Chorus” is masterfully written.

It’s a story about the Shaw family - parents and seven children - who are based in Virginia, but spread throughout the country during the book. The book, which is written almost as group of short stories, is also delineated by different years. Beginning roughly in 1900 and ending in 1959, the chapters skip around. Often the same story is told by different characters in different chapters. Many readers don’t like books not presented in chronological fashion, but in “Chorus”, the writing is so good the orders of the chapters is not a problem.

Not much happens plot wise in “Chorus “; it is more a character study of the family members. The nine family members live their lives making decisions that will affect not only themselves but many of the others. There are two main familial issues that run through the years and the children. One is the death of the mother and the other was how and why the youngest daughter had to marry at age 15. Neither issue is indubitably resolved, leave it open to reader speculation. But isn’t that what good writing does for a reader?

The story ends in 1959. I liked the book so much, I hope Rebecca Kaufman writes a sequel.

[Bethany Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been slacking on lengthy reviews lately, but this was a lovely little novel. I’d give the book itself three stars. There’s just not really a story there. I wanted more. Too many characters and too few pages. BUT the way Kauffman describes the members of the Shaw family is so unique. Her language is straightforward and not at all flowery, but the descriptions are so revealing. “He couldn’t stand any excitement that didn’t involve him.” “He was usually up for about anything, but hated being responsible for anyone else’s good time.” I loved it.

2nd Buddy Read with my friend Harris was another good one!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chorus, using its simplest definition, is a group of individuals singing in unison. Each individual has his or her own distinctive sound but when blended, the result is a single, richer sound.

So it is here. The seven Shaw siblings experience the same version of a “truth” – their mother Marie, who suffered from severe depression, apparently chose to take her own life. The motherless siblings will contend with “own set of stories to negotiate, to tell or not tell, to remember or forget, to honor or dispense with, their own private collections of darkness and light, truths and lies.”

Narrated by the siblings and their father, Jim, the chapters span in an unchronological order from 1911 to 1959. Each chapter is its own little gem and could easily stand alone as a short story, but when read together with all the other chapters, a multi-layered portrait of a family emerges.

One theme that emerges is how unknowable each of us is to each other as we assume our family role and identity. Wendy, the oldest, is the appointed caregiver; Lane, the middle child, floats beneath the radar; Henry, the youngest, is the most sensitive; and so on. Yet each lives his or her own version of the shared story.

For example, one sibling goes into near panic mode when his wife is not precisely on time (will he be deserted the way he was as a child?) Another experiences neurological symptoms and, when referred to a psychiatrist, wonders if she’s becoming her mother. Yet another becomes pregnant while very young (was it a rape or was she a wiling participant?) And another one, when in a position to perform an act of kindness, deliberately chooses not to. As the focus shifts from the child each of them once was to the adult each has become, the perspective deepens as we get hints of how the past impacts the present. In some instances, we see how the past reverberates not only to the next generation, but to the one after that.

This is a beautifully written novel, remarkably crafted and insightfully written. It is particularly for fans of Elizabeth Strout, since the individual chapters that lead to a satisfying whole is reminiscent of Olive Kitteridge. But it introduces its own distinct chorus, with notes that resonate long after the last page.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and RB Media for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked this book. It would be a great read for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Kristin Hannah. It fell right in line with their work, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much.

Chorus is a story about family, loss and redemption. The story is centered around seven siblings, Wendy, Sam, Lane, Henry, Mave, Bette and Jack. It is told in alternating timelines and showcases the life of each sibling equally. As children, the Shaw's suffered the loss of their mom, who clearly had an undiagnosed case of bipolar disorder, back when the stigma of mental health disorders was high. Mrs. Shaw suffered from bouts of mania, followed by crippling stages of depression, which eventually lead to her death by suicide. The story follows the children through their early lives, the death of their mother and into adulthood following the death of their father. It's a family/historical drama that made me laugh and cry, sometimes simultaneously. I loved the Shaw children. They were very authentic.

I would really recommend this book to readers that enjoy drama, family stories and historical fiction. It was a really quick listen at just over six hours and I listened to it in a day. Four stars. I did win this book on Goodreads as well and will be reading it again.

[Maison Koala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ci vuole un’immaginazione luminosa e una mano sapiente per raccontare in modo compiuto e in relativamente poche pagine personalità e sorti di nove persone - i coniugi Jim e Marie e i loro sette figli - sullo sfondo crudo e poetico della Virginia ora ghiacciata e ora riarsa di inizio Novecento. Per disegnare attraverso diagonali di flashback e rincorse avanti e indietro del tempo, in una polifonia di voci ora adulte e ora bambine, una trans che cattura e intriga..

La Kauffman possiede entrambe le doti e il risultato è un romanzo corale di rara delicatezza e poesia; non proprio il mio genere, ma quando il talento è indiscusso tocca rendergliene atto.

Giudizio tecnico finale: American Masterpiece

[Renee (some kind of a library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I convince you to read this book?! CHORUS by Rebecca Kauffman was simply wonderful, let me tell you why.
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As the title suggests, this is a chorus of voices from a family over time from the 1920’s to 50’s. We as the reader are shown snapshot after snapshot of memories and moments from the siblings of the Shaw family. Moments seemingly insignificant or looked over by others but life changing for another person in the room. The quiet observations of a parent, the misunderstandings and mistakes of childhood and adolescence or reckoning with moments from the past and their consequences- all of these tiny and big moments are shared in emotional vignettes as the story unfolds.
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Honestly, each memory was like being shown a photograph and then taken back in time to hear the story from the person sitting next to you. I LOVE this kind of story. I don’t need a linear timeline, I just want to peek at someone else’s life story and see what they experienced and felt. In CHORUS, you get to do this over and over and the reward at the conclusion is feeling like you know this family in a way better than they knew themselves.
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CHORUS is hopeful, redeeming and complicated. The loss of the siblings’ mother at a young age affects them each deeply and differently, which you see as they each share their stories. I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. It was equally the perfect length and far too short!
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I’d love to hear if you are going to read this one. It will be in my list of favorites for the year, I’m sure.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chorus is a heartfelt story about family, loss, and identity. Chapters almost read like interesting short stories, and span the childhood and adulthood perspectives of seven siblings and their father; their mother suffers from mental illness and her death affects them all greatly in different ways. The cover of this book is beautiful and inviting, and the reader will feel at home with these characters and their individual and collective stories. The writing reminded me a bit of Sally Rooney, whose novels also tend to be character-driven with a focus on relationships. I enjoyed Rebecca Kauffman’s previous novel, The Gunners, and feel fortunate to have been granted an ARC of the author’s latest book. Another fun fact is that a good bit of the story takes place in my home state of Virginia, with Chesterfield and other nearby counties being mentioned in the setting. Grab a mug of tea or coffee and enjoy! 7/10.


Thank you very much to NetGalley, Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Soft Skull Press for the advanced reader’s copy of this book.

[MaryBeth's Bookshelf]

What a beautiful and tragic story about family and the events that shape us into adulthood.

This story follows the Shaw Family from the early 1900's to the late 1950's. Flipping back and forth through time, we meet the Shaw siblings, 7 brothers and sisters whose mother's unexpected death and a sister's unexpected pregnancy shape their journey to adulthood. Both of these events have a profound impact on the roles they take in life. Each sibling gets a voice in this powerful family saga.

I am very quickly changing my opinions about character driven novels - I absolutely loved this story. I loved the pacing and changes in time and I loved the characters. The writing is insightful and heartfelt as we are given a glimpse inside the mind of each child and come to understand how events beyond our control can put us on different paths. This story of family, loss, and finding redemption won't be forgotten - I highly recommend checking this one out.

[TracyGH · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book moved me with the powerful writing. I think this author could of wrote about the colour of dirt and I would of been intrigued.

A journey about the secrets and intricacies we all hold within our family. The good, the bad….good intentions along with bad judgements. I love a good family story and this one was top notch.

I will have to read more of this author’s work as she has a true gift.

“I think sometimes you wrestle as long as you just with something. And then somehow you just find a way to end the fight, whether or not you’ve won it, because your heart can’t take it anymore.”

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

Chorus is a family drama that tells the story of the 7 Shaw siblings (from the 1930s to the 1950s) and how the death of their mother affected each one. The chapters jump from one sibling to another and from one year to another, so it is a little confusing. I wish the book had been longer (it's only 248 pages) so each character had more development.