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Published Sep 2009
336 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
On a March afternoon, while Lila Cole is working in her quiet office, her twin brother Billy points an unloaded rifle out of a hotel window, closing down a city block. "Suicide by police" was obviously Billy's intended result, but the aftermath of his death brings shock after shock for Lila when she discovers that her brilliant but troubled twin - the person she revered and was closer to than anyone in the world - was not only estranged from his wife, but also charged with endangering the life of his middle child and namesake, eight-year-old William.
As Lila struggles to figure out what was truth and what was fiction in her brother's complicated past, her job, her marriage, and even her sanity will be put at risk. And when the hidden meaning behind Billy's stories comes to light, she will have to act before Billy's children are destroyed by the same heartbreaking reality that shattered her protector and twin more than twenty years ago.
A love song to the redemptive power of books and stories, The Promised World is a mesmerizing tale of intimacy, betrayal, and lost innocence that will haunt readers long after they have turned the final page.
"The strong, plausible narrative threatens to lapse into melodrama at the end but Tucker's easy hand with characters and persuasive human trauma saves the day for this satisfying...novel." - Publishers Weekly
"Tucker reveals a deeply scarred, mentally ill, abusive family at the crux of a haunting, harrowing story definitely not for the fainthearted reader." - Library Journal
"If the characters had as much depth as the plot, this would be a very satisfying novel." - Kirkus Reviews
"Tucker is a riveting storyteller whose book brims with a cathartic intelligence about the dark side of families and how we survive." - People magazine
"A masterfully told story that delves deep into the human psyche and examines the frailty of the human mind after a tragedy and the powerful, lifelong impact of childhood memories." - Booklist
"Tucker excels at telling unexpected stories. In The Promised World, she hands the reader a solid marriage that is torn by tragedy...when the story's underlying turns are revealed, and everything comes together, it makes terrific sense." - The Denver Post
This information about The Promised World was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
© Image House/Bob Godwin
Lisa Tucker is the author of The Song Reader, Shout Down the Moon, Once Upon a Day, The Cure for Modern Life, The Promised World, and The Winters in Bloom. Her books have been published in twelve countries and selected for a dozen national book clubs, including the Book of the Month Club, Doubleday Book Club, People, Amazon Book of the Year, Barnes & Noble Reading Group program, and the Book Sense list.
Tucker grew up in Missouri. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she went on to receive graduate degrees in English and mathematics and was awarded fellowships in both fields. She has taught creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania, the Taos Writers' Conference and UCLA. Lisa has given readings and talks all over the country, and her short work has appeared ...
... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to Lisa Tucker's Website
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