What readers think of Whistler, plus links to write your own review.

This book grabbed my heart on page one and never let go. While it's a lot more sentimental than other Ann Patchett books, that's just fine. Sometimes sentimentality is just what we need.

Jonathan and Daphne Fuller are enjoying a rare free afternoon by touring the Metropolitan Museum of Art in their hometown of New York City. At age 70, he is recently retired as a hospital administrator; she is 53 and teaches literature at a posh private girls' school. Jonathan is leaving the next day to fly to Wisconsin to help his sister clean out their mother's house after her death six months ago. As they are strolling through the American Wing, Jonathan notices a strange man following them. Daphne laughs it off. But the man is definitely following them, and eventually Jonathan sidles up to him to find out why.

And what a reason he has for following them! The man is Eddie Triplett, and once upon a time a very long time ago for just a very short time, he was Daphne's stepfather, the second of her mother's three husbands. It was Eddie that Daphne and her younger sister Leda loved the most of their three fathers, but they were only nine and seven when the divorce happened—and poof! Eddie disappeared from their lives forever. Until now. For reasons that made total sense to a nine-year-old, Daphne has always carried enormous guilt because she knows she was the cause of the divorce.

Daphne and Eddie reunite, and this new adult relationship is beautiful, filled with love and laughter, and a bit of sentimentality. Old memories are shared, and new memories are made as they get to know each other all over again.

It is during one of the most poignant scenes in the book that Eddie tells nine-year-old Daphne the story of Whistler, the horse. It's only a few pages long and occurs well into the novel, but that story is the groundwork for it all. (Just so you know, this is not a book about a horse, despite the beautiful cover art.)

And the ending? Oh, it's perfect…I cried happy tears.

This sweet novel is the story of this delightful—often funny and sometimes sad—reunion, and it's written with such flair and genius that it's also a captivating tale that's hard to put down. Most of all, this is a story about forgiveness and love, a very special love that we all wish we could have.

This book engaged me from the first few pages when Daphne and her husband are taking a leisurely walk through The Met, and her husband notices someone is stalking them. This is not a mystery story and not a horse story either ( although a horse story plays a role, even providing a metaphor). So what is the story? It's a beautifully written, sensitive journey of a woman rekindling her past relationship with a stepfather who left the family when she was nine years old. The book reminds us that multiple marriages and kids often lead to complex webs of relationships. When a legal marriage dissolves, do we stop caring about those who helped raise us?

When I finished this book, my eyes were full of happy tears and my heart was full.
Whistler is the story of an ordinary family that is pulled apart by a secret and an accident.

Years later, one of the young daughters (now grown) happens to runs into the stepfather she loved and lost. And then they begin their relationship anew.

The stepfather, Eddie, is one of the kindest humans I've ever run across in literature and his kindness spreads far and wild.

This leads to healing years in the making and spread over many family members and friends. Don't worry, it is not sappy!

It may make you think of your own life and whether there are regrets you can still set to rights.
All the stars and all the hearts for 'Whistler!'