WHITETHORN WOODS
Maeve Binchy
Knopf
Fiction
ISBN-10: 0307265781
ISBN-13: 9780307265784

• Read an Excerpt

The charming Irish town of Rossmore has growing pains. Traffic is choking the streets, putting businesses in peril and making parking impossible --- and don't even think about trying to cross the road. Now a proposed bypass promises to solve many of those problems, but it may create a host of others. The new road would tear through Whitethorn Woods and, worse, destroy St. Ann's Well, a beloved icon that has served myriad generations. For as long as anyone can remember, locals and travelers from afar have been coming to the Well to pray for help. The threat to St. Ann's is almost unbearable for some, and the villagers have squared off against each other and the prospective developers.

"Already people were in two minds about it. Some were saying that it would take the life out of the place, others claimed that it would return Rossmore some of its old character."

As is often the case, change brings out the best and the worst in people. With a heavy heart, Father Brian Flynn observes heated squabbles among his congregation, dividing families and forming alliances of former enemies, and tries to decide how to best serve his flock. He wonders where he should weigh in on the matter. He has never liked being at the center of a controversy, and now, with the citizens from both sides pushing for his support, he likes it even less. How can he make everyone happy? He listens as they tell their stories, and, surprisingly, he finds a way.

Neddy Nolan, who realizes he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer (everyone says so), carefully considers the pros and cons of the future bypass. His land is crucial to the project, so he must make the right decision. Pressure comes at him from every direction, but Neddy is not one to waver. He may be slow and plodding, but his motivation is honest. The prospect of big money from the sale of otherwise worthless property is bringing out a shameless greed in some normally levelheaded folks while some "black sheep" are shocking the town with their generous sides. Unlikely coalitions are springing up, and once-solid relationships are crumbling. With all the uproar, which way will Neddy go? The outcome means so much to so many.

With a multitude of distinctive voices, it's like eavesdropping at the town meeting. Maeve Binchy's endearing style shines through in WHITETHORN WOODS, and her knack for crafting diverse personalities with her pen is at its pinnacle. Her steadfast fans will be at their happiest, and newcomers will cozy right up to Rossmore.

   --- Reviewed by Kate Ayers

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