Thank you, Shelf Awareness, 10/16/12

Love Anthony is a novel that compassionately yet honestly depicts the reality of being the parent of an autistic child. Set on the island of Nantucket in the off-season, Lisa Genova's story is both eye-opening and unforgettable. With a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard, Genova knows her stuff from a technical standpoint; as a novelist, she adds an invigorating story, a fascinating setting and phenomenal supporting characters. Told from the point of view of a young mother, Olivia, who is grieving the death of her son Anthony, this book will pierce your heart.

However, that's not enough for the unstoppable Genova. She interweaves another tale into her novel, about a fellow Nantucket resident, Beth, who has recently learned her husband is having an affair. She kicks him out and rediscovers her passion for writing. The subject she tackles for her budding novel? What life is like for a boy with autism. Beth and Olivia form an almost mystical connection where they are able to begin healing from their respective heartbreaks in ways neither thought possible.

Genova delivers two riveting, brilliantly written tales of ordinary women facing extraordinary hardships; Beth's book-within-the-book further illuminates the struggle of raising a child with autism. Love Anthony has the power to transform any reader's assumptions regarding this mostly misunderstood disease.

--Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend

Discover: Another not-to-be-missed novel from Genova (Left Neglected) that weaves together stories of marital infidelity, autism and unconditional love.