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Jun 27, 2016 Web Exclusive By Frank Valish

In Adam Haslett’s sophomore novel, Imagine Me Gone, he follows the life and story of one family, a family touched by loss.

Haslett tells his story through the eyes of each of his protagonists-mother Margaret, father John, daughter Celia, and brothers Alec and Michael. Each chapter takes the perspective of a different family member. As Haslett’s story unfolds, the reader is confronted with a family in turmoil, as told from all angles, a full portrait.

The novel’s crisis moment comes fairly early on in Haslett’s story; however, Imagine Me Gone is more about the family at the center of the tale and how its members deal individually with this crisis moment. Time passes. Things get buried and later unearthed in the hopes of healing. The outcome will not be spoiled here. Suffice it to say that Imagine Me Gone is a complex, nuanced portrait of a family dealing complex, nuanced issues.

Haslett’s story touches on numerous topics-growing up, heredity, familial interaction, masculinity, and perhaps above all mental illness. Haslett’s portrayal of the family’s eldest son is a thing of beauty. Central is the question of how we help those we love and how our “help” is shaped by our own interests and the limits of our own understanding. His story illuminates. It will stick with you. (www.littlebrown.com) (www.adamhaslett.net)

Author rating: 7.5/10