The myth of the perfect family is once again exposed in this novel. On the first page, the Bedloes are described as the "ideal, apple-pie household" and their philosophy of life is "Don't worry. Everything will turn out fine." But Danny kills himself; Lucy dies; they are stuck with three children unrelated to them; and Ian takes religion seriously, dropping out of college to take care of the children. The Bedloes are not the perfect family after all, but they have a bedrock closeness and love that keeps them together and helps them overcome their trials. When the children are planning what to do in the event of a nuclear attack, they decide to commandeer a grocery store just for their immediate family. They make a point of including Ian, who is, in fact, not related.....
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