Violence in the form of physical and sexual abuse and murder is alluded to, but not graphically described. The effect of abuse on families is a major theme of the book. Each member of the Doane family suffers horrible abuse from Harvey Doane, but each deals with it in a different way. Mrs. Doane withdraws into herself, rather than face reality. Sophie is passive. Isabel tries to avoid trouble and uses her imagination as a method of escape. Ray stands up to his father, and Bernie chooses a more desperate method. Discussion of the book could lead to discussion of how victims of abuse typically react and where they can go or what they can do to get relief.

Rather than deny that abuse and adultery exist, Rushing has chosen to examine it's impact on a family. She has done so in a tasteful, yet powerful...