Item: Signal Fires
Rating: 4.00
Author: quirkycat

by Dani Shapiro

NATIONAL BEST SELLER • From the beloved author of Inheritance: "a haunting, moving, and propulsive exploration of family secrets” (Meg Wolitzer, author of The Interestings)

Two families. One night. A constellation of lives changed forever.

A TIME Best Fiction Book of the Year • A Washington Post Notable Work of Fiction • A Real Simple Best Book of the Year

An ancient majestic oak stands beneath the stars on Division Street. And under the tree sits Ben Wilf, a retired doctor, and ten-year-old Waldo Shenkman, a brilliant, lonely boy who is pointing out his favorite constellations. Waldo doesn’t realize it but he and Ben have met before. And they will again, and again. Across time and space, and shared destiny.

Division Street is full of secrets. An impulsive lie begets a secret—one which will forever haunt the Wilf family. And the Shenkmans, who move into the neighborhood many years later, bring secrets of their own.. Spanning fifty kaleidoscopic years, on a street—and in a galaxy—where stars collapse and stories collide, these two families become bound in ways they never could have imagined.

Urgent and compassionate, Signal Fires is a magical story for our times, a literary tour de force by a masterful storyteller at the height of her powers. A luminous meditation on family, memory, and the healing power of interconnectedness.

Book Summary:

They say that everyone has their secrets. This feels especially true for Division Street – especially the Wilf family. What happened on that street will forever haunt at least one family, branching out to touch all that come near.

My Review:

Oh wow. Signal Fires is such a somber but compelling read. I'm struggling to put into words how this book made me feel. Sad, mostly...but it's deeper than that. Perhaps this book hit me so hard because of everything in my life. I'm not sure.

Signal Fires very much tackles heavier subjects such as grief, loss, and trauma-processing. And it does so beautifully, but that strengthens the impact. I don't want to say more about these elements because I'm worried I'll accidentally spoil something.

What I can say is that the first chapter of Signal Fires did not prepare me for everything that followed! After finishing that first bit, it did feel like I was diving into a thriller or mystery. I was quite surprised when it turned into a more introspective family piece. Don't get me wrong – it was the right choice for this book. It just blindsided me.

Signal Fires is a wonderfully written novel that is deeply emotional and compelling. I strongly recommend it to anyone curious, especially those potentially needing a bit of help processing their own emotions.

Highlights:
Historical Fiction
Mystery Elements
Haunting Family Tale
Loss, Acceptance, Processing-Trauma Themes

Trigger Warnings:
Alcoholism
Memory Loss/Alzheimer's

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Signal Fires

by Dani Shapiro

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Sep 11, 2023

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