We Were the Mulvaneys
by Joyce Carol Oates. This has appeared on previous lists, and now the Barnard book club has added their endorsement. “A family living in the small, rural town of Mt. Ephraim, New York, during the latter part of the 20th century, are the perfect family: four children, the owners of a successful roofing business, and a high social status. We Were the Mulvaneystells the tale of the demise of this perfect family—an incident that is hushed up in town and never spoken of again. It is this incident that shatters the family fabric with tragic consequences. On St. Valentine's night, 1976, Marianne Mulvaney, after prom, goes to a party where she becomes intoxicated and is raped by an upperclassman whose father is a well-respected businessman and friend of Mr. Mulvaney. After many years, the Mulvaneys meet once again.”
