Good-Bye And Amen-Beth Gutcheon

Good-Bye And Amen
Beth Gutcheon
Morrow, Aug 2008, $24.95
ISBN: 9780060539078

Still reeling and grieving the tragic deaths of their parents Laurus and Sydney, the three adult Moss children arrive for the middle age mourners’ lottery; in other words what to do with their parents’ possessions. Each comes to the house with differing desires and needs, but it starts off wrong when the youngest and only son Jimmy takes the baby grand piano that the middle offspring Monica wanted. War has begun between the Moss orphans.

The oldest Eleanor Applegate wants things for her four children so will fight for them, but raising four kids makes her believe in fair and share. Monica Faithful wants whatever she can get, but also needs to play fair with her siblings in the Lottery while she struggles in a bad marriage just like she struggled in what she thought was a bad childhood due to her officious snobbish mom. Jimmy Moss has been estranged from his family seemingly forever, but though he is not sure he wants a reconciliation he wants to be fair with his older sisters. Coming into the Lottery fair play is what each wants; now comes the practice as the summer house and the concert Steinway and much more become debated.

The sequel to LEEWAY COTTAGE is an interesting well written extended family drama as the three siblings encouraged by their respective loved ones struggle with the orphans’ lottery while saying GOOD-BYE AND AMEN to their parents. Each of the Moss offspring had issues with their overbearing mother that shapes their thoughts. Superbly written, each character including the extended family members is unique and complete. However, after a while the reiteration of past transgressions turns into whining as the audience will demand the trio complete the task. Still this is a solid look at families at a time of grief and asset divisibility.

Harriet Klausner