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Precious: A Novel

Sandra Novack
Random House (2009)
ISBN 9781400066803
Reviewed by Jeneke Lesak for RebeccasReads (4/09)

In “Precious,” Sandra Novack’s debut novel, little Sissy Kisch’s world is turned on end.  In the summer of 1978, as a nine year-old girl, events occur causing her to seek a deeper comfort within her fantasy world.  But even that begins to shift, and bits of reality take hold; she is growing up. Sissy’s mother Natalia has decided to abandon her husband and her two girls for the doctor she recently started working for, needing a moment for herself.  She feels that decisions have been made for her all her life and it is time to take action.  So, she leaves, only to come back months later realizing her selfishness and needing what matters most, her family.  While Natalia is gone, Sissy’s friend goes missing.  The disappearance sets a tone of fear in a town where nothing ever happens.  Sissy’s older sister Eva has her own set of issues, feeling anger toward everyone.  She is promiscuous, uses sex to take control of her life, and falls into an unhealthy relationships with her married high school English teacher.  Frank, Sissy’s father, is dependable, but emotionally absent within the family. 

Novack has a knack for character development.  There is an amazing complexity of relationships: father/daughter, mother/daughter, husband/wife, and between siblings.  She describes the characters in such accurate, emotive details that the reader becomes instantly attached.  Each character is in a liminal period of their lives, especially Sissy, who is at the threshold of awareness of a world riddled with real adult problems, and on the verge of discovering the true meaning of death.  Novack speaks many truths about relationships and individuality, the mind of a young girl, and the intricacies of simple daily life that bring about so much meaning, such as: “Sunday is Frank Kisch’s day off, and the morning is his favorite time.  It is the stillness of morning that agrees with him—its utter and succinct compliance before things set to spinning kinesthetic motion.”

“Precious” is incredible on so many levels.  The writing is fresh and sincere.  The topic is appealing.  It is an emotional and gripping story where Novack really gets to the heart of all that matters: independence, family, and love.  Highly recommended, you will love this book!   

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