THE BLESSINGS

Thérèse Plummer brings a large Irish-Catholic family from Philadelphia to life with an accomplished narration. This touching novel is about the journey rather than the destination, being formed from a series of stories, each focusing on a different family member. Each story presents an important part of the whole. While the Blessings family comprises a large cast, each vignette generally focuses on smaller groups of characters, with Plummer's easy characterizations drawing the listener into each thread. Listeners will have no trouble recognizing and connecting with the characters. Plummer provides a sympathetic delivery that, despite tragedies that rock the family to the core, ensures that the life-affirming message of this novel stays front and center. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2014]