Product Description

The Condition tells the story of the McKotches, a proper New England family that comes apart during one fateful summer. The year is 1976, and the family, Frank McKotch, an eminent scientist; his pedigreed wife, Paulette; and their three beautiful children has embarked on its annual vacation at the Captain's House, the grand old family retreat on Cape Cod. One day on the beach, Frank is struck by an image he cannot forget: his thirteen-year-old daughter, Gwen, strangely infantile in her child-sized bikini, standing a full head shorter than her younger cousin Charlotte. At that moment he knows a truth that he can never again unknown something is terribly wrong with his only daughter. The McKotch family will never be the same.

Twenty years after Gwen's diagnosis with Turner's syndrome, a genetic condition that has prevented her from maturing, trapping her forever in the body of a child, all five family members are still dealing with the fallout. Each believes himself crippled by some secret pathology; each feels responsible for the family's demise. Frank and Paulette are acrimoniously divorced. Billy, the eldest son, is dutiful but distant, a handsome Manhattan cardiologist with a life built on compromise. His brother, Scott, awakens from a pot-addled adolescence to a soul-killing job, a regrettable marriage, and a vinyl-sided tract house in the suburbs. And Gwen is silent and emotionally aloof, a bright, accomplished woman who spurns any interaction with those around her. She makes peace with the hermetic life she's constructed until, well into her thirties, she falls in love for the first time. And suddenly, once again, the family's world is tilted on its axis.

Compassionate yet unflinchingly honest, witty and almost painfully astute, The Condition explores the power of family mythologies, the self-delusions, denials, and inescapable truths that forever bind fathers and mothers and siblings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #109032 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-01
• Released on: 2008-07-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

From Publishers Weekly
A dysfunctional New England family struggles toward normalcy in this poignant novel from PEN/Hemingway-winner Haigh, who follows the children of resentful, controlling, Paulette and distracted, needy Frank. Even during a childhood in idyllic Cape Cod, there are hints of a rocky future. When that future arrives, Billy, the most successful of the children, keeps a secret about his sophisticated New York life from almost everyone. Scott, formerly the uncontrollable brat of the bunch, sees himself in his own troubled son. Meanwhile, Gwen suffers from a genetic condition that prevents her from developing into womanhood. The story starts slowly, and while the setup feels familiar (a fractured New England family), the children take unexpected turns that shake up the narrative, leading to the most surprising twist of all: despite the sobering events chronicled, there's a strong nod to the healing power of love. Haigh allows the reader to sympathize with each of the family members, and, in turn, to see their flaws and better understand them. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. In her third novel (after Baker Towers), New York Times best-selling author Haigh weaves a realistic contemporary tale centering on a 12-year-old girl with Turner syndrome and her relationship with her fractured family. Twenty years into the future, a trip to Cape Cod and down memory lane brings the family its first wave of honest and open communication and maybe even a glimmer of hope. Actress/narrator Jennifer Van Dyck brilliantly captures the unique yet believable characters. Recommended for all public libraries and an obvious choice for book discussion groups. [Audio clip available through www.harperaudio.com; watch the book trailer at oogop.notlong.com; the Harper hc was "highly recommended," LJ 4/1/08.—Ed.]—Valerie Piechocki, Prince George's Cty. Memorial Lib., Largo, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine
Once again, Jennifer Haigh has proven herself to be “a gifted chronicler of the human condition” (Washington Post). Here, she asks piercing questions about the nature of family relationships. The narrative starts at a leisurely pace but gains momentum during Gwen’s awakening to the world. Haigh’s graceful, evocative prose lays bare her heartbreakingly genuine characters, particularly Gwen and Scott, whose individual struggles will resonate with readers despite the surfeit of background information that exasperated the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A few critics also objected to an implausible ending but were “nonetheless happy to have spent time with [the McKotch clan]” (Washington Post). A few missteps notwithstanding, The Condition is a heartfelt love letter to the human spirit and its ability to thrive against all odds.
Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

Customer Reviews

The author gets TS right
As a woman with turner syndrome and as a librarian, I found this book to be extremely well written and researched. The author gets the details about turner syndrome right without failing to make the character Gwen fully human. She is neither overly sympathetically portrayed, or used as a foil for the other characters. Some curious readers may find themselves running to Wikipedia to find out more details about the biology referenced in the story (phenotype, knockout mice?) but this doesn't distract from the main story and adds interest. This isn't a book about turner syndrome; it's about the Human Condition (as the jacket blurb says) that we all have. I would heartily recommend "The Condition" to anyone interested in an engaging, realistic read.

The Condition - Awesome Read!
I got this book through the VINE program. Read the book in two sittings. The characters are past believable... they are PAINFULLY believable!!! I imagine anyone with extended family dynamics will find someone aptly described in this novel. Ms. Haigh intricately describes each characters weaknesses and foibles, yet keeps them endearing - a hard task indeed, but essential to keep our interest up until the end.

I was content that all the story lines I cared about were tied up and I was even happy with how she ended them. I though the balance between plot and character development was excellent.

If possible, I would avoid reading reviews with spoilers on this one - this story flows well and it would be a shame to waste such good writing by already knowing what was coming...

I wholeheartedly recommend this book - just make sure you have some time free when you start reading it - you're not going to want to put it down!

All the best,

Jay

Simply wonderful.
What an opportunity to review Jennifer Haigh's third novel as a part of the Vine program. I have reviewed Haigh's breakout novel, "Mrs. Kimble" and rejoiced in finding it to be conceptually compelling, and beautifully crafted. In her sophomore effort, Baker Towers, her timeframe and geographical research was flawed, harming a story that, once again, was based on three women, similar to Mrs. Kimble.

In "The Condition", Haigh returns to fine writer's form in an unsentimental tale of a troubled family, and how the passage of time heals their differences. Frank and Paulette McKotch, a golden couple with three children come together and then come apart after their family vacation on Cape Cod in 1976. The communication issues of this small family are rooted not in the things they say, but the things they don't say. Haigh propels the family forward by 20 years and the reader can examine the schisms that have arisen from the 1976 faultlines.

The book was a compelling read of character study, dialogue and simple revelation. I was swept up in it. Near the end of the story, one character realizes a simple truth that is the foundation of the family... and in one compelling sentence, Haigh has made me a big fan, again.

The character, the son Billy, realizes, in one sentence:

"His father was kind".

You can read a dozen books that purport to tell the story of a family's healing, but you will not be able to match the tale that leads up to that single sentence. Truly a wonderful read.