SERE PRINCE HALVERSON lives in northern California and worked as a freelance copywriter for twenty years while she wrote fiction. She and her husband have four grown children. She is a mom and a stepmom, and grew up with a mom and a stepmom. This is her debut novel."
""The Underside of Joy" covers the transforming experiences of most
of our lives marriage, parenthood and death with maturity,
understanding and grace. Anyone who has known love, loss, regret
and forgiveness can identify with Ella and her transformation, and
with subplots about sibling rivalry, the local food movement and
the persecution of Italian immigrants during World War II, the book
offers a lot to think about. I suspect it will be a book club
favorite."
-Associated Press
[An] exquisite debut moving and hopeful. People Style Watch
Halverson s debut novel marks her as a strong new voice in women s
fiction this would make an excellent book-club choice. Booklist
Halverson paints a lovely picture of smalltown life and intimate
family drama Nuanced characters and lack of cliche make for a
winning debut. Publishers Weekly
Halverson avoids sentimentality, aiming for higher ground in this
lucid and graceful examination of the dangers and blessings of
familial bonds. -"Kirkus Reviews"
"Sere Prince Halverson's debut novel is a faultless exploration of
sadness and shame, anger and forgiveness; a story well told about
people we would like to know." -"Shelf Awareness"
"The writing in "The Underside of Joy" is as purely beautiful as
the story is emotionally complex. When Ella Beene is wrenched from
a state of unexamined happiness into confusion and grief, she finds
that her only hope of emerging whole is to face searing and
long-buried truths. Ella embarks on a difficult journey, both
morally and materially, one that requires her to risk losing
everything she most loves. I cheered (sometimes through tears) her
every step." -Marisa de los Santos Marisa de los Santos
"Searingly smart and exquisitely written, Halverson's knockout
debut limns family, marriage and a custody battle in a way that
gets under your skin and leaves you changed. To say I loved this
book would be an understatement." -Caroline Leavitt, "New York
Times" bestselling author of "Pictures of You"
Sere Prince Halverson s emotionally rich debut novel . . . weaves
complex subplots with deceptive ease. . . . The strength of this
novel is in its empathy for all its characters and for two women
who want what s best for the children they both love with equal
claim on motherhood. Sarah Weinman, "Publishers Marketplace"
"Halverson s gloriously down-to-earth novel is so pitch perfect
that as readers reluctantly reach the last page, wanting more, they
will have to take it on faith that this really is her first
fiction."
-"Library Journal "(starred review)"
"Halverson's gloriously down-to-earth novel is so pitch perfect
that as readers reluctantly reach the last page, wanting more, they
will have to take it on faith that this really is her first
fiction."
-"Library Journal "(starred review)
Praise for "The Underside of Joy"
"The writing in "The Underside of Joy" is as purely beautiful as
the story is emotionally complex. When Ella Beene is wrenched from
a state of unexamined happiness into confusion and grief, she finds
that her only hope of emerging whole is to face searing and
long-buried truths. Ella embarks on a difficult journey, both
morally and materially, one that requires her to risk losing
everything she most loves. I cheered (sometimes through tears) her
every step."
-Marisa de los Santos
"Ser? Prince Halverson's emotionally rich debut novel . . . weaves
complex subplots with deceptive ease. . . . The strength of this
novel is in its empathy for all its characters-and for two women
who want what's best for the children they both love with equal
claim on motherhood."
-Sarah Weinman, "Publishers Marketplace"
"Searingly smart and exquisitely written, Halverson's knockout
debut limns family, marriage and a custody battle in a wa
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