Plot Summary

Saying Grace

Beth Gutcheon
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Saying Grace

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1995

Book Brief

Beth Gutcheon

Saying Grace

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1995
Book Details
Pages

312

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

New England • 1990s

Publication Year

1995

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

In Saying Grace by Beth Gutcheon, head of a progressive private school Rue Shaw navigates her professional life amid pressures to adopt a competition-driven educational model while managing personal crises that include her daughter's unexpected choices and eventual death, leading to the collapse of her marriage and her forced resignation from the school she devotedly built. Contains descriptions of potentially sensitive content related to emotional trauma, child abuse suspicions, and a fatal accident.

Contemplative

Emotional

Melancholic

Reviews & Readership

3.7

538 ratings

48%

Loved it

37%

Mixed feelings

14%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Beth Gutcheon's novel, Saying Grace, has received mixed reviews. On the positive side, readers appreciate Gutcheon's sharp wit, engaging prose, and complex characters. However, some critics find the plot predictable and the pacing uneven. Overall, the book is praised for its insightful examination of relationships and social issues but critiqued for its occasional lack of suspense.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Saying Grace?

Ideal for readers who relish complex character studies and emotionally driven narratives, Saying Grace by Beth Gutcheon captivates fans of Anne Tyler’s Breathing Lessons and Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge. It appeals to those who appreciate nuanced exploration of family dynamics and small-community life.

3.7

538 ratings

48%

Loved it

37%

Mixed feelings

14%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

312

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

New England • 1990s

Publication Year

1995

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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