Here Comes the Miracle, Anna Beecher
‘As much a celebration of life’s small delights as a meditation on mortality.’
Emily adores her gentle brother Joe, a ‘miracle baby’ who survived his premature birth to develop into an outstanding violinist.
When he is diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer at the age of 25, she hopes against the odds for another miracle. In this remarkable debut, Anna Beecher intertwines the siblings’ story with episodes from their grandfather Edward’s life; his adolescent passion for his best friend Jack, and his troubled but tender marriage.
The author – who lost her own brother to cancer – provides a vivid, nuanced depiction of how terminal illness can affect a sufferer and their family. Joe not only has to cope with appalling pain and the side-effects of chemotherapy, but also has to accept that he will neither become a musician nor have a romantic relationship. Emily smashes wine glasses in frustration, and at times sobs compulsively; yet, despite their anguish, both remain capable of dark amusement and even joy.
Beecher is equally astute on other topics. Through Edward, she explores the rapture of young love, the pains and pleasures of a long marriage, and the subtle satisfactions of parenthood, which make the novel as much a celebration of life’s small delights as a meditation on mortality.
Review featured in Exploration Issue
