I like Ann Patchett’s writing so much I’d be happy just reading her shopping lists. Her ability to engage readers with relatable characters, descriptive language and making a seemingly ordinary story intriguing are on full display in her most recent novel, Whistler.
This is a story about memories; ones not embellished by time. The author is methodical in the way in which her main character, Daphne, a 53-year-old English literature teacher, shares not only a significant event from her childhood, but also the joy of reconnecting with the past.
When she was nine, she and her stepfather, Eddie, were in a serious car accident. Soon afterward, Daphne’s mother kicks him out of the family’s life. However, this isn’t where the story begins. That happens when an older Eddie recognizes the now adult Daphne.
It takes little time to rekindle their mutual admiration society as told through Daphne’s perspective. So, the pair pick up as though it hadn’t been decades since their contact. Eddie was beloved not only by Daphne, but also Leda, her younger sister.
Early in the narrative the voice changes from Daphne’s to third person when the time shifts to Jan. 18, 1980. This particular time frame is interspersed with contemporary life as Daphne and Eddie reestablish a relationship that was especially important to them.
Yes, there’s a titular horse, but this is not an equine book. Rather, Whistler the novel is rich with emotion and humor about human connections and the value of appreciating people just as they are.
Whistler
Four-and-half- bookmarks
Harper Large Print, 2026
374 pages
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