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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Barely any
No significant violence
Language
Barely any
Mild language
Sexual Content
Barely any
Brief adult content
Substance Use
None
Social drinking
Emotional Intensity
Some
Themes of female invisibility, the limits of a mother's love, and what society costs women
What this book is about
Reta Winters is a successful translator and mother of three when her eldest daughter Norah abandons her life and sits silently on a Toronto street corner holding a sign that says 'GOODNESS.' Shields's final novel is a meditation on female erasure, a mother's helplessness, and the ways goodness is extracted from women.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
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