The Cradle - Couverture souple

"A magical debut novel...A deeply gratifying modern fable...with the light, graceful touch that makes Mr. Somerville someone to watch. ..As a small novel with unexpectedly wide range, THE CRADLE mixes the profound emotional pull of parent-child connections with comically eccentric touches."―Janet Maslin, New York Times

"A lean, moving tale.... THE CRADLE emerges swift and cinematic, an epic story told in a series of artfully curated, wonderfully rendered scenes...As a writer, I'm still wondering how Somerville created this exquisitely complex story on a small canvas. As a reader, I'm glad he did."―Dean Bakopoulos, New York Times Book Review

"A surprisingly tender novel...What matters are Somerville's characters, rendered with such warm appreciation of their complexity and resilience that, although he declines to predict their future, we have every reason to hope they will continue making slow, tentative progress toward healing the wounds of the past."―Wendy Smith, Chicago Tribune

"A lovely, finely wrought tale of unlikely redemption. In prose that floats so lightly as to seem effortless, Somerville takes the reader on unlikely journeys that results in unexpected consequences.... THE CRADLE is a slim volume, with prose that slides down easily - so easily that the emotions it explores can sneak up on the reader...The final pages of the novel are surprisingly satisfying and right. Somerville has many gifts, not the least of which is the ability to sketch his characters with firm strokes that leave no doubt as to their distinct and varied humanity. The resulting work is nothing short of a surprising treat."―Robin Vidimos, Denver Post

"The link between the characters...is uncovered with a slow grace. But the story's real centerpiece is Matt's rapport with Joe. Their spare conversation is beautifully written, with lines of painstaking clarity. The weight of what Matt is doing-speaking, in a way, to his younger self-manages gravity while dodging self-seriousness, a particular gift in a debut novel."―Melissa Albert, Time Out Chicago

"Poignant and funny...a well-wrought, often comical exploration of contemporary fatherhood."―Joseph Peschel, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"A heartwarming debut...a fast-paced, compassionate, moral book. . . . the author succeeds beautifully in describing Matt's journey, which is both a harrowing road adventure and a journey of self-discovery."―Anthony Bukowski, Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"A fine first effort and a rewarding read."―Carole Goldberg, Hartford Courant

"[Matt's] search, in Patrick Somerville's brilliant (and short!) debut novel is heartfelt, yes, but full of wild turns."―David Daley, Louisville Courier-Journal

"This slim and rather unusual road novel is very satisfying. . . . because [Somerville] manages to somehow pack a pretty epic family story into such a concentrated punch of a book, THE CRADLE is the kind of novel you can read in a single sitting on a rainy spring Sunday."―Bobby Tanzillo, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

In the summer of 1997, a newlywed couple, Matt and Marissa, are living in Wisconsin and expecting their first child. With the baby almost due, Marissa sends Matt on a quest to recover an antique cradle from her mother, who claimed it when she abandoned her family years earlier.

Ten years later, a middle-aged couple, Bill and Renee, are living outside Chicago and preparing to see their only son, Adam, off to war in Iraq. Adam's departure brings to the surface deeply personal memories of Renee's first love, and forces the confession of a long-held secret that brings the two stories together in the novel's powerful climax. Elegant and surprising, THE CRADLE tells a story that is warm, wise, and full of wonder.