Nora Webster by Colm Toibin

Nora's husband, a well respected teacher in their small Irish town,  has died leaving her with two older daughters and two young teenage sons.  I get that this is a story of a woman who has dedicated her life to her family dealing with her grief.  And that in real life grieving is a tricky and lengthy process.  I was even prepared for the same quiet gentle story Toibin told in Brooklyn.  But while Ellis was a solid determined character, Nora is like smoke.  It feels like Toibin tosses out just enough details to allow you to make most of the story up in you own head.  Nora has no trouble selling the family summer cottage but still hasn't emptied her husbands closet three years later.  She is so concerned about what will happen to her sons but can't think of a single thing to say to them.  Finally on the last few pages she decides to "find her voice" by joining a choir. Really?  That would have been a good plan on page 10 or even 100 but by 373 I was still wondering where this story was going. Maybe that was it's brilliance.  Maybe I was in the mood for more action. Hmmm.