Odds

"A dazzling novel, capturing that complex mix of lightness and darkness that is New Orleans." -Robert Olen Butler

ODDS, ODDNESS, ODDITIES--WHERE ELSE BUT NEW ORLEANS?

Darkly comic writer Patty Friedmann once again has spun what could be painful tragedy into a thought-provoking tale of family loss and personal redemption.



George and Anna Duffy have a peaceable enough marriage until a swimming pool accident claims the life of one of their six-year-old twin boys. The voice of the survivor, Gregor, is the purest, most innocent since those of Salinger's youngest characters. Adultery and gambling are odds-risking distractions for Gregor's parents. So what are the odds their story will come to a good end? Maybe not so hot, but, since it's Friedmmann, a good ending's a very good bet. Said The New York Times, "The odds are very good indeed."



"These are dark subjects, certainly, but Friedmann's caustic style is hilariously funny." -Booklist



"Coincidences abound along the way ... What are the odds? In this elegant and unusual novel, they are very good indeed." -Deborah Sussman Susser, The New York Times Book Review



"There is a warmth, sweetness and humor about this novel that hooks the reader early on, and Friedmann's insights into domestic discord will ring many a marital bell. Her quirky imagination, bolstered by striking images and witty asides, grant this novel a potent immediacy." Publishers Weekly



"A novel with a fierce grip on the heart, Odds is tender but unflinching, sad but funny, a story of devotion as well as betrayal. Patty Friedmann writes with tremendous wit, wisdom, and a marksman's eye for the telling details of human behavior." Carrie Brown