Love Anthony
Love Anthony is a novel authored by American writer Lisa Genova. The hardcover edition was published in September 2012, followed by the paperback release in April 2013 to align with Autism Awareness Month. Taking place in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Love Anthony delves into a mother's experience of coping with the loss of her autistic son and discovering the resilience to begin anew.
Plot
The narrative of Love Anthony revolves around Olivia Donatelli, a former book editor and mother whose son Anthony received an autism diagnosis at the age of three. After Anthony passes away, Olivia separates from her spouse and relocates to their summer home in Nantucket, seeking a fresh start away from her previous life. There, she initiates a photography venture and revisits the journals she maintained during Anthony’s early years.
Olivia’s neighbor, Beth Ellis, who is dealing with her husband’s infidelity, embarks on writing a novel. Their paths cross when Beth hires Olivia to take family portraits and later accepts Olivia’s assistance in editing her manuscript.
Beth’s completed novel, which features a boy named Anthony with autism, aids Olivia in beginning to come to terms with her son’s death. Simultaneously, Beth faces her own marital challenges and contemplates whether to salvage her relationship. The story concludes with Olivia preparing to re-enter the workforce and publish Beth’s book.
Reception
Released in September 2012, the novel appeared on the New York Times hardcover best-seller list for one week and remained on the ABA IndieBound hardcover fiction list for several weeks.
Reviewers commended Love Anthony for its compassionate narrative. USA Today called it "beautifully written and poignant to the point of heartbreak," while Booklist emphasized Genova’s profound understanding and compelling storytelling. According to Kirkus Reviews, readers may find themselves as captivated by the novel as one of its characters.