Was It Beautiful?

Set in a small, grieving community in the Adirondacks, this novel explores the quiet, guarded bonds between neighbors as they navigate loss and the possibility of renewal at midlife. The narrative moves with simple, deliberate pacing, focusing on the small kindnesses and idiosyncrasies that define the residents. It poses a central, ferocious question about the limits of truly knowing one another, answering it through a portrayal of psychological depth and emotional restraint.

McGhee’s prose is spare and precise, capturing the cold, hard landscape of the region with a sense of place that recalls the work of Richard Russo. The writing style is tender yet humorous, balancing the weight of depression and grief with the believability of everyday dialogue. It is a study in the mechanics of community, where the details of domestic life and the nuances of human connection are rendered with singular grace.

Description adapted from Open Library ↗.