Five babies are blessed at birth by their grandmother and now, as she dies, she wants to release them of the blessing for each has rather back-fired on them. It’s a wacky scenario for a novel which is actually all about family, sibling rivalry and life. In their adult lives the kids have scattered and it’s a bit complicated getting them together in a hospital room in time to break the spell. All five are very different and present an interesting mirror on aspects of personality, often turning positive traits into the negative. A fascinating book.
The Weirds have always been a little off, but not one of them ever suspected that they'd been cursed by their grandmother.At the moment of the births of her five grandchildren Annie Weird gave each one a special power. Richard, the oldest, always keeps safe; Abba always has hope; Lucy is never lost and Kent can beat anyone in a fight. As for Angie, she always forgives, instantly. But over the years these so-called blessings ended up ruining their lives.Now Annie is dying and she has one last task for Angie: gather her far-flung brothers and sisters and assemble them in her grandmother's hospital room so that at the moment of her death, she can lift these blessings-turned-curses. And Angie has justtwo weeks to do it.What follows is a quest like no other, tearing up highways and racing through airports, from a sketchy Winnipeg nursing home to the small island kingdom of Upliffta, from the family's crumbling ancestral Toronto mansion to a motel called Love. And there is also the search for the answer to the greatest family mystery of all: what really happened to their father, whose maroon Maserati was fished out of a lake so many years ago?
'I gobbled it up in two days. I absolutely loved it. Another fantastic premise, brilliant characters, witty dialogue, it was just so so good and I am once again jealous that I didn't come up with the idea. As soon as I finished it I missed the characters so I hope he hurries up and writes another one quickly.' CECELIA AHERN
'If you enjoy Wes Anderson films you'll find a character to love here.' EMERALD STREET
'Touching, witty, and with downright addictive prose.' HELLO
'Wild, wacky, wonderful. THE GLOBE & MAIL 'Kaufman has the enviable ability to zing his writing with humor. I often found myself laughing aloud at the Weirds' fractured reality and the silliness that ensues' THE STAR
'As a novelist he has set a certain unique course for himself, created a certain unique domain.' NATIONAL POST
Author
About Andrew Kaufman
Andrew Kaufman is the author of, All My Friends Are Superheroes, The Tiny Wife, and The Waterproof Bible. He was born in Wingham, Ontario, the birthplace of Alice Munro, making him the second-best writer from a town of 3000. His work has been published in 11 countries and translated into 9 languages. He is also an accomplished screenwriter and lives in Toronto with his wife and their 2 children.
