Whistler: A Soulful Story of Family and Redemption

Aug 4, 2026 - Nancy C.
Review

Ann Patchett is one of my favourite authors and her latest offering, Whistler, does not disappoint. Whistler is a story about family and all of its messiness. It is also about courage, faith, friendship and loyalty.

Daphne Fuller and her husband Jonathan are in New York visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art when they cross paths with an elderly man who seems somewhat fixated on them. Jonathan decides to confront the man and discovers that Eddie Triplett was Daphne’s stepfather for a brief time during her childhood. This chance encounter sets the stage for a rekindling of a relationship that was at one time deeply affectionate but ripped asunder by forces outside of their control.

Throughout the story, we learn about Eddie’s life, his marriage to Daphne’s mother and the crisis that tore the family apart. We watch as Daphne and Eddie reconnect and open themselves up to their younger selves and the people that most influenced their adult lives. Daphne and her sister Leda get an opportunity to begin a new relationship with Eddie, one that will bring the extended families together in a way that is soulful and inspiring.

I love the image of the horse on the front cover. While not a ‘horse’ story, this lovely creature is a connective thread to all that is laid bare in this tale.

Nancy C.
Library Assistant, John M. Harper Branch

Nancy has worked at the John M. Harper Branch as a Library Assistant for over 11 years. Her best days are when she can introduce readers, both young and not-so-young, to new authors/series. She feels like a kid in a candy store at the library, always amazed at the new finds that she discovers. She loves the wide selection of movies/TV series and has done a good number of the amazing puzzles that are in the collection. Nancy sings in a local choir and hits the stage with a theatre production company in New Hamburg. She is an avid reader, gardener, golfer, and newly back to skiing after a 30-year hiatus.