Housekeeping: A Novel

hair, and arched eyebrows each drawn in a single brown line, a contest between practice and palsy which sometimes ended at her ear. She was an old woman, but she managed to look like a young woman with a ravaging disease.

Bernice, who lived below us, was our only visitor. She had lavender lips and orange

Families should stay together,” Sylvie said. “They should. There is no other help