Coming To Be: A Novel

Description

A devastating blow in Carly Brennan’s life propels her on a rugged journey away from the past and into a new way of living. The title words “Coming To Be” comes from Plato: “Nothing ever is, but everything is always coming to be.” When Carly is caught off guard by an unexpected divorce, her two best friends from college days and the wisdom of her mother guide her to discover her capacity to accept exciting opportunities and achieve unimaginable heights in relationship and love. With much of the novel set as a flash back to the sixties and the exploration of love and sex in college days, the music of that era brings back memories. A conservative Polish girl is challenged by new norms, meeting a handsome, charming guy, who becomes her husband. The unexpected divorce many years later forces Carley to re-examine the choices she made, the unconscious assumptions about love and sex, and the underlying condition of bipolar ups and downs that were never understood. Withe the support of devoted friends and family, she faces issues so many women face today. The Discussion Guide in Coming to Be makes it especially relevant for women’s book clubs, allowing members to discuss their own achievements and disappointments in depth to gain personal insight.

During the sixties, when college women are demanding equal rights and burning bras, Carly Novak quits school and gives up her newfound freedoms to marry her first love. But this story begins in 1980, when her husband does the unthinkable while on a family vacation in Hawaii. Thaddeus juxtaposes the past with the present in this novel about self-discovery and love. Carly seeks out her longtime college friends, who stand by her through the trials. The lasting bonds of sisterhood, and the surprising twist of the support from her mother, spurs Carly to find her way in a new life. Coming to Be is a fast-paced family drama with engaging prose and charming characters; it rings hauntingly true to life. This is Rebecca Thaddeus’s do-not-miss novel.
–Catherine A. Hamilton, author of Victoria’s War

Rebecca Thaddeus gives vivid descriptions of the places her characters inhabit and enhances a sense of times by evoking pop music songs of the seventies throughout this story of Carly Novak, as she transitions from her strict Polish family to a less inhibited life in college. Her roommates become such good friends that they stand by Carly ‘s struggle with a bipolar husband who later leaves her and their children. The raw emotions of a wife and mother facing challenges and her fresh insights into bipolarism and the importance of strong female friendships, makes Coming to Be a must-read and an excellent choice for book clubs.
–Elaine McCullough, Professor Emerita of English, Ferris State University and author of Sleight of Eye

The compelling and moving story of Carly, a woman whose life course is altered by an unexpected and painful divorce. Two lifelong college friends significantly challenge her way of living and help free her from the shoulds and ought-tos and have-tos of her upbringing. Their powerful friendship helps Carly sort out love and lust and understand her past to make new choices and create a more meaningful life.
–Nancy King, Professor Emerita, Honors Program, University of Delaware and author of Breaking the Silence: A Memoir, and the novels: Opening Gates, Changing Spaces, The Stones Speak, Morning Light, and A Woman Walking