Kiefer is a master wordsmith, and his dense and beautiful language intensifies the pain and isolation of the main character. Eloquent and shattering, this novel explores, in gritty detail, how penance sometimes does not lead to redemption, a modern take on the story of Eden. But Bill has a secret past that reawakens when his childhood friend is released from prison, and he finds it impossible to hide from the person he used to be and the things he did as that person. Though he sometimes has to make the tough decision to put down gravely injured animals, he also finds meaning and solace in his relationships with the animals he cares for, most particularly the blind grizzly Majer. It is a truly beautiful achievement.In Kiefer’s ( The Infinite Tides, 2012) dark, lyrical novel, a man learns that no matter how hard he may try to atone for his sins, he can't outrun his violent past or his most painful mistakes.īill Reed seems like a quiet loner with a difficult but satisfying life: running a sanctuary for wounded animals, dating the local veterinarian, worrying about preparing for the harsh Idaho winter. “Set in a crumbling small town in the Ohio Rust Belt, The Heart of It All, should be required reading not only for anyone wanting to understand our country as it exists today, with all its hatred, divisiveness, and economic disparity, but also for those who wish to know how to be a decent human being even as the American Dream recedes further and further into the past.

“Kiefer deftly lulls you into his characters’ lives, afloat in their isolation, before they swell into a cresting, spangled wave powered by pain and angst, that sweeps you ashore waiting to exhale.” - Musharraf Ali Farooqi, author of Between Clay and Dust Bringing together a diverse variety of voices, Kiefer weaves together a haunting, heartbreaking and empathetic portrait of contemporary America.”- Dan Chaon, author of Sleepwalk “This beautifully structured ensemble novel is Altmanesque in its complex, subtle intertwining of the lives of small-town Ohio factory workers and their families. Christian is a great writer.” - Rabih Alameddine, author of The Wrong End of the Telescope “If you want to find out the kind of novel that an offspring of Richard Russo and Alice Munro would write, look no further. I couldn’t put it down.” - Jesmyn Ward, author, Sing, Unburied, Sing and Salvage the Bones Astonishing.” - Kiese Laymon, author, Heavy: A Memoir and Long Division: A Novel Christian Kiefer has created an absolutely beautiful book unafraid of our fear. “The Heart of It All somehow manages to pull and push ferociously without ever hurting. “With The Heart of It All, the always brilliant Christian Kiefer offers readers a portrait of contemporary America that is deeply insightful, often surprising, and tenderly, beautifully observed.” - Lauren Groff, author of Matrix

The Animals by Christian Kiefer