The world without you (Joshua Henkin)

      
  I am on a kick of Family Gathering books with Homecoming of Samuel Lake, Seating Arrangements and now The World Without You.  This is the first time I will comment and review the bookcover, which usually I could care less about but this time I think the cover is not the most suitable. Fireworks? It might seem that since the book takes place over a 4th of July weekend it would be appropriate but I think it's too obvious. Yes the 4th was the first anniversary of Leo Frankel- son/brother/husbands death it was bigger than that. The event has brought the Frankel family together but to me the bulk of the book is about change and grief but also about moving on and introspection. 
Maybe a cover with a country house and tennis court would be better or something Jewish since a lot of story centers around Israel and Jewish stuff (sorry for my ignorance but I will be forever confused about the nationality/religion).
Anyway, the story opens with the parents, David and Marilyn and we learn that they are splitting up.  Marilyn feels that there is nothing to salvage now that their youngest son Leo has been killed. It has been a tough year and she is intending to move out. But right now they're preparing for their kids with husbands and kids in tow (including Leo's wife, Thisbe and their 3 year old Calder). They will have the memorial as planned and then tell their children.
Their children include three girls and Leo. Noelle who was once quite the party/loose girl is now reformed into an Orthodox Jew comes with her 4 children and husband who disappears for the weekend. Clarissa and her husband are attempting to get pregnant but having problems and Lily and her boyfriend who she never intends to marry all come together along with Thisbee who is already contemplating moving in with her new boyfriend even though it has only just been a year since her husband died over on assignment (he's a journalist) in Iraq. 
Basically we are taking through the holiday seeing life through each of the characters eyes how they felt about Leo how they feel about their siblings, mother in law, mother and father and their wealthy grandmother who has them seemingly tethered by the promise of money. 
I loved Henkin's writing and his way he effortless weaves in dialogue and past memories and thoughts and carries us through a lifetime of growing up and changing and dealing with death and how your life can go on or you can change it. Ultimately we are living this life and we can make it what we want. We can be imprisoned by our own minds or we can set out and do what we want to do. So the cover art, in my opinion could have been different the title is perfect as each character seems to be contemplating life without someone dear to them in it, not just Leo but their husband or the possibility of a child or sister.