Can I read The Underside of Joy on EtoBox?

The Underside of Joy by Seré Prince Halverson is a work of fiction available to read on EtoBox.

What is The Underside of Joy about?

Set against the backdrop of Redwood forests and shimmering vineyards, Seré Prince Halverson's compelling debut tells the story of two women, bound by an unspeakable loss, who each claims to be the mother of the same two children. To Ella Beene, happiness means living in the northern California river town of Elbow with her husband, Joe, and his two young children. Yet one summer day Joe breaks his own rule-never turn your back on the ocean-and a sleeper wave strikes him down, drowning not only the man but his many secrets.For three years, Ella has been the only mother the kids have known and has believed that their biological mother, Paige, abandoned them. But when Paige shows up at the funeral, intent on reclaiming the children, Ella soon realizes there may be more to Paige and Joe's story. "Ella's the best thing that's happened to this family," say her close-knit Italian-American in-laws, for generations the proprietors of a local market. But their devotion quickly falters when the custody fight between mother and stepmother urgently and powerfully collides with Ella's quest for truth.The Underside of Joy is not a fairy-tale version of stepmotherhood pitting good Ella against evil

Who reads The Underside of Joy?

Author

Seré Prince Halverson

Publisher

DUTTON ADULT

Published

2012

Language

EN

ISBN

9780007438921

Category

work of fiction

Subjects

Fiction, Literary Fiction, Humanities

Rating

3.75 / 5 (42 ratings)

Updated

2026-03-14