Our Take

Idra Novey, whose previous novels Ways to Disappear and Those Who Knew established her as a bold, innovative voice, delivers her most emotionally resonant work with Take What You Need. The novel's genius lies in its dual structure—alternating between Leah's present-day return to Appalachia and Jean's voice from the past, gradually revealing the woman behind the sculptures and the estrangement. Novey writes beautifully about the specific textures of rural Pennsylvania, the legacy of industrial decline, and how people create meaning from what's been left behind. The sculptures themselves become powerful metaphors for transformation and the way art can redeem discarded materials—and discarded lives. What elevates the book beyond typical family reconciliation narratives is Novey's refusal of easy resolutions and her clear-eyed portrayal of how class, geography, and generational differences create unbridgeable distances even between people who love each other. The mysterious young man living in Jean's house adds unexpected complexity, representing connections that form outside traditional family structures. Novey's prose is spare but luminous, capturing both the harshness and surprising beauty of her setting. Readers who appreciated Ann Patchett's Tom Lake or Elizabeth Strout's explorations of family will find much to love here, as will fans of Bonnie Jo Campbell's Appalachian stories. For anyone interested in fiction about art, estrangement, and the secrets we keep from those closest to us, Take What You Need is a quietly powerful achievement.