Here Comes The Miracle

Author: Anna Beecher
Publishrer: Weidenfeld & Nicholson
Reviewer: Beryl Eichenberger
Anna Beecher’s debut novel “Here comes the Miracle’ is an extraordinary read. One that will hold you in its palm as the story unfolds. Sensitive, exploratory and full of depth it tells of loss and love, of miracles and grief and opens a window on how simple such miracles can be.  
I was captivated by her style: there is an inner conversation that she seems to be having – one that the reader is privy to. It is an intimate portrait of a family whose lives are not much different to yours and mine, but Beecher’s 

skill lies in her portrayal and how the smallest joy can be never be dismissed. It is a moving testament to life, touching the reader at the deepest level with humour and power. 
The book is dedicated to John, the brother she lost to cancer in 2012, obviously inspired by the journey taken through that devastating time of diagnosis, illness and death. Yet there is such hope and love in the narrative that one feels inspired. Clearly this is a eulogy to her brother, but one that lives within an intricate story.  I hasten to add that this is not a morbid story. Yes, it will move you to tears but it will leave you with a glow, so movingly and beautifully written as it is.
Joe is the miracle baby, ‘a bluish scrap, too small and too early’. He is a talented violinist and composer with a bright future, close to his family, humorous and openly gay. At 24 he is diagnosed with late- stage cancer – will there be another miracle?
Through the two narrators; Emily as she talks to Joe, ‘you’ , sharing the present, past and their all too short future, and the omniscient narrator, fleshing out the other major characters, Beecher brings an evocation of these lives and the spirits surrounding them in luminous prose. 
It is Edward (Joe’s grandfather) who plays a large role. As a boy discovering his love for his best friend Jack brings that miracle of feeling.  Sadly he is sent away, required to bury his natural instincts, but he never forgets. Beecher offers alternative scenarios  which could have changed the course of his life and I enjoyed these quirky additions. Edward follows convention, marries Eleanor and they produce two children, Ruth and Eddie. Ruth marries Mark and it is to these two that Joe, ‘the tiny scrap’, and Emily, are born. 
The family relationships are not laborious; they are interesting and instantly recognisable giving context to the story, but, as in all crises, they are tested. Edward is close to his grandchildren, loving them unconditionally, acknowledging and accepting losses, past and present and a strong support.  Ruth is unable to accept the diagnosis, hoping always for a miracle. 
How does one walk this path? Acknowledge there will be an empty space at the table? Beecher’s rhythmic writing perfectly captures the feeling of each moment through this harrowing year. A simply remarkable story of a family faced with loss and how that in itself can bring unimagined miracles.  ​