Important, noble jobs help a mother and son avoid each other, until they can't

Peter Fischer channels his personal struggles into his work, work, and more work. As an immigration lawyer in Manhattan, he faces a constant state of crisis: he represents asylum seekers trying to win the right to remain in the United States. A positive outcome means securing a new and safer life. A negative outcome means risking deportation.

Ann, Peter's mother, has taken on a new endeavor in a peaceful environment, a spiritual retreat in Vermont, which serves women who feel disconnected, isolated, or traumatized. The retreat helps these women find a sense of belonging and self-value.

Mother and son are both dedicating their lives to serving others. Unbeknownst to anyone, however, they are hiding a shared secret. Both are on the verge of a profound moment of truth.

Renowned novelist Adam Haslett skillfully weaves together the complex relationship between a mother and son in his highly acclaimed novel "Mothers and Sons." As the author of several notable works, including two Pulitzer Prize-nominated novels and a short story collection, Haslett is known for thoughtfully capturing the highs and lows of family relationships. In "Mothers and Sons," he delves into the fractures caused by past hurts and the social upsets of the present day.

For Peter, the underlying force propelling his work addiction stems from his past experiences. As a teenager, he grappled secretly with his desires and eventually came to accept his true nature: he was gay. However, things took a disastrous turn when, amidst his parents' separation over his mother's affair with another woman, Peter developed an ill-fated crush on the captivating and charismatic Jared. His mother's decision to leave her husband not only destroyed their family but also led to her giving up her career as an Episcopal priest.

Peter's job stands in the way of his memories and serves as a convenient excuse to dodge getting close to people and turning down Ann's invitations to meet up. Every single case requires an intensive crash course on the politics of his client's home country and the abuse that drove them to leave. In immigration court, missing a deadline can lead to arrest and eventual deportation, which can be catastrophic for refugees who may be at risk of being killed. There are children whose lives could be ruined, and clients who become hopeless and simply give up. Peter is his clients' final line of defense, protecting those from Honduras, Russia, Nepal, and Albania.

And I've never read a more insightful and vivid depiction of Peter's incredibly challenging profession, a job that is likely to become even more grueling under the new presidential administration's planned intensified immigration policies.

Peter holds on as long as he can, until a young Albanian refugee named Vasel manages to break through his defenses by evoking a deep-seated memory from Peter's past, recalling a traumatic event he had long buried. However, as Peter struggles to cope, his judgment becomes clouded, and the small errors he makes could have serious consequences.

Ann is a supportive companion, much like Peter. However, her strong idealism can sometimes cause her to overlook the everyday needs around her. Peter's painful memories are a reminder: "Even if our father was dying in the other room, her focus was still on her books. It was as if the printed word was the true purpose of our lives, and this reality we lived in was just an inconvenient interruption." The future of their yoga retreat depends heavily on Ann and her partner, but their hard-won peace and quiet is disrupted when Ann finds herself drawn to another woman.

Six years after their last meeting, Peter finds himself returning to his mother Ann's home due to a breakdown in his physical and emotional well-being. This journey is an arduous one as both Ann and Peter chip away at their deep-seated sadness, guilt, and resentment in an attempt to rediscover a lost bond of affection. At times, the family members subject each other's and their own motivations to intense scrutiny, leaving one wishing for a deeper sense of compassion. Relief from this tension comes in the form of Peter's vivacious sister Liz and her young family, providing a lighter and more lighthearted counterbalance to some of the family's more heated interactions. I would have appreciated more time spent on the everyday aspects of Peter's and Ann's lives, as well as more of Liz's carefree presence.

A subplot involving one of Ann's Revolutionary War ancestors who is involved in a devastating event of mass killing feels somewhat inconclusive. However, Haslett's depiction of Ann and Peter's relationship is unforgettable, and other mother-son pairs mirror the intensity of their bond: Vasel's fiercely devoted mother; a customer from Honduras whose son will risk everything to safeguard her; Liz and her energetic young son; Jared and his uniquely styled, enigmatic mother.

Although efforts to avoid it and accusations are hurled, a lingering sense of longing for reconciliation remains. “Mothers and Sons” depicts an emotionally charged journey that ultimately feels authentic and fulfilling, and has brought a unique portrayal of Peter's life through his experiences as a frontline worker navigating our struggles over immigration. Both Peter and Ann effectively illustrate the high price of putting others' needs before one's own.

In the end, this mother and son's story fulfills one of the greatest purposes of reading fiction: gaining insight into the complexities of others and the hardships they face, and marveling at their strength when they stumble and prevail.

Mary Ann Gwinn is a noted author of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist from Seattle, who focuses on writing about books and literary works.