Someone
by Alice McDermott
Someone by Alice McDermott holds a well received rating of 3.76 out of 5, based on 12.4K reader ratings. First published in 2013. The book spans 232 pages.
About Someone
An ordinary life - its sharp pains and unexpected joys, its bursts of clarity and moments of confusion - lived by an ordinary woman: this is the subject of Someone, Alice McDermott's extraordinary return, seven years after the publication of After This. Scattered recollections - of childhood, adolescence, motherhood, old age - come together in this transformative narrative, stitched into a vibrant whole by McDermott's deft, lyrical voice. Our first glimpse of Marie is as a child: a girl in glasses waiting on a Brooklyn stoop for her beloved father to come home from work. A seemingly innocuous encounter with a young woman named Pegeen sets the bittersweet tone of this remarkable novel. Pegeen describes herself as an "amadan," a fool; indeed, soon after her chat with Marie, Pegeen tumbles down her own basement stairs. The magic of McDermott's novel lies in how it reveals us all as fools for this or that, in one way or another. Marie's first heartbreak and her eventual marriage; her brother's brief stint as a Catholic priest, subsequent loss of faith, and eventual breakdown; the Second World War; her parents' deaths; the births and lives of Marie's children; the changing world of her Irish-American enclave in Brooklyn - McDermott sketches all of it with sympathy and insight. This is a novel that speaks of life as it is daily lived; a crowning achievement by one of the finest American writers at work today.Membership
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Alice McDermott |
| Published | 2013 |
| Pages | 232 |
| Genres | Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, History |
| Average Rating | 3.76 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 12,401 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is Someone?
Someone is categorized as Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Religion & Spirituality. Its primary genre classification is Historical Fiction.
Is Someone worth reading?
Based on 12.4K reader ratings, Someone has an average score of 3.76 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received."
How many pages is Someone?
Someone has 232 pages.
Who wrote Someone?
Someone was written by Alice McDermott. It was first published in 2013.
What is the ISBN for Someone?
The ISBN-13 for Someone is 9780374281090.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
