Best-selling author and former columnist Anna Quindlen grabs your attention from page one in the novel Every Last One with her unique style of writing and a great deal of description. This book tells the story of Mary Beth Latham about her devoting her love to her husband, Glen Latham, her 15 year old twin boys, Alex and Max, and her oldest, Ruby, who is just about to graduate from high school.

The first half of the novel captures you with feelings of sadness, happiness, joy and even fear as Quindlen describes Mary Beth’s regular life as the owner of a small-town landscape business, and, from Mary Beth’s point of view, her emotions as her children start to change and grow. Ruby Latham is a very talented, young writer who devotes her heart and soul to poetry. Ruby has outgrown her boyfriend of two years, Kiernan, but he won’t let her go. If you saw Max and Alex, you would never guess that they are twins, fraternal that is. Alex is a popular jock with lots of friends, while Max is a loner who plays the drums. When you first start reading the book, you would think that Glen and Mary Beth aren’t that close but as you read you see that their love is kept hidden because the children always come first to Mary Beth even if that means only saying “I love you” at night when going to bed.

The second half of the novel takes you for a ride with many twists and turns. Max’s peers and instructors have been noticing a change in him, that he isn’t doing his homework, speaking up in class or even smiling. After meeting with a therapist, he is diagnosed as depressed. Mary Beth turns her focus to Max to help heal him back to normal. Mary Beth’s life is then shattered when something horrible happens, a moment that echoes the title of the book.

Not only does Anna Quindlen bring in voices from unexpected family members throughout the book, you can also perceive what her own opinions and thoughts are through Mary Beth’s point of view. This novel bears the real truth on every page and you can almost hear the sophistication in Quindlen’s voice as you enjoy each chapter in this sensational novel.