Tranquility

"When the narrator's twin sister emigrates during an international violin competition, his mother, a well-known actress, is denied future roles. As a result, she exiles herself to their apartment for the remainder of her life. Despite the toll her increasing insanity takes on him, he dutifully cares for her. He is a tortured soul, at times narcissistic and cruel, compassionate and generous. Ultimately, he comes to believe that freedom, which he defines as "the kind of condition in which nothing ties us to the world," is a condition unsuited to humans"--Provided by Library Journal.