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Alice McDermott's novel, "Absolution," explores the lives of women during the 1960s, particularly Irish Catholic women living in New York. The story follows the wives of American men working in Saigon during the early days of the Vietnam War, focusing on an elderly woman reflecting on her past and her connection to her best friend's daughter. McDermott weaves together politics, guilt, and morality, with a particular emphasis on the Catholic religion. The novel delves into themes of forgiveness and the consequences of one's actions. [Extracted from the article]