Childhood was not an easy road for the three Bommarito sisters.
Their father is gone and has left a painful void. Their mother is battling
depression and the uphill challenge of raising three girls and a special needs
son on her own. Now they are grown and their mother has asked them to come home
to run the family bakery and care for their brother Henry.
Meet Isabelle, an award-winning photographer, Cecilia, an
outspoken kindergarten teacher, Janie, a bestselling author, and fall in love
with Henry who brings joy to everyone.
Becky: The characters were all very unique and dynamic which
gave this story depth. However my favorite was Henry. Pam, did you just love
him?
Pam: I did! His loving, forgiving nature was a joy to read
about. I loved the way his sisters were transformed in his presence. He was
certainly the glue that kept the family together, even through the difficult
times.
Becky: Transform is a great description of Henry’s effect on
his family. The sisters have some quirky and destructive behaviors, yet they all
rally together when faced with adversity. Were you surprised that although they
had many challenging situations as they were maturing, there was little
animosity towards the mother and father?
Pam: I was surprised that the sisters were still open to their
parents, even after all of the issues they faced while growing up. I felt that
the way the sisters put their lives on hold to go home to help their mother (and
the family) showed that they still yearned for a connection to her. Isabelle,
especially, seemed to realize her parents’ actions were not what they would
have chosen, had they felt they had other options.
Becky: I agree. Originally I was very upset with the mother but
as the story progresses you realize that she was simply trying to keep her
family together. She had few options and a mountain of responsibility. How did
you feel about the violence in this story? Was it necessary?
Pam: Great question. Although I’m not sure that it was
completely necessary, it certainly illustrated the severity of the hurdles that
they had to overcome. Perhaps without it the reader would not have felt the same
about the characters and their triumphs…
Becky: I enjoyed all aspects of this story. There were moments
when I cringed, smiled to myself and wiped tears from my eyes. Not many books
can do that for me. Pam, where will next month’s story take us?
Pam: Next month, we will be reading a collection of stories set
in war-torn Africa. My upcoming pick is different than books we have reviewed in
the past... ◊
Read along
with Becky & Pam!
IN THE APRIL ISSUE:
We will discuss Pam’s next pick,
Say You’re One of Them
by Uwem Akpan
