Many thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and the author for gifting me both a digital and electronic ARC of the gorgeous new novel by Anna Quinn - 5 stars!
When Meg was a teenager, she was the only survivor of a car accident that killed her entire family. Devastated by grief and guilt, she joined a cloistered convent hoping to alleviate both by silence and prayer, becoming Sister Angeline. When the Chicago Diocese closes the convent due to lack of funds, she is sent to a progressive community on an island off the coast of Washington. Sister Angeline struggles with the radical differences from her former life but slowly begins opening up to a new life.
I devoured this book and loved Quinn's beautiful, poetic writing. As a Catholic, I loved reading about the prayers and rituals that are so much a part of the faith. I'll think about Sister Angeline's prayer - "Whatever awaits outside this door, give me courage to face it with strength and love and calm." It's a story of coping with grief and trauma, moving forward again through the help of community. These women were so strong in standing up for each other and their beliefs. I also loved the mysticism in Angeline's gift and how she viewed the light of God. The writing is just so beautiful - every line is perfection. A must read!
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