Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for gifting me a physical and digital ARC of the latest book by Pulitzer Prize winner Lawrence Wright. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!
A Catholic deacon who visited a women's prison in TX was moved by the 7 women on death row. He called on the Sisters of Mary Morning Star, a group of contemplative nuns, to visit the women with him. The author takes the reader into the death row unit with these two groups on women as they forge a connection.
What a fabulous book, exploring so much about the human and spiritual experience, as the conversation of crime, punishment, and redemption is explored. At first glance, these two groups of women are polar opposites, yet each spend their days strictly regimented, mostly in silence, and even sleep in cells. The stories of the women on death row are of course horrible, but we also learn about the unethical police and justice systems that put some of them there. I liked the discussion of redemption and change and the thought that the person who eventually is killed by the state isn't the same person who committed the crime. The sisters were so open and forgiving, full of grace and compassion - lessons we all need to learn. This is an important book and one I can't stop thinking or talking about. Highly recommended.
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