Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for gifting me a digital ARC of this amazing debut novel by Monica West - 5 stars!
iriam has grown up in Texas in a home dominated by her Baptist preacher father. Every summer, the entire family gets in their old car and travels around the south leading revivals and healing services to thousands. But one summer, Miriam witnesses her father acting brutally toward another man and her whole opinion and faith in her father starts to slip. As her father's reputation and shine start to diminish in others' eyes, Miriam herself believes that she may have the gift to heal others, which because she is a woman is considered a sin according to her father and the church.
This is a gorgeously-written coming-of-age novel with so many layers. Miriam questions her family, her faith and herself as she is forced to look deeper into her family and church relationships. This is a very troubled family made more destructive when the outside world stresses take their toll, combined with the inherent sexism of the deep rooted Southern Baptist traditions. There are wonderful characters in this book, especially Miriam, who holds to her faith but also her own mind of what is right and wrong. The ending left much to discover about Miriam and I can only hope that this author has book two in the works! Highly recommended - amazing debut!
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