Come Sunday by Isla Morley: A Book Review

 

Come Sunday, Isla Morley’s first novel, came highly recommended. Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants, called it “A heart-wrenching tale of unthinkable loss and hard-won healing.  This is a novel to savor.”  The San Diego Union Tribune dubbed it “An arresting, heart-wrenching novel… a phenomenal debut.”  It was a finalist for The Commonwealth Prize.  And from the time I picked it up until I read the last sentence, I was not disappointed.  Come Sunday was easily the best novel I have read in a long time.  Isla Morley is a talented writer whose lyrical words, intricately woven story line, and colorful characters keep the reader coming back chapter after chapter and wishing for more at the conclusion of the last line.

Come Sunday‘s protagonist, Abbe, is lost.  She is lost long before her three-year-old daughter Cleo is hit by a car and killed.  In trying to escape her past, play the role of pastor’s wife and mommy, and succeed professionally, Abbe has lost the girl she once was and the woman she hoped to become.   This is not a book about the death of a child as much as it is a book about one woman’s struggle to find herself and live again after the loss of her daughter upsets the delicate balance she has established in order to move day by day through life.  This book will run you through the gamut emotionally.  You will find yourself lost in Abbe’s depression, bristling with her anger, and in the end, soaring as she finally finds hope enough to forgive and live again.  

This would be a wonderful book for a book club discussion.  The book is set in both Hawaii and South Africa, both present and past (during Apartheid).  It delves into Christianity as well as the spirituality of the native African people.   It is the story of dreams and expectations as compared to the reality of living in an imperfect world.  Materials to assist in your reading group discussions are available from the publisher, Picador, here.

Fair warning;  There is some profanity in this book.  I have read several reviews that condemn the book on this alone.  In my opinion, the profanity is used to authenticate the dialogue of an alcoholic father and at times, the desperation and despair of a seemingly endless grief.  I did not feel it was used prolifically or needlessly.

Read the first chapter here, but don’t stop there. Get a copy of this book and travel with Abbe through the depths of despair into the light of hope.  Even better yet, WIN a copy of Come Sunday from Picador!  Just leave a comment on this post by Wednesday, August 18 and you’ll be entered to win.

I received this book from Picador in exchange for my honest review.  The thoughts printed in this review are entirely my own.