Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I didn’t manage a third review yesterday, but I’m back again today, so I’m calling that a win.

I think I acquired The Angels of Morgan Hill as a hand-me-down a few years ago, and during one of my periodic “let’s see what random titles in this stack of books are available on audio” whims, I found it available to borrow immediately and decided to give it a try. I’m not sure I really knew what to expect; what I found, however, was a thought-provoking story with real poignancy as well as hope. As a mother myself, I identified more with Fran than I did with Jane, even though it’s Jane who’s (more or less) the narrator. Being a mother is hard when your husband is a good, supportive father and you have enough money to pay the bills and then some; being a mother with an alcoholic for a husband* and too little money to even be called frugal would be something else again. Add to that a boatload of social and cultural pressures and you hurt for Fran, who aims to do the right thing without flinching. This is a book about love, race, and community, and while I hesitate to describe the plot in detail the book flap’s description wasn’t willing to provide, it’s also a book about the choices we make that matter the most. If you’re looking for a read about the triumph of hope over hate and despair, give The Angels of Morgan Hill a try.

*On the plus side, the alcoholic’s funeral is covered in chapter one, so Fran has that going for her–mostly. (Even alcoholic husbands bring home a little money occasionally.)