Victims and survivors! A stunning tribute!
Mercy House: A Novel by Alena Dillon
Sister Evelyn runs a woman's shelter in Brooklyn along with her sister nuns. The work is challenging and often rewarding. Over the years Evelyn's concepts of Catholicism, her working faith have been confronted by the women's needs. This does lead her down a different path to that proscribed and opens up many questions. The crux however is that Sister Evelyn harbors a secret just as wretched as her charges. When the author of that secret, the vengeful Bishop Robert Hawkins targets their work for his "nun-quition" Evelyn's repressed past bubbles to the surface.
Confronting issues involved with abuse and power within the church, I found this a powerful read. As well as the way the nuns must face the reality of their charges circumstances. I applauded the residents of Mercy House and I loved the way the nuns had become part of the local community. Their work quietly has earned the support of their neighbors is telling.
Evelyn herself is a rather contrary character who goes from being a confident and brash lioness to a fearful rabbit when the Hawk comes. The rhythm of confrontation between them leaves Evelyn more and more devastated as the Bishop targets her and the Refuge and the women who are on a healing journey. Until Evelyn breaks through her own victimization nothing changes, and when that moment comes I was standing in the pews in solidarity alongside Mei-Li, Desiree, Esther, Lucia and Katrina when Evelyn "was joined by a line of soldiers who had seen the belly of combat and had survived—a small but fierce army." Yes!!
A powerful read leavened with moments of humor and love!
A HarperCollins ARC via NetGalley
*****
Sister Evelyn runs a woman's shelter in Brooklyn along with her sister nuns. The work is challenging and often rewarding. Over the years Evelyn's concepts of Catholicism, her working faith have been confronted by the women's needs. This does lead her down a different path to that proscribed and opens up many questions. The crux however is that Sister Evelyn harbors a secret just as wretched as her charges. When the author of that secret, the vengeful Bishop Robert Hawkins targets their work for his "nun-quition" Evelyn's repressed past bubbles to the surface.
Confronting issues involved with abuse and power within the church, I found this a powerful read. As well as the way the nuns must face the reality of their charges circumstances. I applauded the residents of Mercy House and I loved the way the nuns had become part of the local community. Their work quietly has earned the support of their neighbors is telling.
Evelyn herself is a rather contrary character who goes from being a confident and brash lioness to a fearful rabbit when the Hawk comes. The rhythm of confrontation between them leaves Evelyn more and more devastated as the Bishop targets her and the Refuge and the women who are on a healing journey. Until Evelyn breaks through her own victimization nothing changes, and when that moment comes I was standing in the pews in solidarity alongside Mei-Li, Desiree, Esther, Lucia and Katrina when Evelyn "was joined by a line of soldiers who had seen the belly of combat and had survived—a small but fierce army." Yes!!
A powerful read leavened with moments of humor and love!
A HarperCollins ARC via NetGalley
*****
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