I read the description of this book and put it on my "to read"
list. Shortly after that, I purchased a Nook and took advantage of the
feature that allows you to read any e-book for free for one hour while you're
in the store. When I got to the end of the sample for this book, I couldn't
wait to keep reading. That's pretty much how it was for the rest of the
book. The story captured and held my attention mostly because the
protagonists are very likable and you will find yourself feeling hopeful for
them. That hope makes you keep reading. It's a love story, but it's also an
expose on the poor conditions of institutions where physically and
intellectually disabled people were housed for decades, hidden from public
view. The beginning may seem a little contrived because it does open on
the proverbial dark and stormy night. However, what happens on that dark
and stormy night is the impetus for everything that happens afterwards.
Two residents of the local institution have run away. One is a
young blond woman who doesn't speak and who recently delivered a baby while on
the run. The other is a deaf-mute African-American man. They come
to an elderly widow's home looking for refuge. The police and institution
personnel catch up with the couple at the widow's home within a few hours.
The young woman is taken back to the institution, the deaf man escapes
into the woods, and the newborn is left hidden in the attic. The remainder of the book traces what
happens to each of these individuals over the next 43 years. The humanity woven
throughout the story is very touching and makes you rethink your own
perceptions about certain topics. The author does an excellent job of focusing
on the humanity of the individuals.
She demonstrates that even in dire circumstances, we are all human and
all capable of kindness, forgiveness, and love. It's a very lovely,
well-written work.
