The
decision whether or not to keep a child
alters the lives of two young, single women in this moving
if rather programmatic second novel by Hegland (Into the Forest).
Telling
parallel stories that ultimately converge, Hegland explores
the value of work, art, family ties and the singular bond
between women and their children. Anna, a graduate photography
student, has an abortion, eventually marries and has two children;
Cerise, a high school sophomore, keeps her baby, raises it
on her own, ekes out a living and later has another child.
In
following the course of their very different lives, Hegland
describes a full range of maternal emotions and experiences—the
mind-numbing exhaustion; the weight of responsibility; the
fierce desire to protect; the boundless joys and heartbreaking
sorrows.
When
a tragic fire results in the death of Cerise's second child
and the loss of her home, Hegland illuminates the plight of
homeless people and demonstrates how easy it is to lose one's
sense of self. Cerise hides behind a new identity, as "Honey,"
and finds a job at a day-care center, where her resolve and
sense of purpose in the face of heart-shattering grief are
remarkable.
Meanwhile,
Anna's life is upended when her husband's sudden unemployment
forces a move to California from her family's Washington homestead.
Circumstances force her back into the workforce, and Hegland
brings fresh insight to the struggle working mothers face
in juggling home life with their careers.
When
Honey becomes a caretaker for Anna's two young children, a
curious bond develops between Anna and Honey as the two women
strive to find a sense of purpose in their lives. The result
is a powerful, life-changing experience for both of them,
bringing Hegland's novel to a poignant, thought-provoking
conclusion.
From
Publishers Weekly
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