This quietly haunting story is about a family, Alice and Howard, and their two daughters. They've recently moved to a small midwestern town to follow Howard's dream of being a dairy farmer. Unfortunately, Alice soon alienates the local people against her. Right as the story unfolds, her best friend and neighbors' daughter drowns in her backyard pond. Then she is accused of sexually abusing a child at the school where she works as a nurse. On the one hand dealing with profound guilt over a child's death, and on the other facing a courtroom full of people who think she's committed the most sordid act against another child, Alice struggles to hold onto her sanity and keep her family together while facing the ostracism of the entire town. A Map of the World can be depressing and heart-wrenching, or a startling clear look at how one small mistake can trigger other events and escalate into an unforseen catastrophe.Rating: 3/5 390 pages, 1995
I read this book when Oprah had it for her book club a number of years ago. You've reminded me of how good it was. Might have to re-read it.
ReplyDeleteI own this book and The Book of Ruth, but I know *nothing* about either. I picked them up at a booksale years ago and just haven't gotten to them yet. Sounds heavy...
ReplyDelete(found this on Natasha's bookblogger's reviews site)