Amity & Sorrow by Peggy Riley

Every now and again a book comes along that simply leaves you breathless, for me this book is one of those. Highly recommended by American Bloggers, from the moment I picked it up I simply could not put it down, the book just carried me away on a wave of words.

The story of Amaranth and her daughters Amity and Sorrow who flee their fundamentalist cult home after a suspicious fire the book traces their journey into a world of which Amity and Sorrow have no knowledge or understanding. The journey is painful and at times searing, misadventure follows like a wolf on a track, while there is love and understanding and a dose of compassion throughout the book, quite the opposite is the norm for Amaranth, Amity and Sorrow.

The author paints a vivid and powerful story, each characters story is seamlessly woven into the narrative, linked and entwined, the twists and turns serve a purpose and the realism of her settings and places makes you feel that you are actually there, that you can touch, hold, smell and see with the characters eyes what ever it is that surrounds or engages them.

In particular it is Riley`s development of her characters that enthralled me, as each layer came off, your understanding grew and while it is fair to say there are characters you will like or loathe, compassion and empathy are possible even for the most loathsome.

There is love and humour in this book. It is one of those books that like Rebecca Rasmussen`s The Bird Sisters  paints such a inclusive portrait of Sisterhood in all its glory and misery. And like The Bird Sisters it will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

Available in Trade Paper Back or via the Library System.