A JEWEL OF A NOVEL..., 2 Dec 2002

By	Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews

Beautifully written in the voice of a poor, ill educated, southern woman, the author gives life to a three dimensional character, Jewel. Born in 1904, her parents died when she was young. She then lived with her maternal grandmother who simply did not treat her with affection, as she had disapproved of her daughter's marriage to Jewel's father. While Jewel's grandmother did her duty by her, Jewel lived a life devoid of familial love and affection.

Consequently, when Jewel up and married, she was determined to have a household filled with love. She and her devoted husband, Leston, made a life. They had five children. Life was good, though hard. Then they had a sixth child, Brenda Kay, when Jewel was pushing forty. They loved her dearly. It soon, however, became apparent that Brenda Kay was not like their other children. Jewel's worst fears were realized, when she was told that her youngest daughter had Down Syndrome.

How Jewel coped and how this event affected each member of the family is the crux of this wonderfully written novel. Brenda Kay's birth is the catalyst for a journey that would take this family in search of a better life for its newest member. It would be a test of the measure of the love that they had for one another. It is a story of perseverance and survival. It is a story of familial love and acceptance. It is a story of a mother's struggle to make sure that her beloved child reaches her full potential, no matter what the cost.

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