Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Blessings by Anna Quindlen


Blessings, by Anna Quindlen is one of those books where the story just stays with you because of it's simplicity.  There isn't an overwhelming plot, no truly unexpected twist, and a relatively small cast of characters.  It's truly the story of two people and how a baby that doesn't belong to either of them, changes their lives.

Skip is a young man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  After being released from jail, he goes to work for Mrs. Blessing.  She is an elderly woman who owns the grandest estate in the area.  She likes Skip and hires him as her groundskeeper.  She's formal, stuffy, and very much into her routine. She's got secrets though and is not as perfect as she looks.  They are an odd pair.

Skip finds a baby that was left at the estate and secretly cares for her.  He's afraid to turn her in and grows to love the baby girl, considering himself her father.  When Mrs. Blessing finds out about little Faith, she assists in her care and the deception.

The descriptions of the house and land are so lovely that the house almost becomes a character in the novel.  Mrs. Blessing is described so beautifully that I can see her standing at her window, looking disapprovingly at everything she sees. While the book isn't long, it is full of wonderful words.  I truly enjoyed the story and recommend it to everyone.

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