The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls
Fiction
Berkley Books
February 19, 2019
Hardcover
304
Purchased
The Butler family has had their share of trials—as sisters Althea, Viola, and Lillian can attest—but nothing prepared them for the literal trial that will upend their lives.
Althea, the eldest sister and substitute matriarch, is a force to be reckoned with and her younger sisters have alternately appreciated and chafed at her strong will. They are as stunned as the rest of the small community when she and her husband, Proctor, are arrested, and in a heartbeat the family goes from one of the most respected in town to utter disgrace. The worst part is, not even her sisters are sure exactly what happened.
As Althea awaits her fate, Lillian and Viola must come together in the house they grew up in to care for their sister’s teenage daughters. What unfolds is a stunning portrait of the heart and core of an American family in a story that is as page-turning as it is important.
My review:
First off, let's talk about the cover and title. Gorgeous cover art, and I'm wondering how the title was pulled off? From what I've heard, publishers are not keen on a book having a really long title (easier for people to forget maybe?). I'd love to know who fought for this title, not that it isn't memorable (if you can remember it).
Ok, moving on to the actual book. This was not a light read (and cue triggers for incarceration, abuse, and eating disorders). It's an extremely well written account of the far reaching effects of a broken family. It mainly focuses on three sisters, who along with their brother are left without a mother at a very young age. What happens to each of them is at the crux of the story. The eldest sister Althea (and her husband) are sent to jail after embezzling charity funds, leaving their twin teenage daughters behind to be cared for by the remaining siblings. The other sisters also have their own baggage from childhood, and the brother is not innocent of involvement. Each of the sisters tells the story in alternating chapters, with details of the past coming to light as the book progresses. When one of the teens goes missing, the family must deal with their hidden issues in order to save the next generation.
While the story is heartbreaking, the writing pulls you in and you feel deeply for these flawed humans, all the while rooting for some closure to their pain. I can't wait to see what's next for this debut novelist!
Not a huge fan of this cover. But the story sounds great! Thanks for adding MORE TO MY TBR!!! 😂
I really liked the cover, but remembering the title took some work 🙂 It's a great book, but not one I'd recommend during the light holiday reading period.