Mercy House
Fiction
William Morrow Paperbacks
2020
Paperback
384
Free from publisher
In the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn stands a century-old row house presided over by renegade, silver-haired Sister Evelyn. Gruff and indomitable on the surface, warm and wry underneath, Evelyn and her fellow sisters makes Mercy House a safe haven for the abused and abandoned.
Women like Lucia, who arrives in the dead of night; Mei-Li, the Chinese and Russian house veteran; Desiree, a loud and proud prostitute; Esther, a Haitian immigrant and aspiring collegiate; and Katrina, knitter of lumpy scarves… all of them know what it’s like to be broken by men.
Little daunts Evelyn, until she receives word that Bishop Robert Hawkins is coming to investigate Mercy House and the nuns, whose secret efforts to help the women in ways forbidden by the Church may be uncovered. But Evelyn has secrets too, dark enough to threaten everything she has built.
Evelyn will do anything to protect Mercy House and the vibrant, diverse women it serves—confront gang members, challenge her beliefs, even face her past. As she fights to defend all that she loves, she discovers the extraordinary power of mercy and the grace it grants, not just to those who receive it, but to those strong enough to bestow it.
My review:
The nuns of Mercy House are there to help and rehabilitate abused women. That is until the Bishop decides to shut them down because some of their practices are forbidden by the Catholic Church. Unfortunately for him, one of the nuns has some unfinished business with him from many years ago, and she and her fellow residents are not leaving their house without a fight! I will not forget the character of Evelyn for a long time, she definitely falls into the character of bad ass woman! The story is set in present time, but we also get a glimpse into Evelyn's past, as well as chapters devoted to the women who are current residents. I thought the characters were very well developed, particularly Evelyn, who I want to be friends with! This book also brings up lots of the issues within the Catholic church, and they are not sugarcoated. The Bishop was a loathsome creature to be sure! I flew through this book as I held my breath over whether Mercy House would be saved.
I loved this book! It speaks to the power of women, their friendship and banding together in the face of adversity. It's about help and hope, and the lengths a person in power will go to destroy that. With one of the best elderly characters I've read about.
Nice review thanks for sharing your thoughts
Thanks so much for stopping by!