Gretchen's innocence was stolen from her when she was duped into entering a convent by her father and a monsignor. At the tender age of seventeen, she tried her best to
fit in, but became withdrawn and isolated, and after five years left. Then her father introduced her to gregarious Coleman who showered her with gifts until they were married. With Gretchen's naivete in full bloom, she couldn't see what was wrong in her passionless marriage until it was too late; another failure? Bewilderment, tragedy and angst replaced faith, hope and charity. What saved Gretchen from a breakdown, or worse were her two sons, in whom she poured her love. Yes, Gretchen struggled and stumbled, but she never gave up on herself, and may have reached an inconspicuous goal. 5 Stars
Richard,
ReplyDeleteI read your review while waiting for my flight in Dallas. You're the only reviewer who got the part about my dad and the monsignor planning the ruse, which it was, a ruse. Oh well. I have to say, it was interesting! I couldn't allow myself to actually write that my father was in on the entire plan, but of course, he was. To put that in print would have outraged my already outraged siblings.
Here's a tidbit that has come out since I published. After I was locked away, the wonderful nuns at my home parish told the grade school youngsters that the Grossman family had a daughter they had to hide away because she bore the wounds of Jesus, the Stigmata. (are you laughing yet?) The reader/reviewer who shared this with me, had married a young man that was probably 10 years younger than I was, attended the same school/church, and who told his wife, (the reviewer), while she was reading my book, that all the kids were intrigued by that story when they were growing up, and how the nuns said the parish, (St. James, not St. Bonaface), should feel honored that such a holy person once attended that very school and church. (They were talking about me like I was some sort of saint)! I mean! It cracks me up, what people tell themselves.
Is that not hilarious what craziness comes out of existing disfunction?! People are nuts! Deep down those nuns had to know that was a complete lie, because some of them drove over (45 miles) to visit me in the convent. Surely they could see that neither my head nor my wrists were bleeding, for Christ's sake!!!
What kind of nonsense do people make up in an attempt to make their lives more dramatic. It's sheer lunacy!!!
Bewilderment, tragedy and angst. That just about says it all in a nutshell. Those things did replace faith, hope, and charity. Absolutely.
While eating cheesecake at Chili's, I got baffled at what the "inconspicuous goal" is that I reached. Survival? Is that inconspicuous? I can tell you this. There wasn't anyone that was coming to save me from any of my struggles. I got that message loud and clear at 7 years old.
Thank you, Richard. I have been in San Francisco hugging my 5/y/o granddaughter for a week. I appreciate the review more than you know. I took a look at what you asked me to and will return to see if I can contribute to your blog, or whatever it was. Sorry. I'm so self-absorbed I hardly remember. But I'll definitely go back and check things out.
Thank you so much. I love love love your review. You're pretty smart!
By the way, just so you know, I'm one heck of a strong female. There isn't anyone who can take me down, standing strong and healthy, with the same determination that got me out of the convent. Plus, I just survived a Chinese massage in San Francisco, by Christine, who, besides sitting on me, pulled and pushed and pressed and twisted and thumped on my body so that now I've decided, I'm taller as a result. Wow! Go get one of those!! "Am I hurting you?" she kept asking?
Take care,
Talk to you later.
A million thanks. I've read your review 20 times, at least.
Big hug,
Gretchen