Moloney says she found her voice through writing her memoir; readers, however, may not be able to follow what she’s saying.
Ex-nun Moloney’s debut memoir chronicles a life bound by the expectations of others, turned around with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous, Jungian analysis and New Age spirituality.
Moloney’s story unfolds from deep within, to such a degree that readers who do not share that perspective may find it difficult to comprehend. This tale of a woman freeing herself from Catholicism and family to discover her voice loosely hinges on the theme of an entire life spent being shopped for by an overbearing mother. Readers may find it hard to form even this most basic picture, however, because the explanatory language needed to orient the story is missing. Too often, a scene is told in a way that makes it appear neutral or even positive, while adverbs or adjectives coloring the narrator’s pronouncements reveal she meant the scene to be taken a different way. When the narrator is asked if she would like to become a nun, she not only agrees but sheds tears as she tells her mother, “Your joy’s so deep.” She seems happy to join the sisterhood, but, leading up to her induction, she says she “slavishly obeyed,” leading to complete surprise when readers infer that she did not want to join the church. Although the author feels oppressed by her mother—on the very first page she calls their relationship the “shameful secret of my total enmeshment with Mother”— the portrait of their relationship seems rather ordinary and not extremely unhealthy. When her mother asks the narrator about an item of clothing she’s wearing, the dialogue recounted sounds like her mother is being neutral or even flattering; much to readers’ surprise, she goes on to say how angry her mother’s statement made her feel. As a result, readers are confused as to what conclusions they are supposed to draw about the scenes depicted. Eventually, the author leaves the church, marries then divorces a man, discovers Jungian analysis and New Age concepts like the “Sacred Feminine.” Some descriptions in the book are interesting, particularly scenes of the author’s strict upbringing, life in a convent and career as a social worker in New Orleans.
Moloney says she found her voice through writing her memoir; readers, however, may not be able to follow what she’s saying.Pub Date: Feb. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-0984809707
Page Count: 296
Publisher: Heart Whisperings
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A short, simple, and sweet tale about two friends and a horse.
A novel tells the story of two spirited girls who set out to save a lame foal in 1952.
Mary, age 12, lacks muscle control of her legs and must use a wheelchair. Her life is constantly interrupted by trips with her widower father to assorted doctors, all of whom have failed to help her. Mary tolerates the treatments, hoping to one day walk unassisted, but her true passion involves horses. Possessing a library filled with horse books, she loves watching and drawing the animals at a neighboring farm. She longs to own one herself. But her father, overprotective due to her disability and his own lingering grief over Mary’s dead mother, makes her keep her distance. Mary befriends Laura, the emotionally neglected daughter of the wealthy neighboring farm owners, and the two share secret buggy rides. Both girls are attracted to Illusion, a beautiful red bay filly on the farm. Mary learns that Illusion is to be put down by a veterinarian because of a lame leg. Horrified, she decides to talk to the barn manager about the horse (“Isn’t it okay for her to live even if she’s not perfect? I think she deserves a chance”). Soon, Mary and Laura attempt to raise money to save Illusion. At the same time, Mary begins to gain control of her legs thanks to water therapy and secret therapeutic riding with Laura. There is indeed a great deal of poignancy in a story of a girl with a disability fighting to defend the intrinsic value of a lame animal. But this book, the first installment of the Dream Horse Adventure Series, would be twice as touching if Mary interacted with Illusion more. In the tale’s opening, she watches the foal from afar, but she actually spends very little time with the filly she tries so hard to protect. This turns out to be a strange development given the degree to which the narrative relies on her devotion. Count (Selah’s Sweet Dream, 2015) draws Mary and Laura in broad but believable strokes, defined mainly by their unrelenting pluckiness in the face of adversity. While the work tackles disability, death, and grief, Mary’s and Laura’s environments are so idyllic and their optimism and perseverance so remarkable that the story retains an aura of uncomplicated gentleness throughout.
A short, simple, and sweet tale about two friends and a horse.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Hastings Creations Group
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A nonpreaching testament to the power that comes from knowing and accepting yourself.
A lyrical tale that demonstrates how a voyage of self-discovery can be more important than an outer journey.
The legend of far-off Opal Cavern has long tantalized the humanlike races that inhabit the agrarian land of Tarth: Stallis, who live above ground as we do, and the taller, curly haired, semiaquatic Wassandras, who move between the surface and the golden Wasso Lake that is their home. The villagers and lake dwellers share a belief in a divine intelligence called the Plete and a peaceful, mutually supportive way of life that has them moving in and out of each other’s lives and homes. They come together to send out an expedition in search of the cavern and to take care of those who stay behind. The energetic center of both groups belongs to Curl, a young, headstrong Wassandra, whose heart is set on joining the quest, exploring the world and marrying a Stalli. The ultimate destination, Curl discovers, is within the self, where she confronts physical limitations and her true nature. Every step is slow, methodical and resonant with enormous forethought and care. This third book in the Tarth series has the gentle pace and simplicity of a YA novel, and its sufficient exposition can stand on its own. Despite the journeying framework, Byrd (The Brueggen Stones, 2007) presents not so much an action-packed story as a heart-centered exploration of the complex affections and relationships that link individuals, families, communities and species. Even Tarth’s horses contribute their own knowledge and wisdom to the quest. Compassion, kindness and trust in divine guidance are as organic and matter-of-fact as the physical laws that govern the golden waters of Wasso Lake.
A nonpreaching testament to the power that comes from knowing and accepting yourself.Pub Date: May 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-1602903241
Page Count: 216
Publisher: OakTara
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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