A Bit Of Wawa

Because Of You by Dawn French is a compelling contemporary novel that I read in just two sittings.

It is about love and loss. These twin themes are intertwined with the character’s lives.

We witness the unfailing love of two mothers. Birth should be the best of times but as we follow the two mothers, both are totally shell-shocked. We follow the pair throughout eighteen years and a mother’s love is never diminished. If anything, it goes deeper as the years progress and we witness sacrificial love in action.

In contrast to the mothers love we also witness two very different fathers. The one has a deep love that is sacrificial. The other one is very superficial. The only person he really loves is the face in the mirror.

We learn about what constitutes a home. “Home is people, not a place.” We witness characters caring for those they love.

We also see that every child is a gift from God not matter how they were conceived. “A life can’t be a fault. God makes life so it can’t be wrong.” There are no accidents in God’s world.

There was a very touching scene about death. “Those who die in grace go no further from us than God. And God is very near.”

A mother-daughter relationship is strong. Their bond is unbreakable no matter what happens in life.

All the characters were well drawn and believable. Most were likable. Our emotional responses to the characters were guided by the author’s pen.

This is a powerful offering from Dawn French and one that I enjoyed.

JULIA WILSON