Come Sunday
by Isla Morley
by Isla Morley
Abbe Deighton
is a woman who has lost her bearings. Once a child of the African
plains, she is now settled in Hawaii, married to a minister, and waging
her battles in a hallway of monotony. There is the leaky roof, the
chafing expectations of her husband’s congregation and the constant
demands of motherhood. But in an instant, beginning with the skid of
tires, Abbe’s battlefield is transformed when her three-year-old
daughter is killed, triggering in Abbe a seismic grief that will cut a
swath through the landscape of her life and her identity. Clawing its way through the strata of grief comes the memory of another tragedy, one that has been tucked away for twenty years. If Abbe is to find a way through blame and guilt and find redemption she must confront the last summer of her youth.
It is a journey that will take her back to the continent of her childhood, bringing her face-to-face with her past, to the old witchdoctor’s hut where curses were cast, secrets kept and a crime concealed. Abbe will have to make the harshest of choices, choices which blur the lines of life and death, responsibility and forgiveness, murder and self-defense.
Come Sunday is a novel about searching for a true homeland, family bonds torn asunder, and the unearthing of decades-old secrets. It is a novel to celebrate, and Isla Morley is a writer to love.
REVIEWS:
“…a pathos palpable in its authenticity and a maturity arresting in its conviction. Firmly establishing her in the pantheon of such insightful authors as Chris Bohjalian, Sue Miller, and Anita Shreve, Morley’s poignant, read-in-one sitting tale of loss and renewal will haunt readers.” – Carol Haggas, Booklist (Starred Review)
“…confident debut explores the intense grief that follows a child’s accidental death…Moments of drama, violence and self-sacrifice eventually contribute to Abbe’s rediscovery of hope and generosity. Intense, unsparing, dark and often downbeat, but distinguished by an impassioned, poetic voice.” - Kirkus
“In her poignant first novel, former South African magazine editor Morley explores
a mother’s grief. Morley convincingly depicts a grief-stricken woman without resorting to clichés… the storytelling, line by line, is rather beautiful.” – Publishers Weekly
ADVANCE PRAISE:
"A heart-wrenching tale of unthinkable loss and hard-won healing, Come Sunday grips your heart from the first page and doesn't let go. Isla Morley takes us on an unforgettable journey from the hills of Hawaii to the plains of South Africa, daring us to join her as she crosses racial and cultural divides. This is a novel to savor, like the lingering notes of a fine wine." – Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants
“Come Sunday is a rare and luminous novel. I felt the emotions under my skin, had to put the book down to settle myself, then keep reading through the night. Isla Morley explores the interior and exterior worlds with sharp and tender insight.” —Luanne Rice, author of The Letters
“…a pathos palpable in its authenticity and a maturity arresting in its conviction. Firmly establishing her in the pantheon of such insightful authors as Chris Bohjalian, Sue Miller, and Anita Shreve, Morley’s poignant, read-in-one sitting tale of loss and renewal will haunt readers.” – Carol Haggas, Booklist (Starred Review)
“…confident debut explores the intense grief that follows a child’s accidental death…Moments of drama, violence and self-sacrifice eventually contribute to Abbe’s rediscovery of hope and generosity. Intense, unsparing, dark and often downbeat, but distinguished by an impassioned, poetic voice.” - Kirkus
“In her poignant first novel, former South African magazine editor Morley explores
a mother’s grief. Morley convincingly depicts a grief-stricken woman without resorting to clichés… the storytelling, line by line, is rather beautiful.” – Publishers Weekly
ADVANCE PRAISE:
"A heart-wrenching tale of unthinkable loss and hard-won healing, Come Sunday grips your heart from the first page and doesn't let go. Isla Morley takes us on an unforgettable journey from the hills of Hawaii to the plains of South Africa, daring us to join her as she crosses racial and cultural divides. This is a novel to savor, like the lingering notes of a fine wine." – Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants
“Come Sunday is a rare and luminous novel. I felt the emotions under my skin, had to put the book down to settle myself, then keep reading through the night. Isla Morley explores the interior and exterior worlds with sharp and tender insight.” —Luanne Rice, author of The Letters
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