Unless

I love Carol Shields. Have I told you that before? A few years ago, one of my girls (my mini-me, Sara) had to read The Stone Diaries for a class. Knowing what a reader I am, she passed the novel onto me, when she was finished. I fell in love. Recently, I snagged a copy of Carol's first novel, Small Ceremonies. I liked it even more than Stone Diaries. So, at the library, I found her second novel, The Box Garden. This one was also brilliant. Finally, thanks to a lovely Bookmooch user in Korea, I was able to get a copy of the last novel Carol published before her death.

Unless.

I loved this book. From the writing style, which was classic Shields all the way, to the plot of a daughter dropping out of school to beg on a street corner holding a sign that says, simply, "goodness." Seeing the reactions of this family to their child's plight was wonderfully insightful. The reasons we can dream up for why other people behave the way they do, generally, have more to do with why we behave the way WE do, than anything that they might think or feel. We project our own values and issues onto others everyday. This book showed that so clearly, that now I am wondering how often I could avoid misunderstandings with my husband and family if I quit assuming they think and feel and I think and feel.

Unless.

Everything hinges on this word, unless. It is the answer to the terrible "if." Example...

If Bob were to lose his job, they could not pay their mortgage, UNLESS Jan was able to sale her first novel and use the advance to pay bills.

Unless can save us. Unless is spiritual. Sin entered into the world through man and woman in the garden of Eden and all humanity is sentenced to death, UNLESS God does something to save us...

and He did.

I loved this novel and cannot wait to get my hands on more by Carol Shields.

Heather