May 2011

I first became acquainted with Rachel Simon when she wrote RIDING THE BUS WITH MY SISTER back in 2002. When I saw that she had written THE STORY OF BEAUTIFUL GIRL, I immediately wanted to read it. This is a special book.

The story is charged with emotional energy right from the start as Lynnie and Homan show up on the doorstep of Martha, a retired schoolteacher who never had a child, with their newborn child in their arms. She senses the deep bond and love between this couple, but also knows something is wrong with the way they have appeared here. It ends up that they have escaped from the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded. It's 1968, and mental illness is looked upon quite differently from today; at that time, there was more an attitude of locking away those who were challenged.

Lynnie is a young white woman with difficulty speaking, while Homan is an African American man who is deaf, and the two communicate via sign language. Authorities have pursued them, and Lynnie is captured while Homan escapes. As Lynnie leaves, she whispers to Martha, "Hide her." And so she does. From there, Martha and baby Julia begin their life together while Martha never forgets the couple who showed up at her door. It's wonderfully crafted, rich with both setting and character. As soon as I closed it, I said, "This is a perfect Bets On book."