A Book Report

I was in Barnes & Nobles in Greensboro, almost a year ago, killing some time before seeing a movie. I found a particular book I was looking for and then headed over to the discounted section. The Secret Sisters, a novel by Joni Rodgers, caught my eye. After reading the back and flipping through some of the pages, I decided to add it to my purchases.

I started reading it once before, and didn't make it through the first chapter. I picked it up again the other night, determined to read it.

As the three chairs indicate on the cover, there are three sisters. Pia is the oldest and has just lost her husband. Lily is the youngest and is in prison serving a 7-year sentence for killing her niece. Beth is their sister-in-law; it was her daughter Lily killed.

Each chapter is singularly devoted to each sister, with Pia's story receiving the most attention. While very slow to begin, Pia's journey is, by far, the most interesting. Her path is riddled with grief, second love, suicide, agoraphobia, sensuality and an ottoman. Mid way through the book I wanted to skip the Lily and Beth chapters and continue with Pia's trials.

Lily's chapters were written in first person and chronicled her days in prison. Books and 10 minutes phone calls from her sister, husband and eventually an ex-prison guard were her salvation.

Beth's story was, by far, the most boring. She was an unsympathetic character, made even more so after learning the details surrounding the death of her daughter (during Lily's final parole hearing, so it was very late in the book).

While reading the book wasn't a complete waste of time, The Secret Sisters will definitely be placed in the Edward McKay pile.