Book Review: Amaryllis In Blueberry by Christina Meldrum

Title: Amaryllis in Blueberry
Author: Christina Meldrum
Publisher: Gallery; Original edition
Publication Date: February 8, 2011
Paperback: 384 pages
ISBN: 978-1439156896
Genre: Literary Fiction

From the Publisher:

In the stirring tradition of The Secret Life of Bees and The Poisonwood Bible, Amaryllis in Blueberry explores the complexity of human relationships set against an unforgettable backdrop. Told through the haunting voices of Dick and Seena Slepy and their four daughters, Christina Meldrum’s soulful novel weaves together the past and the present of a family harmed—and healed—by buried secrets.

“Maybe, unlike hope, truth couldn’t be contained in a jar. . . .”

Meet the Slepys: Dick, the stern doctor, the naÏve husband, a man devoted to both facts and faith; Seena, the storyteller, the restless wife, a mother of four, a lover of myth. And their children, the Marys: Mary Grace, the devastating beauty; Mary Tessa, the insistent inquisitor; Mary Catherine, the saintly, lost soul; and finally, Amaryllis, Seena’s unspoken favorite, born with the mystifying ability to sense the future, touch the past, and distinguish the truth tellers from the most convincing liar of all.

When Dick insists his family move from Michigan to the unfamiliar world of Africa for missionary work, he can’t possibly foresee how this new land and its people will entrance and change his daughters—and himself—forever.

Nor can he predict how Africa will spur his wife Seena toward an old but unforgotten obsession. In fact, Seena may be falling into a trance of her own. . . .

My Review:

Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum is a deep and complex novel that the reader will probably either really enjoy or not care for all that much, I am uncertain if there will be many who are in the middle of the road, although that is exactly where I place myself.  I try very hard not to compare books, yet the entire time I was reading Amaryllis in Blueberry I kept thinking of the parallels to the extraordinary book The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, a comparison that is not entirely fair, as each writer clearly has their own sense of style, yet the outline is there and Amaryllis in Blueberry paled in comparison.  Now one may easily get the impression I did not like Amaryllis in Blueberry, which would be incorrect.  Meldrum has constructed an excellent story in her own right.  Dick and Seena Slepy have four daughters ranging from eighteen to eleven, their four Marys, each with very distinct personalities; the youngest of the daughters is Amaryllis.  Dick decides to relocate his family from Michigan to West Africa in order to work as a missionary with his cousin.  Meldrum exquisitely and vividly describes life not only in Michigan but also West Africa, it is not difficult for the reader to feel as though they are there with the characters.  The Slepys are a family mired in secrets, various ranges of beliefs, and personalities which are clearly shown through their voices as each tells a part of the story.  I was extremely intrigued in the details of events that took place in Africa, the rituals and customs, and I also enjoyed how Meldrum had each character react to a life so very different from the one they had known.  Amaryllis in Blueberry kept my attention and I did get caught up in the Slepys lives, however I do not think this is a book for everyone.  I do believe it would make for an excellent book discussion group pick.

About the Author:

Christina Meldrum received her Bachelor of Arts in religious studies and political science from the University of Michigan. After working in grassroots development in Africa, she earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. She has worked for the International Commission of Jurists in Geneva, Switzerland, and as a litigator at the law firm of Shearman & Sterling. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family and is on the advisory board of Women of the World Investments.

I received a complimentary copy of Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum from InkWell as well as Gallery Books to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

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