The first book review I ever posted was for The Murderer’s Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers. I thought it might be interesting to share this again as well as some additional information.

Synopsis:

Lulu and Merry’s childhood was never ideal, but on the day before Lulu’s tenth birthday their father drives them into a nightmare. He’s always hungered for the love of the girl’s self-obsessed mother. After she throws him out, their troubles turn deadly.

Lulu’s mother warned her to never let him in, but when he shows up, he’s impossible to ignore. He bullies his way past ten-year-old Lulu, who obeys her father’s instructions to open the door, then listens in horror as her parents struggle. She runs for help and discovers upon her return that he’s murdered her mother, stabbed her sister, and tried to kill himself.

For thirty years, the sisters try to make sense of what happened. Their imprisoned father is a specter in both their lives, shadowing every choice they make. Though one spends her life pretending he’s dead, while the other feels compelled to help him, both fear that someday their imprisoned father’s attempts to win parole may meet success.

The Murderer’s Daughters is narrated in turn by Merry and Lulu. The book follows the sisters as children, as young women, and as adults, always asking how far forgiveness can stretch, while exploring sibling loyalty, the aftermath of family violence, and the reality of redemption.

The Murderer’s Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was what I would call realistic fiction. I don’t remember why I initially made the decision to read it, but it must have been recommended to me on a reading list at some point. And I am glad I read it.The story is sad–and it ends rather sadly. Again, while realistic, it does not resolve like I would like it to. I sometimes have a love-hate relationship with realistic fiction. And this is probably one of those instances.I found myself going to bed each night thanking God for the wonderful family I have and everything for which I have to be thankful. I am a teacher, and I have taught students in the past who have gone through situations like the book describes. I had never considered how a family murder can continue to affect children throughout their lives. In the end, I would have liked the two sisters to have truly resolved their issues, but then again, I guess it is pretty common that people don’t. I loved that the author acknowledged at the end that she had worked with people for ten years in the situations described in this book. The characters at times seemed 2-dimensional, and I got tired of the foul language and the more intimate sex scenes. I probably enjoyed the first part of the book better than the other two. Although the author throws us a curve or two in Parts 2 and 3 that are worth reading.All things considered, I liked the book more than I disliked it. Thus, my 3-star rating.

View all my reviews >>

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (paraphrased from her official website)

Randy Susan Myers was born in Brooklyn, New York, where she quickly moved from playing with dolls to incessantly reading, spending most of her time at the Kensington Branch Library. Early on, she developed a penchant for books rooted in social issues, her early favorites being Karenand The Family Nobody Wanted. Shortly after, she moved onto Jubilee and The Diary of Anne Frank.

Her dreams of justice simmered at the fantastically broadminded Camp Mikan, where she went from camper to counselor, culminating in a high point when (with the help of my strongly Brooklyn-accented singing voice), she landed the role of Adelaide in the staff production of Guys and Dolls.

Soon after her brief stage career, she left to pursue the dream in Berkeley, California, where she supported herself by selling candy, nuts, and ice cream in Bartons of San Francisco. Then she returned to New York, married, and became a mother.

While raising two daughters, she tended bar, co-authored a nonfiction book on parenting, ran a summer camp, and (in her all-time favorite job, other than writing) helped resurrect and run a community center.

Once her girls left for college, she threw herself deeper into social service and education by working with batterers and victims of domestic violence.

She lives in Boston with my husband.

FOLLOW RANDY

Website

Facebook

Pinterest

Goodreads

Twitter

Spiritually speaking, it was nice to have one character in the book==she was dying of cancer–that had some good things to say about God. The only person in the book who did. All the characters were Jewish, but only nominally.

Here’s what I did every night before dropping off to sleep following my reading for the night:

I would pray and thank God for the family I have and that I am so grateful I never had to go through something like this. I thanked God over and over. And I filed away what I read for those times when I have students who have experienced this.

All right. First book review completed on my blog.

Spread the love

Tweet