The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls

Symbolism. No symbol is subtle in Ursula Hegi’s novel titled, The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls. Set on an island off Germany in the late nineteenth century, the joy from a traveling circus turns to despair after a giant wave drowns three children. The novel opens with that dramatic action, then develops the characters of three surviving mothers and how they deal with loss. Life on a small island means that there’s no escape from the looks on the faces of everyone who knows what the wave took away from you. Hegi allows the unfolding of joy in a beautiful setting while maintaining the presence of pain that will never go away. The novel celebrates these women, and every reader can gain strength from spending time with them in this novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls from amazon.com.