Now this is not the most Literary (with a capital L) work. It was an Oprah’s Book Club selection, but truly, don’t hold that against it. It’s a damn hot mess – stuffed with most every dysfunction you can think of. It’s set on Cape Breton Island. It covers World War 1, the Spanish Influenza, miners, a lot of violence, dubious family relationships, heavyhanded religion, and some crazy, crazy women.
And honestly it’s provided me with some of the most enjoyable reading experiences of my life (because I’ve read it several times).
Fall On Your Knees is the story of the Piper family of early 20th century Cape Breton, James Piper who falls in love with the 12 year old Materia Mahmud (see? Crazy), their daughters Kathleen, Mercedes, Other Lily (crrrazzzy), Frances and then grand-daughter Lily.
I can’t really give away too much of the plot without totally spoiling it, but can I just say you will love Frances. She’s wild, loud, smart as all that, and all together flouncy. I’m dying to spoil it because I can’t adequately explain the appeal without doing so…. But I will not. I must not!
So you have wild crazy characters, you have wild crazy plot – add it to immaculate, gripping writing and you have a book that will break your heart in a million ways. I don’t know what more to say except go, get, read. Except if you don’t like hot messes of craziness, in which case leave this for those of us who appreciate these… uh… finer things.
