What Momma Left Behind by Cindy Sproles, A Review

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Book Description

Worie Dressar is seventeen years old when influenza and dysentery ravage her Appalachian Mountain community in 1898, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no way to care for themselves. Worie's mother has been secretly feeding a number of these little ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when she dies suddenly, Worie is left to figure out why and how she was caring for them.

Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers--one greedy and the other a drunkard--Worie fights to save her home and the orphaned children now in her begrudging care. Along the way, she will discover the beauty of unconditional love and the power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma's children.

Storyteller and popular speaker Cindy K. Sproles pens a tender novel full of sacrifice, heartache, and courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles.

Review

I received a dARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

This book was a surprising 5 star read for me. I expected to enjoy the story and anticipated giving it 3 or 4 stars based on the title alone.  As expected, this is the story of a young woman and how she deals with the loss of her mother and how she grows through the process. Sproles weaves an intriguing story that offers a glimpse into Appalachian history and a discovery of faith around a common life experience (the loss of a parent).

One of the strong components of this novel is the voice used by Sproles. She writes in a way that captures the Appalachian language and syntax accurately but without falling into cliche. It did take some getting used to but I feel like it added so much authenticity to the time and place that this story is set. 

I'm not sure when this novel was finished and submitted for publication, but in light of COVID-19, there are many parallels between the strange sickness that sweeps through the region and our current pandemic. Worie does not hesitate to care for children and her kindness and resourcefulness are inspiring. She values family and sacrificed marriage, one of the few opportunities available to women at that time, to care for her mother. While she lacked a formal education, she was bright enough and mentally/emotionally strong enough to stand up for what she believed to be right. 

I gave this book: ★★★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    ★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it