Stories that Bind Us

May 11, 2020
Finkbeiner (All Manner of Things) examines loss and the solidarity of family in this stirring tale about a widow who adopts her young nephew. In 1960 LaFontaine, Mich., homemaker Betty Sweet is widowed when her husband dies of the flu. A month later, Betty’s estranged sister, Clara, suddenly appears with her five-year-old, biracial son, Hugo. Clara, who appears to be suffering from the same mental illness as their mother (possibly bipolar disorder), is incapable of carrying for the boy and abuses him. Betty takes charge with an innate motherly instinct, teaching Hugo faith, giving him the freedom to be a child, and helping him escape the fear that living with an abusive parent can trigger. After Betty assumes parental responsiblities for Hugo, her broken upbringing—her father died when she was a teenager, her mother was committed to a sanitarium—is revealed through poignant flashbacks. Betty’s supportive and caring in-laws, who own a bakery in town, strike a stark contrast, imparting a clear moral to the story: unconditional and selfless love heals. Readers of historical inspirationals will enjoy this gratifying story.