While at the She Speaks conference a few weeks ago, I was given a copy of Susan Meissner’s The Shape of Mercy for joining the new She Reads book club.
I had heard great things about the book and wanted to read it for quite some time, so I was thrilled to be given my very own copy. It was literally difficult for me to put this book down.
College sophomore, Lauren Durough lives a privileged life and comes from a wealthy Southern California family. She doesn’t need a job, but desires to prove to her success-driven father that she is more than a trust fund diva. When a lavender slip of paper with a hand written job ad on it catches her eye in the English department, this story is set in motion.
Abigail Boyles, an 83-year-old retired librarian and wealthy heiress herself, is seeking an assistant to transcribe the 300-year-old diary of one of her ancestors who was wrongly accused and convicted in the Salem witch trials. Something about Lauren strikes Abigail right away and Lauren is offered the job.
As Lauren begins transcribing the story of Mercy Hayworth she begins to questions her own prejudices and selfishness, and she becomes haunted by thoughts of this young woman who was robbed on the fullness of life.
Oddly, Lauren’s complicated relationships with her roommate Clarissa and good looking guy named Raul begin to intertwine with events unfolding in Mercy’s story. All of this happens under the watchful eye of Abigail who knows more than she lets on, and is holding secrets no one suspects.
A perfect blend of historical and contemporary fiction, The Shape of Mercy challenges readers to identify their own prejudices, snap judgments and relational weaknesses. It speaks loudly to the power of selfless love, even among conflicted hearts in less than ideal circumstances.
The Shape of Mercy is a Christian book, although it doesn’t preach. Instead, it intertwines the lives of three women from different generations as each of them seeks to find out who she is, who she is willing to love, what’s important to her and what type of legacy she wants to leave behind. Whether you prefer historical or contemporary fiction, this book will appeal to you.
I found myself thinking through the themes of this book long after I put it down. I’m a better person for knowing Lauren, Abigail and Mercy even though our time together was brief.
I give this book 5 stars. You can purchase it here.
