Ever since she can remember, Grace has thought of pancakes as comfort food. They were perfect for the Sunday breakfasts with her dad and cozy evening suppers with everyone around the kitchen table. Unfortunately, Grace is discovering that pancakes don't fix everything.
Her parents have split up. There is the occasional phone from her father, and she misses him more than she can explain. Work and financial pressures are making things difficult for her mother so their relationship is strained. Topping off her issues at home, Grace just witnessed her sister's boyfriend kissing another girl. Pancakes just aren't enough.
Grace looks forward to her after school job as a candy striper at the Hanover House Retirement Community. Her favorite resident is an elderly gentleman named Mr. Sands. The light-hearted and often sarcastic relationship they have developed seems to benefit both of them. However, Grace is beginning to notice that things are getting more difficult for Mr. Sands, and after speaking with a Hanover House staff member, she learns he suffers from ALS - often called Lou Gehrig's disease. After hearing the news and learning there is no cure and life will only get worse for Mr. Sands, she isn't really surprised when he asks her to help him die. Although she is not surprised, she's pretty sure there's no way she can promise him her help.
Attracted by the title GOD IS IN THE PANCAKES, I fell in love with this book by the end of the first page. Grace is dealing with incredibly complex issues, but author Robin Epstein handles them with grace and humor. The characters seem like people I might actually meet and who would enrich my life as much as they enrich Grace's. It reads quickly and is sure to stay with readers long after they return it to the shelf.
No comments:
Post a Comment