Do you want to feel good? Laugh out loud? Experience well-written
prose? Share in the formation of an unconventional family? Then read Small
Blessings by Martha Woodroof.
Set on a small Virginia college campus, this debut novel
introduces us to the college's students, administrators and a small number of
central characters:
- Tom Putnam, a kind English professor who is married to
- Marjory, who is often anxious and has trouble relating to others
- Agnes, Marjory's mother, a lawyer and surprisingly fond of
- Henry, 6 years old and Tom’s newly discovered "son"
- Russell Jacobs and Iris Benson, Tom's colleagues with their own issues, including alcohol dependence, and
- Rose Callahan, new employee at the Book Store whose presence seems to set the novel in motion.
As these characters struggle with society's expectations,
some are more successful than others and all face fears and loneliness as they
take risks, seek to redefine themselves, and deal with unexpected events. Small
Blessings starts pretty slowly and sadly -like a grey, rainy day – and then
Rose and later Henry arrive – it seems like sunshine peaking through clouds. I raced through the last half of this book
with a smile on my face and in my heart.
Look for Small Blessings, especially if you are a fan of
the caring and community building in Jan Karon’s Mitford series or enjoyed the
slowly building charm and self-discovery of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I predict that Small Blessings will
soon be a movie itself and reading this book will make you smile, too.
PS – Martha Woodruff is a producer for NPR (hence her
references to pbs shows like Inspector Morse); more of her interviews and writing
about first novels can be found here.
