Sufficient Grace Review

I had never heard of Darnell Arnoult before I started looking for the next book for my community's book club, but after seeing her name and novel listed on the 2008 Southern Festival of Books roster, and then reading more about her novel on amazon.com, I decided that Sufficient Grace was exactly the kind of novel I was looking for! 

The voices in Gracie Hollaman's head tell her to do many things, including getting in her car, driving away and leaving her old life behind.  But where does she go and how does she end up there?  How does her exit affect the people in her life, and how do they adjust their own lives after her hasty departure?   And what exactly defines your family?

This book is a quick read and is perfect for a reading group - my group discussed many aspects of the book for nearly 2 hours!   While the book focuses on serious issues - mental health, religion, racial issues, and what defines a 'family' - Arnoult addresses these issues with MORE than 'sufficient grace' and a great dose of humor.  I was instantly drawn in by the litany of colorful characters, including Mama Toot, Tyrone, and the main character, Gracie.  Food plays an important role in this book, as it does in Southern life in general, and it actually helps anchor the storyline in such a way that you realize that, if Arnoult hadn't included the subtopic of food in her book, it would have been a completely different story!

I love the way Arnoult uses the South - specifically, North Carolina and Virginia - as a backdrop for the story; she weaves Southern nuances and tradition into so many aspects of the book!  The food, the dialogue, even the role of a wife - are all authentically Southern.  Does that mean that non-Southerners wouldn't enjoy this book?  Of course not!  It just means that this book gives anyone a hint of what it's like growing up and living in the South!

I would definitely recommend this book to all of my book-loving female friends!