Sufficient Grace Author:Darnell Arnoult One quiet spring day, Gracie Hollaman hears voices in her head that tell her to get in her car and leave her entire life behind -- her home, her husband, her daughter, her very identity. Gracie's subsequent journey releases her genius for painting and effects profound changes in the lives of everyone around her. Ultimately, her quest leads h... more »er into the home of Mama Toot and Mattie, two strong, accomplished women going through life changes of their own. As the bonds between these women grow stronger, and the family Gracie left behind come to terms with their own loss, both worlds slowly and inevitably collide, revealing a long-buried secret that they share.
A spellbinding debut novel, Sufficient Grace explores the power of personal transformation and redemption, and the many ordinary and extraordinary ways they come to pass through faith, love, motherhood, art, even food. Even though we sometimes have to leave behind an old identity in order to discover our soul, this poignant, poetic study of the human condition affirms the enduring importance of relationships and the strength we derive from them.« less
Sufficient Grace is in one of my favorite micro-genres of novels: mainstream (non-religious) books with central themes of faith, religion, and church. It begins just before Easter in one year and concludes just after Easter in the next.
Set in two small Southern towns (across state lines), the book is divided into sections patterned after the structure of the Roman Catholic Mass. The book addresses big, universal topics such as marriage, grief, mental health, food, and family, some of which are inspired by the author's life experiences.
The characters are quirky and interesting, and I was never quite sure where the plot was headed, which held my interest.