An Open Book: A Single Bead, YA Catholic Fiction at Its Finest

First of all, I want to thank Carolyn Astfalk for hosting this link-up, which I haven't gotten around to joining much in the past year or so (because Grammy time trumps writing time, always--and I've got 14 little ones to spoil now!).  I'm happy to be back here, however, talking about one of my favorite subjects: Catholic fiction.

Secondly, before I even begin my review of Stephanie Engelman's A Single Bead, I just want to say a few quick things about it: Five out of five stars! ***** Highly recommended!  Get a copy for your favorite young (or not-so-young) reader, stat!

I am always eager to help other Catholic authors whenever possible, because the work they do can be such an important evangelical tool--and this is especially true of fiction, I believe, because often YA readers prefer an engaging made-up story, populated by characters to whom they can relate, to a work of non-fiction, which they might consider a bit too phlegmatic for their taste.  I am convinced that fiction can do much good in the world, and that promoting entertaining books that showcase the beauty and Truth of the Catholic Faith is a very worthy cause.  We need to get this kind of edifying literature into the hands of as many young readers as possible, so that they can be armed to become soldiers for Christ in an increasingly sinful world--one that needs as many tireless and passionately committed warriors for Him as it can get.

Having heard a lot of positive buzz about Engelman's novel, I finally got my hands on a copy (so long ago now that I can't even remember exactly when), and I devoured it in a few sittings.  I was blown away by the way the Rosary--the Pearl family's favorite daily prayer--is the heart and soul of the book.  To say that I am a fan of this well-written YA novel is an understatement.  I felt it would be an honor to help spread the word about it in my own small way here at the blog; but then I got busy with family life and didn't get my thoughts about the book down on paper (or computer) right away...and time flew by...and I eventually realized that if I was going to give the review the attention it deserved, I needed to see the book with fresh eyes.

So I recently read it again.  And you know what?  I'm not sorry at all that I had to read it twice for this review--because A Single Bead is an utterly charming and deeply touching story, told with keen insight and filled with a large cast of flawed but lovable characters who are all at different stages of their faith journeys; and best of all, it has a profound message hidden in or between every single line, and it is this: there is nothing more powerful than prayer, and there is no prayer more powerful than the Rosary.

When the story opens, we meet Katelyn Roberts, an angsty 16-year-old who is with her large extended family at the site of a plane crash that took the life of her beloved grandmother a year earlier.  In spite of being a member of a tight-knit Catholic clan that includes numerous devout members (including an uncle who is a holy but very down-to-earth priest), Kate's faith is not very strong.  She hasn't said a Rosary since she made her First Holy Communion--in fact, she hasn't said many prayers at all lately.  She's not even sure that she believes in the power of prayer anymore and wonders if God is even listening. Everyone in the family has struggled with Grandma's death in his or her own way; after all, she was the glue that held them all together, and losing her so suddenly and violently was unspeakably tragic.  But Kate's mom is the only one who just can't seem to figure out how to cope with her grief, and she has become clinically depressed.  Once very close, she and Kate have developed a strained relationship.

Kate wanders away from the memorial service, drawn inexplicably to the nearby woods.  And there in the grass, she finds a bead from her grandmother's Rosary, which had been somehow missed by the crash scene investigators a year ago.  And it's not just any bead; Kate's grandmother had the initials of each of her children and grandchildren engraved on the silver beads of her Rosary, and this one, by some miracle, happens to be Kate's bead!

Not long after her great discovery, Kate learns that other people--strangers who happen to be going through serious crises in their own lives--have found beads from Grandma's Rosary, too, and that they seem to have experienced what can only be considered true miracles.  Kate enlists the aid of her best friend and cousin, Evelyn, in a quest to find Kate's mother's bead, hoping it will lead to the miracle for which Kate has been praying.  She is desperate to get her hands on it!  Could having that precious bead be the key to bringing about the emotional and mental healing of her tortured mother?

I won't say any more about the plot (other than that it's a page-turner), because I don't want to give too much away.  But suffice it to say that Kate learns that even a single bead from the Rosary can change lives. The Devil fears Our Lady and Her Rosary, and for good reason: this prayer draws countless souls away from him and towards God.  And that is just what happens in the course of this sometimes sad but ultimately heartwarming novel. Kate's transformation--from a petulant teenager searching for a "magic bullet" that will fix her mom, into a mature, compassionate, prayerful young woman--is just the sort of "coming of age" tale that could provide much-needed inspiration for young readers who are on the cusp of adulthood.  (And like all good YA fiction, it is a compelling read even for those adults who aren't quite so young anymore.)

Engelman's characters are fully fleshed-out and sympathetic; the beliefs of the Catholic Faith are explained gently but truthfully, and without apology, through conversations between Kate and some of her mom's siblings; and the mystery of the beads--and how they got into the hands of the very people who seemed to need them most--keeps the reader guessing and eager to find out what happens next.  Like I said, it's a page-turner.  This is an all-around terrific novel--certainly for Catholics, but I believe it could also be enjoyed by readers of any religious tradition.

A Single Bead shows that life is messy, and it's hard--and that even when we pray, we don't know if our prayers will be answered the way we want them to be.  But it also shows that we have to trust in God's plan for our lives, trust that if we give all of our worries over to Him, He will take care of us.  This deeply affecting story about suffering and pain that eventually leads to forgiveness and healing reminds us that even when something unspeakably horrible happens (yes, even something as tragic as a fatal plan crash), God can make good come from bad.  As Kate's Uncle [Father] Joseph puts it, "So, while a Rosary bead, in and of itself, doesn't possess power, God can make use of an  object--or a situation, or a person, or anything, for that matter--to give us his grace."

A quick aside before I wrap this up: along with being a testament to the power of the Rosary, this book also shows that there are no bonds in this earthly life stronger than those of family.  As I read Engelman's descriptions of Kate's many aunts and uncles and cousins, I kept thinking of our own extended clan--although we don't have a priest in the family (yet!).  And Kate's grandmother reminded me very much of my late beloved mother-in-law, a devout lady whose life also revolved around praying for the many loved ones in her life--including 8 married children and 32 grandchildren. She was a Rosary- and novena-praying ninja!  She prayed constantly for all of us and our special intentions, and we received many graces and blessings because of the time she spent with Rosary beads in her hands.

There has been a lot of well-deserved praise for Stephanie Engelman's debut novel, which has even been translated for foreign markets. Kudos to this gifted author for using her estimable writing talent to tell a story about the healing power of Mary (and Her Rosary) in a struggling young girl's life--and indeed, in the lives of so many others as well.  I think Mary's Son would very much approve.

I hope to be back in the coming months with reviews of three other Catholic novels I'm reading, one of them YA (The Perfect Blindside) and the other two just plain A.  Stay tuned, readers!  And in the meantime, join Carolyn et. al. for more book recommendations.