Valerie S. (VolunteerVal) -
"You said the mark of authentic love is dying a thousand deaths to self. I get now what you meant by that because I watched you live it out. ... We can all attest to your thousands of extraordinary deaths." - Sara Brunsvold in The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip
Congratulations to Sara Brunsvold for publishing her debut novel The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip. I appreciated this powerful story for several reasons:
- set in Kansas City (just 200 miles from me)
- based on facts about refugee resettlement in the 1970s
- many references to chocolate chip cookies!
- provides a peek into a Midwestern newspaper
- features a tender and realistic plot about hospice and the last stages of life
- a novel about death included lessons about life and made me smile, laugh, and cry
This engaging book features Aidyn Kelley, a rookie newspaper journalist, and Clara Kip, a once-feisty octogenarian who felt her life was "exceedingly unimpressive" and is dying from cancer. While grudgingly interviewing Mrs. Kip to write her obituary for the Kansas City Star, Aidyn slowly learns the many losses Mrs. Kip suffered and the ways she assisted and inspired countless people after she found faith in God in middle age.
Her most impactful ministry, assisting refugees from Laos begin new lives in Kansas City as they fled Communist rule in their country, grew out of a friendship with a single Laotian couple. Clara didn't have grand plans to change the world. âI simply tried to love people as best I could for as long as I was privileged to be with them."
This novel is unapologetically Christian and beautifully illustrates the ways ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things when motivated by their faith. As a result, it won't be for all readers, but it's the author's prayer that the novel reaches hearts. Its characters certainly touched mine in many ways.
Many thanks to Revell, NetGalley, and the author for providing a review copy of this outstanding novel. I'm eager to read whatever Ms. Brunsvold writes next.
Congratulations to Sara Brunsvold for publishing her debut novel The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip. I appreciated this powerful story for several reasons:
- set in Kansas City (just 200 miles from me)
- based on facts about refugee resettlement in the 1970s
- many references to chocolate chip cookies!
- provides a peek into a Midwestern newspaper
- features a tender and realistic plot about hospice and the last stages of life
- a novel about death included lessons about life and made me smile, laugh, and cry
This engaging book features Aidyn Kelley, a rookie newspaper journalist, and Clara Kip, a once-feisty octogenarian who felt her life was "exceedingly unimpressive" and is dying from cancer. While grudgingly interviewing Mrs. Kip to write her obituary for the Kansas City Star, Aidyn slowly learns the many losses Mrs. Kip suffered and the ways she assisted and inspired countless people after she found faith in God in middle age.
Her most impactful ministry, assisting refugees from Laos begin new lives in Kansas City as they fled Communist rule in their country, grew out of a friendship with a single Laotian couple. Clara didn't have grand plans to change the world. âI simply tried to love people as best I could for as long as I was privileged to be with them."
This novel is unapologetically Christian and beautifully illustrates the ways ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things when motivated by their faith. As a result, it won't be for all readers, but it's the author's prayer that the novel reaches hearts. Its characters certainly touched mine in many ways.
Many thanks to Revell, NetGalley, and the author for providing a review copy of this outstanding novel. I'm eager to read whatever Ms. Brunsvold writes next.
Aidyn Kelley agrees to help a hospice patient prepare her obituary. Clara Kip has some incredible stories. Some surprises promise to make this throwaway assignment a life-changing one. This was an incredible read. Clara told Aidyn about her husband who died 8 months after they were married. Aidyn wondered why she hadn't married again. While attempting to read about his death, Aidyn found out that he was Laotian and was in a car accident. Clara Kip asked Aidyn to make her obituary sound like something extraordinary. Aidyn did an investigation and found out that the Laotian refugee resettlement effort in 1975 brought about the immigration of Laotian people into America. Though the resettlement effort is long over, many organizations today carry on the legacy of caring for the physical, spiritual and educational needs of refugees and immigrants in Kansas City. After Clara died, they did a special party for her on the grass and read her obituary. It was a special tribute to Clara Kip and a good time for all. I would like to thank LibraryThing Early Reviewer and Revell Publishing for a copy for an honest review.
