Irises

Kate and Mary are sisters who have a lot to deal with.  Their father, the minister of the church has just died, their mother is in a permanent vegetative state, and Kate and Mary’s relationship is strained.  Kate dreams of going to Stanford to become a doctor, but now that her father is gone, she can’t bear to leave her younger sister to take care of her mother.  Mary just wants to stay home and paint, and believes her mother will one day wake up.

As if that’s not enough to handle, there are also three young men who complicate the sisters’ lives.  Kate’s boyfriend Simon offers her marriage and security.  Mary is attracted to Marcos, but she’s afraid of his involvement in a gang.  And Andy is the new pastor who Kate seems to be falling in love with. 

This is beautiful coming-of-age story that explores end-of-life choices, ambitions, love and the sacrifices we make for those we love.   I think Francisco X. Stork is a great author who really understands the complexities of human behavior and relationships.  His characters are mulit-dimensional and I really felt connected to all these wonderful characters.  

Great for grades 9-12.