Agatha of Little Neon: A Novel

When the diocese needs money to pay off all the abuse lawsuits against its priests, Agatha and her sisters are uprooted from the home that they have shared with Mother Roberta for the past nine years. With no training and no experience, all four sisters are sent to Woonsocket, Rhode Island, to run a halfway house, relying upon their faith and one another for support. Agatha says that they are like parts of some strange body, with chatty Frances as the mouth; soft Mary Lucille, the heart; practical Theresa, the legs; and Agatha herself, ever observant, the eyes.

Through her eyes, we meet the downtrodden residents, some of whom flee as quickly as they can: Lawnmower Jill, heroin addict Horse, bald Pete, and Baby, who works at an ice factory. But it is Tim Gary, his face deformed by cancer, whose sorrow and loss most affect Agatha. When Agatha reluctantly becomes a geometry teacher, she makes a friend and begins to see the world’s flaws and attractions more clearly.

This is an original novel, beautifully told in spare and elegant vignettes that gradually build to a surprising end. You will root for Agatha and will remember her long after the last page.