Published By: Harvill Secker
Pages: 384
Released On: 04/08/2022
The 1990s are proving tough for the convent. The order of the Sisters of Saint Philomena is down to its three last nuns. The place that Sisters Margaret, Bridget and Cecilia call home is in dire need of repairs and, with no savings and no new recruits, they are facing the prospect of having to sell up and leave behind the friends and neighbours in the parish community that they love.
That is, until ninety-year-old Cecilia decides to play the newly launched National Lottery and a series of small miracles begins to unfold…
Small Miracles takes the reader on a joyful and uplifting journey as these three unforgettable nuns learn more about life, love and friendship than they could ever have imagined.
*****
*Contains small plot spoilers*
Thanks to NetGalley and Harvill Secker for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
First things first, this book has a gorgeous cover. It’s been teasing me all month just begging to be read.
I always harboured a desire to be a nun – although not for the religious reasons I should. You get a long frock (no shaving of legs), you get a wimple headgear (no hair washing), you don’t have to find a well paid job, or worry about affording a house or finding a partner – it all sounds quite lovely. But I agree they’re not usually the reasons why women join the sisterhood.
I love that this book showed an everyday side to nuns that general public wouldn’t necessarily witness – the cooking, watching TV, friendships – it reminded me that they’re human too.
It’s full of everything: love, lust, friendship, relationships, joy, worry, grief, sadness. It is joyful, an overwhelmingly positive and heartwarming.
The plot wasn’t 100% what I imagined. I thought a nun would win a certain amount on the lottery and secretly use the money to surprise the community, ending up in a big reveal at the end. But it wasn’t like that at all. It’s all about faith (unsurprisingly), faith in God, faith in yourself, your loved ones, faith in nature and faith in knowing that what is meant to be, will be.
I did find it a little confusing at times with all the different storylines going on, but I admit I was a little tired when reading it so it may have been me, but there are a lot of characters in it so best get your head around that quickly. Like I say, it did take me a little while but it didn’t detract from the story or the characters – who were well written and developed.
I think this would work well as a film. It’s written in a very visual way so it’s easy to see the characters and the settings which makes it easy to get absorbed in the story.
Books By Your Bedside 