The Patron Saint of Liars

As mentioned, I will be writing some reviews in this spot.

This book, The PS of L was written by Ann Patchett in 1992. The basic premise is that a young pregnant woman, Rose, runs away from her family and life to a Catholic home for unwed mothers. She stays on to become their cook and never talks about her former life. She marries the caretaker and raises her daughter there. The hiding of her secret begins to consume her and her new family.

What I love about Patchett’s work is the exquisite care she takes to bring out nuances of character and blemishes. It’s never overdone. For example, Rose neglects her daughter emotionally, but is totally devoted to an elderly nun. The effortless way this is woven together seems natural.

It’s easy to tell who the liars are. But we don’t know until the end who the saint will be. We see heroism in Son, the adopted father who nevertheless believes himself a failure. We also see that people who would seem villains are only lost and confused.

The author is fond of playing with names. The name of the town is Habit, Kentucky. There is also the habit of the nuns and the way that lies that are told have to be protected until they become habit. There is also the name of Son (Wilson), who is the father, but not the biological one. Then there is the daughter, Cecilia. Son won’t call her that because of a secret from his own past, so he insists on Sissy, which is another form of sister (the nun sisters?)

I have to admit that one of the things I like about this book is the mood and scenery. The aging hotel still holding its former glory. The young women on the porch drinking tea. The gatherings in the kitchen. Everyone seems to want to be there. That’s where most of the action takes place. The sweet lazy Kentucky summers.

I’ve read all of Ann Patchett’s novels and this one twice. I invite you to try one. It’s fun and interesting and you won’t guess where this one’s going. Not formulaic in the least.