What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross

I have to say, I really thought hard about whether I could review this book or not. A heartbreaking topic for certain and I questioned if I could get through it. But then I thought about what the editor and publisher saw in this author and the belief that she could take a touchy topic and turn it into a fiction novel. A novel that people will want to read. Then I knew I had to read this and I have to say it changed me.

What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross
Publisher: Gallery Books (January 5, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-1476732350

Simply told but deeply affecting, in the bestselling tradition of Alice McDermott and Tom Perrotta, this urgent novel unravels the heartrending yet unsentimental tale of a woman who kidnaps a baby in a superstore—and gets away with it for twenty-one years.

Lucy Wakefield is a seemingly ordinary woman who does something extraordinary in a desperate moment: she takes a baby girl from a shopping cart and raises her as her own. It’s a secret she manages to keep for over two decades—from her daughter, the babysitter who helped raise her, family, coworkers, and friends.

When Lucy’s now-grown daughter Mia discovers the devastating truth of her origins, she is overwhelmed by confusion and anger and determines not to speak again to the mother who raised her. She reaches out to her birth mother for a tearful reunion, and Lucy is forced to flee to China to avoid prosecution. What follows is a ripple effect that alters the lives of many and challenges our understanding of the very meaning of motherhood.

Author Helen Klein Ross, whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, weaves a powerful story of upheaval and resilience told from the alternating perspectives of Lucy, Mia, Mia’s birth mother, and others intimately involved in the kidnapping. What Was Mine is a compelling tale of motherhood and loss, of grief and hope, and the life-shattering effects of a single, irrevocable moment.

My thoughts:

As a parent your worst nightmare is laid right out for you in this book. While some of it is from the parents point of view, much of the book is from Lucy’s point of view. You want to hate her. But somewhere along the way you start to feel sorry for her. The desperation. The single act you don’t really think through. Then the realization that you cannot undo anything and have to move on.

How do you live with yourself after causing heartbreak for others?

This book is in intimate look into the reality of a life changing moment. The landslide of feelings and the waterfall effect of change to everything you know. Not just for the loss the parents must feel, but also for Lucy and her unthinking act. Everything has an effect somewhere.

The author is a brave woman who has taken a deep look into the thought and actions of others. This book is really an easy read by the fact that it is broken into mini chapters and thoughts of those involved. You get a unique insight to the life and times of Mia, her parents, and siblings. The ending, while a surprise, it is also the only good way to end a book like this and you as the reader have to accept that.

Helen Klein Ross has given us a compelling read that is will leave you thinking long and hard about actions and reactions. A deep and insightful novel that will make a difference in you.

Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.