From the moment Jorja first opened her eyes it was apparent she was different. She didn’t 
look quite like other people. Her aunt hated her with a passion. She had worked so hard to keep her sister, Belle, pure, but then there was this pregnancy, and Belle refused to reveal the name of the one responsible. It was a secret she guarded so fiercely she told her own daughter she was an immaculate conception. But this is not a tale of origins, not really. It is the story of life, a young girl growing into the elderly vessel who composes this tale. There are certain gifts Jorja discovers, and a world beyond their own which feels more like home than any place she has ever known.
We follow the story of Jorja’s life, from the pure unfaltering love of her mother, to the hatred of her aunt who forces her into a mental institution while taking all she can from her. Lost in grief, fractured and mended, her tale is one of despair stitched together by love and hope. Julie Elizabeth Powell writes with a unique narrative, the entire tale taking the form of a letter. It was done well, but personally it is not a style I find easy to become absorbed in. The story was well-told, and possessed enough mystery to see I continued to read. I wanted to discover the truth of everything. Jorja’s origins and learn about the life she had led, the hardships and trials she faced, failed, or overcame. Despite the style of writing not being for me, it is a brilliant story.
Book link:
K.J's Athenaeum 