A Song for Issy Bradley

August 15, 2014
When 4-year-old Issy dies of meningitis, her Mormon family struggles with sadness, doubt and faith. The Bradleys-Ian, Claire, Zippy, Alma, Jacob and Issy-don't live in Salt Lake City but rather in an English town where Ian is constantly on call as bishop to a small flock of Latter-day Saints. He misses Jacob's seventh birthday party, leaving Claire so stretched she doesn't notice Issy's fever is more than a regular cold. The little girl's death sends her family reeling; rather than bringing them closer, it fractures them, especially once Claire retreats to Issy's bed and won't get up. Ian believes in telling the truth at all times, but what kind of example would he be setting if people knew he couldn't solve his own family's problems? So he begins covering for Claire when people ask about her, shocking his children. Zippy is sure of her own rectitude until she discovers the pleasure of kissing the boy she's long wanted to marry; will he now see her as tarnished goods? Alma is a boy who'd rather be called Al, thank you very much, and he's the requisite doubter among the children; what good is religion if it makes his father force him off the soccer team? Young Jacob believes so fervently in the power of prayer that he sets about trying to resurrect Issy, practicing first on bugs, spiders and a goldfish. Each chapter follows a different Bradley, and Bray brings her characters to complicated, messy life with her tremendous power for empathy. It's rare to see religious faith explored so deeply in popular fiction, and though Ian's nearly unquestioning devotion can make him seem like the villain at times, Bray does a remarkable job of illuminating each character's hopes and fears.An absorbing, beautifully written debut novel with surprising moments of humor.

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July 1, 2014

In British author Bray's debut novel, Claire and Ian Bradley are part of a Mormon community in England struggling to raise their children--Al, Zippy, Jacob, and Issy--in the ways of the church despite modern influences. Ian is the bishop, on call 24/7, while convert Claire has an unconventional approach to her beliefs but has accepted this restricted life because of her deep love for Ian. Jacob believes he's seen proof of resurrection when his goldfish comes back to life. Al longs to play football, imagines he's adopted, and doesn't believe in miracles, such as a cheesy crisp shaped like Jesus. Zippy frets after a heavy petting session with her boyfriend, only to be given a pamphlet to help her with her guilt. The family's predictable, ordered life falls apart when tragedy strikes Issy, with a depressed Claire feeling that her faith has failed her and Ian making excuses because he doesn't want people to think there's something wrong with his wife. VERDICT With wit and compassion, plus insider knowledge of the Mormon way of life, Bray exposes the raw emotions of a family in crisis. An intriguing and heartbreaking story from an author to watch.--Donna Bettencourt, Mesa Cty. P.L., Palisade, CO

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Starred review from August 1, 2014
The members of the Bradley family are close. They have to be, as committed members of the Mormon faith in a decidedly secular British neighborhood. When an unexpected tragedy suddenly hits the family, each of the Bradleys reacts in very different ways. Ian, the patriarch and respected church elder, sees the tragedy as an opportunity to grow his family's faith and looks to holy texts for guidance. Claire, the matriarch and a convert to the Mormon way of life through marriage, questions not only her place in the church but also her importance to the family. The three Bradley children, Alma, Zippy, and Jacob, ponder morality, purity, and loss in their own distinct ways. While the family slowly attempts to rebuild after the tragedy, the possibility that they may never fully recover simmers quietly just below the surface. Bray was raised in a strict Mormon household, and her unique perspective colors this emotionally driven, poignant novel. Bray fully inhabits each of her characters, displaying an admirable range of narrative talent rare in a first novel. Fans of The Lonely Polygamist (2010) and Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2012) will savor this thrilling glimpse behind the scenes of a family in crisis.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)