Bibliofemme Bookclub An Irish Bookclub

Set in the sweltering heat of Texas, American author Amanda Eyre Ward tackles the difficult and controversial issue of corporal punishment with her debut novel Sleep Toward Heaven. This book intertwines the lives of three women; a doctor from Manhattan, a convicted killer on Death Row and the wife whose husband has fallen victim to murder.

Through her strong characters the author explores areas of pain, brutality and forgiveness without taking a moralistic stance – a difficult task when dealing with such a serious topic. In addition to her realistic characters, I also found her portrayal of Death Row utterly fascinating. Through reading this book I looked at an aspect of society that had I had never previously entertained: women on Death Row.

As the novel develops, the three main characters’ lives become closer and closer and yet the ending is kept just out of reach from the reader. The author has a lively pace with snappy dialogue and this book deserves pageturner status. All said, I would recommend this book with the notion that it offers an interesting insight into a world rarely looked at in fiction and takes a balanced view on all aspects of corporal punishment.

My only criticism of the book would be its ending, but by exploring that, I would be giving too much away. Worth a try and an excellent accomplishment for a debut novel.