The Bradleys – mum, dad and boisterous kids – live in a state of happy family chaos, at the centre of which is their Mormon faith. But when tragedy strikes, mum Claire responds to disaster not by stoically enduring as the Mormon pioneers did, but by falling into a deep depression. Husband Ian, maths teacher and Mormon bishop, is baffled, while the kids are left to deal with their own grief, as well as negotiating a balance between the church’s teachings and the world of unbelievers. Moving and enlightening, the novel is written with a real lightness of touch. The kids in particular are brilliantly drawn. But while it has its comic moments, this book deals with the big issues. Why do bad things happen to good people? And just how helpful is faith when the chips are down? Like the Bradleys, when the story reaches its end, we know there are no easy answers.
Book review: A Song For Issy Bradley by Carys Bray
