After reading an excerpt from Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris my interest was caught and I requested the ARC. First, there was the setting, 1931 Philadelphia. The main characters work for a Philadelphia newspaper. And most of all, that opening scene when Ellis Reed notices the sign "2 children for sale" next to young brothers.
With vivid descriptions and great characterization, the story takes readers into the harsh realities of the Depression, a time when a widowed and ailing mother is pushed to a desperate choice, hoping to provide for her children.
The story is a heart-breaker, with a touch of romance and a threat of prohibition era gangsters, and a whole lotta of reclamation for Ellis and Lily. I enjoyed this historical fiction read not only for its storytelling but also for its relevance to issues that we still face today: poverty, lack of affordable medical care, separation of families, human trafficking, mental illness, and journalistic standards.
McMorris was inspired by an actual 1948 photograph and the story of what happened to the children in the photo. Learn more about the book, read an interview with the author, and find a book club kit at the author's website here.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
from the publisher:
Philadelphia, 1931. A young, ambitious reporter named Ellis Reed photographs a pair of young siblings on the front porch of a farmhouse next to a sign: “2 children for sale.”
With the help of newspaper secretary Lily Palmer, Ellis writes an article to accompany the photo. Capturing the hardships of American families during the Great Depression, the feature story generates national attention and Ellis’s career skyrockets.
But the photograph also leads to consequences more devastating than ever imagined—and it will take jeopardizing everything Ellis and Lily value to unravel the mystery and set things right.
Inspired by an actual newspaper photo that stunned readers throughout the country, Sold on a Monday is a powerful novel of ambition, redemption, love, and family.
Sold on a Monday: A Novel
by Kristina McMorris
SOURCEBOOKS/Landmark
Pub Date 28 Aug 2018
ISBN 9781492663997
PRICE $15.99 (USD)
Further Reading:
In the story, Ellis learns about Breaker Boys work in the coal mines. To learn more, read Coal River by Ellen Marie Wiseman, reviewed here.
