Introduction

Like the braiding of three strands of brioche, the lives of three women?Sophie Zabél Sullivan, Marcelle Pourrette Zabél, and Kate Barrington?become inextricably intertwined as each struggles to resolve issues from past wars that have profoundly impacted their lives. Sophie believed her childhood nightmares were safely behind her once she married and moved to the U.S. from France ?until she is called to her mother, Marcelle’s, deathbed to honor one final request: “Search for my father! Search for Pourrette!” Born on the last day of World War I, Marcelle, whose life epitomizes the human cost of war, never knew her father, yet carried the Pourrette name, along with the shame of illegitimacy, as did her two oldest sons born during World War II. Enlisting the expertise of a friend and family therapist, Sophie encourages Kate to join her in France to help find her grandfather scour the stain of illegitimacy from her family’s name. Unbeknownst to Sophie, Kate’s 34-year-old illegitimate daughter, given up for adoption during the Vietnam War, has recently reappeared. Kate, struggling with her own shame and guilt, pushes aside her feelings to join Sophie in France. Rising out of the collateral damage wrought by war, A Cup of Redemption is a touching story about love, loss, and the search for identity.

Editorial Review

No editorial review at this time.

Excerpt

October 2001
The autumnal breeze swept over the French village cemetery of Evaux-les-Bains and cut through the tombstones where the three adults remained before their mother’s grave. No one spoke. No one cried. Sophie swallowed hard. Grief, she thought, is a private matter. She knew how to contain her emotions, as did her brothers. Their mother, Marcelle, had taught them well. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. What did Marcelle sacrifice in order to survive Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II?

2. The three main characters--Marcelle, Sophie and Kate--each have hidden a part of their pasts. How does this keep them apart, and how does it bind them together?

3. What understanding of women and families in times of war do you have after reading this book? How has your perspective about the people of France changed?

Weblinks

»	Author's web site
»	Book Club Call-In Info
»	About the Author
»	Follow the author on Facebook
»	Follow the author on Twitter

Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 1 members.

by Lori_B (see profile) 07/18/16

Member Reviews

Rate this book