The book closes with Majella’s mother finally coming to visit her new grandchild. Does this signal a significant change in their relationship? Will this baby girl of a new generation allow Majella and her mother to bond in a way they haven’t before? Is Majella still angry with her mother? How have her feelings changed and why? From Jeanine Cummins, the national bestselling author of American Dirt and A Rip in Heaven, comes The Crooked Branch--the deeply moving story of two mothers from two very different times. At the beginning of the book, Majella’s relationship with her mother is a source of frustration, rather than a comfort. Why is Majella angry with her mother? Is her anger justifiable, or is her attitude toward her mom unfair? Is theirs is a typical, modern mother-daughter relationship? Why or why not? What could Majella do to improve their relationship? Exploring the effect of a secret from the past on a woman who is truly on the edge—of motherhood, of her future, of sanity, of happiness—Jeanine Cummins has written a story that truly resonates. Insightful, suspenseful, and sometimes bitingly funny, with characters the reader will think about for weeks, this bittersweet novel is emotional and immensely satisfying.” This is the first review I read of this book and now I’m intrigued. What happens to both of these women? How do they come to terms with their situations? This one is going on my TBR list for sure. Thanks for the great review!

The Crooked Branch - Facebook The Crooked Branch - Facebook

The Crooked Branch is a story of a family, of mothers, of women. It’s a story of grief and loss. It’s a story of hope and sacrifice. It’s a story of the costliness of love. Sometimes it will take your life. Sometimes it will take your heart. Sometimes it will take others to enable you to survive. How are Jade and Majella similar? In what ways are they different? Does either of these women represent a typical, new-mother experience, or are they both somewhere beyond the conventional ideas of what it’s like to become a mother for the first time? Are those traditional concepts of new motherhood still changing, or have they become static? Wonderfully written, with strong, compelling characters, it is a deeply satisfying combination of sweeping historical saga and modern family drama, a gentle reminder of the ever-reaching influence of family, both near and far.” Cummins weaves an exploration of the fierce, primal love of motherhood that connects us all through generations.”— Margaret Dilloway, author of How to Be an American Housewife

When Majella learns the truth about her ancestor, she feels absolved and rejuvenated. How are Majella and Ginny alike? In what ways are they different? What about Majella’s mother? Are there family characteristics that all of these women share, despite the generations that have passed between their stories? How much of motherhood is passed down, either through observation and experience, or genetics? To what degree is it possible for a woman to overcome poor examples of parenting and create her own path as a mother? Keywords: Gaskell, Plot, Empathy, The Crooked Branch, Short Fiction, Victorian Short Story, Suspense It is so well written, with memorable characters, I couldn't put it down. I had laugh-out-loud moments, and then tears in my eyes. In her determination to save her children, Ginny relies heavily on help from her eleven-year-old daughter Maire. Is it fair for Ginny to place so much responsibility on Maire? Is there some part of Ginny that just wants to escape from the harrowing circumstances at home, or are her motives for leaving her children entirely pure? Does her leaving constitute abandonment?

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Schedules, Sunday 2 May 2021 BBC Radio 4 Extra - Schedules, Sunday 2 May 2021

Jeanine Cummins knows that there are stories beneath the stories, and she uses this brilliant knowing to weave a tale that is lyrical, emotional and often funny. This extraordinary novel reminds us how motherhood can make us feel as though we are coming undone while also being remade. Majella and Ginny navigate motherhood with a fierce love that propels the story forward with intense strength. Brilliant, vulnerable and intense, The Crooked Branch pierced my heart and paused my breath.” Exploring the effect of a secret from the past on a woman who is truly on the edge—of motherhood, of her future, of sanity, of happiness—Jeanine Cummins has written a story that truly resonates. Insightful, suspenseful, and sometimes bitingly funny, with characters the reader will think about for weeks, this bittersweet novel is emotional and immensely satisfying.”—Award-winning author Simone St. JamesA common assumption is that readers’ sense of intimacy with fictional characters carries with it feelings of emotional sympathy with those characters. In fact, there is no necessary connection between the two; intimacy in itself implies only familiarity, not affection, let alone love. Gaskell’s “The Crooked Branch” is a case in point. This paper first examines the story’s shifts in viewpoint that establish intimacy with the reader. The central focus, however, is the subsequent narrative. As Gaskell was well aware, the most powerful emotional responses that fiction is capable of producing are frequently plot-driven: the most memorable Victorian fictions are often works in which, once an atmosphere of intimacy is created, a strong element of suspense appears — and, as it dissipates, is replaced with a quite different emotion, one akin to love. Such is the case, the paper argues, with “The Crooked Branch.” Determined to uncover the truth of her heritage and her own identity, Majella sets out to explore Ginny’s past—and discovers surprising truths about her family and ultimately, herself. One moving scenario is when Majella goes to a mommies group. The mothers here have very clear rules of what constitutes a good mother (and that definitely does not include bottle feeding!) I only persisted with this book as I had been recommended it and the Irish Historical genealogy theme is an interest. I found the early chapters, heavy in dialogue very hard going. Reading it actually made me cringe. Felt very inauthentic. With the famine upon her, Ginny Doyle fled from Ireland to America, but not all of her family made it. What happened during those harrowing years, and why does Ginny call herself a killer? Is Majella genetically fated to be a bad mother, despite the fierce tenderness she feels for her baby?

The Crooked Branch Coffeehouse | Pardeeville WI - Facebook The Crooked Branch Coffeehouse | Pardeeville WI - Facebook

The last time I felt this way about a past-present story line was reading The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy. I hope you get a chance to read this one! I so often feel the same way that you do about books that blend stories from past and present. I’m glad to see that you’ve found one that makes both stories equally important and read-worthy. Makes the book one I’ll be looking for.

Despite the centuries that separate them, Majella is heartened to learn that her ancestor Ginny was in so many ways a woman just like herself - just a mother struggling to find a way to raise and protect her young children. Ginny's battles may have been more fundamental than Majella's - as she struggled to keep her young family alive during the time of Ireland's Great Hunger - yet Majella can't deny the strong connection that she still feels towards Ginny. However, does the fierce tenderness that Majella begins to feel towards her newborn daughter outweigh everything else - or is she actually genetically fated to be a bad mother? Determined to understand the truth of her heritage as well as her own identity, Majella seeks to learn more about Ginny Doyle's personal history - and discovers surprising new truths about her family and, ultimately, about herself.