Strange Sally Diamond is set to be the talk of the book world when it is published on July 18, 2023!
I love to read and I'm generally drawn to Historical Fiction and Cozy Mysteries. But once in a while I like to stretch my boundaries and search for something completely new!
Strange Sally Diamond caught my eye as a book that might interest me mainly because of the title. We just found out that one of our grandchildren is on the Autism Spectrum, she can be a little strange sometimes and I thought I might learn something when reading this book. Well, I did learn something for sure, but nothing that I had expected! This book was a real eye-opener for me.
Well, it has nothing at all to do with Autism per se, but rather what happens when someone is so damaged early in life (by circumstances imposed on them) and how the human spirit helps (or hinders) the very fragile psyche of the individual in the outer world.
Strange Sally Diamond is that girl. She has a horrific childhood that she cannot remember. At the tender age of 7 she is adopted by the very people who "found" her. So damaged was her mind, that no one was considered capable of caring for this youngster. So the psychologist and the medical doctor (The Diamonds) who were working with her, were granted guardianship of this young girl and adopted her.
Sally is a reclusive person, by nature of where she has come from and what she has been through, and encouraged to be so by her "new family". Much media attention followed her for many years after she was first rescued. In order to help her the Diamonds decide to live in the country away from media attention while Sally grows up.
She has a loving relationship (in her mind) with her new mom and dad as they don't make too many demands on her personally. She is home schooled and doesn't have too many friends. Sally's problems begin when she tries to incinerate her father after his death in their home. He left instructions for her and she followed them to the letter! Media frenzy ensues as Sally is arrested for this "crime" and she's no longer protected by the confines of the family home. She only has a couple of really good family friends who have been with her from the time of her arrival on the family 's farm.
Stepping out into the world for the first time Sally must learn to navigate a world she does not know or understand and really has not been a part of for most of her life. Her new mom and dad had sheltered her completely. After mom's death, dad kept her even more isolated from the "outside world". But then he died too.......
The twists and turns in this book are enough to keep you turning the pages. What is "normal" and how do you help someone who is NOT part of that very narrow definition?
Sally has some help, but she also has a lot to learn both about the present, the past and the future.
You can pre-oder this book through Amazon and it will be published July 18 of this year. It is a page turner and if you enjoy mind bending books, this one will keep you totally captivated.
I'm going back to re-read it once again, it is that good. Mark your calendar or pre-order the choice is yours, but you will not regret reading this book!