The Memory of Butterflies by Grace Green, Book Review

Book Summary:

To keep a devastating family secret from being revealed, a young mother’s desperate lies could end up destroying everything, and everyone, she loves. The Memory of Butterfliesis a poignant story of family and forgiveness—of knowing when to let go and when to hold each other close.

Hannah Cooper’s daughter is leaving for college soon. The change is bittersweet. A single mother since the age of eighteen, Hannah isn’t eager to confront the pain of being alone, but she’s determined not to let her own hang-ups keep Ellen from the future she deserves. As Ellen’s high school graduation approaches, Hannah decides it’s time to return to her roots in Cooper’s Hollow along Virginia’s beautiful and rustic Cub Creek.

With the help of longtime friend Roger Westray, Hannah devotes her energies to building a new house on the site of the old family home, destroyed in a fire more than a decade ago. But Hannah’s entire adult life has revolved around one very big secret. And her new beginning comes with unanticipated risks that will cost her far more than she could have imagined—perhaps more than she can survive.

When a confrontation forces Hannah to expose her secret, the truth may destroy her beloved daughter. Hannah is prepared to sacrifice everything to protect her family, but can their lives and their bond withstand the seismic shift that’s coming?


My Review:

The Memory of Butterflies is a unique and hauntingly beautiful story. I was slowly drawn in and the details put me straight in the Hollow along with Hannah. I could picture the house, the cabin where she did her sculpting, and the river that flowed out back. Hannah and her grandparents led a pretty secluded life out in the Hollow, I could hardly imagine living so alone and away from everyone and everything. And the secrets that are hidden, there were so many secrets! Greene took me on an emotional roller coaster ride throughout the book, from the highest highs to the lowest of lows; I have not felt so many different emotions while reading a book in a very long time. There were points where I would question decisions she made, I felt so completely a part of this story. This is not your typical book at all. If you want something that makes you feel and think, then this is definitely the book for you.


Happy Reading!!!


You can pre-order your own copy via Amazon.



Source:  Netgalley