Foster, Claire Keegan's Small Sunshine
Does a blood bond actually prove stronger than the love of people we choose to love?
Does a blood bond actually prove stronger than the love of people we choose to love?
Claire Keegan answers this question in her warm and lovely novella Foster.
You might think that to be a great writer, you need to craft a huge novel with complex characters and storylines, but Claire Keegan proves the opposite. She wrote a short story that effortlessly captures your heart from the very beginning.
Foster is a wonderful story about the need for love, being loved, and the small but significant ways we shape one another’s lives. The story follows a young, unnamed girl sent to live with distant relatives while her mother is pregnant. What begins as a simple arrangement gradually unfolds into a transformative experience for the girl. Through the tender care of her foster parents, particularly the warmth of the childless woman who takes her in, the narrator experiences a level of attention and affection that contrasts sharply with the neglect she faces at home. Keegan masterfully uses small details—the smell of baking, the comfort of warm baths, and the quiet presence of a kind hand—to build a narrative that resonates deeply without ever becoming overtly sentimental.
The girl's observations are both innocent and insightful, offering a unique perspective on the world around her. In Keegan’s spare but lyrical prose, every word counts, painting a delicate portrait of childhood and the nuances of human relationships. As she grows closer to her foster family, she begins to question her own place in the world and the nature of family bonds.
What stands out most in Foster is Keegan’s control of tone and atmosphere. The novella is filled with silences and pauses, yet it speaks volumes about the unspoken tensions of family dynamics, the shame of poverty, and the tender ache of being loved in ways one never expected. There is a deep sense of place in Keegan’s rural Ireland, a world shaped by the quiet rhythms of farm life, where emotions are often held back or hinted at rather than expressed outright.
The novella's ending is heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, leaving readers with a sense of both sadness and hope. Foster is a powerful and unforgettable story that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
To me, Foster was a reminder of the valuable connections with people who played important roles in my life, like my elderly neighbor who lived next door when I was a child. She loved me deeply, and in times when I felt alone and neglected by my parents, she was there for me, loving me and taking care of me. She was a true angel!
Foster, like ‘Small Things Like These’, is a testament to Keegan's talent as a writer, and I wish she would write more books!
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