A Song for Issy Bradley

When four year old Issy Bradley dies of meningitis, her close Mormon family struggles to cope. Before Issy’s death, faith had all the answers but not any more. Issy’s death challenges what each family member believes and is destined to change their lives in ways they never expected.

Claire cannot forgive herself for concentrating on Jacob’s party while Issy was dying. She hides under a blanket in Issy’s bed and longs for God to give her a sign, while the family wait for her to come back to them. Issy is dead but Claire is lost.

Her husband, Ian, is a church bishop. His faith sustains him and he can’t understand why Claire doesn’t feel the same. He tries to hide her failure to cope from the church members and is determined to pull the family together and revitalise their faith.

Seventeen-year-old Zippy is falling in love and making difficult decisions. Fourteen-year-old Alma is growing up and trying to do the right thing. It’s hard being a Mormon teenager, even harder when God takes Issy away.

The youngest Bradley, seven-year-old Jacob, believes God will bring Issy back.  After all, God brought his goldfish back to life. If he has enough faith  - and he knows he does -  a miracle will happen.

This quote is all over the Internet but it's beautiful, poignant and pertinent - like the story -  so I don't feel guilty about quoting it too.

"Miracles are like birds, they zip through the gap between heaven and earth on hollow-boned wings. You can't catch them with traps or nets or special glue, you have to use words."

A Song for Issy Bradley is an exploration of faith and family and all the ties that bind. I loved it.

Title: A Song for Issy Bradley

Author: Carys Bray

Publisher: Random House Australia RRP $29.99

Publication Date: July 2014

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9780091954376

Type: Adult Fiction