A Cup of Redemption

LOCAL AUTHOR

A Cup of Redemption combines the two delightful preoccupations — food and travel — in a beautiful woven story of women, family, and the celebration of survival. American Kate meets French ex-pat Sophie and her mother Marcelle in her quest to perfect French cooking. This chance meeting leads them all on a life changing adventure.

After meeting Kate, 80-something Marcelle begins to open up about her life and her past in ways she never has before. The new-found friends plan a cross-country trip to retrace Marcelle’s movements through WWII France. The trip is never to happen, as Marcelle dies suddenly. But she leaves directions for Sophie and Kate to make the journey with Marcelle in spirit. In a search for Marcelle’s roots, they uncover darkness, secrets, and long lost knowledge that changes both their understandings of themselves and family, eating lavishly along the way.

It is apparent that Carole Bumpus is a first-time fiction author; the narrative is rough around the edges. However, Bumpus’ project is so compelling, and the journey so rich, that it is thoroughly worth reading. So, while I would give the bones a 2 ½, the meat is definitely a 4 ½, so I’ve compromised. (Look for the companion cookbook Recipes for Redemption!)

LISTEN to our interview with Carole.