Mothers and Other Strangers

Elsie has never been close with her mother, Rachel, but theirs is no ordinary mother/daughter rift. Rachel’s devotion to a cult-like group called the Seekers overwhelmed any inclination she may have had to be a real parent to Elsie. A professional dancer, Elsie forged an independent life with her dance company, but she never gave up hope of establishing a better relationship with Rachel; and her capacity to believe her mother could change resulted, years ago, in an act of violence that colored the rest of Elsie’s life. Still, when Rachel dies, Elsie can’t shake the feeling that her mother was more than just a Seekers devotee–and she’s quickly proven right when she visits her mother’s apartment and finds a box of tantalizing clues about her mother’s history. As Elsie moves across New York City, Paris, and South Africa, Rachel’s secrets slowly gather power–and make Elsie powerful as well.

Jumping back and forth in time, Mothers draws a vivid and moving portrait of a mother who can’t outrun her own lies and a daughter who wants more than anything to forgive her mother–and heal herself.