My Mother the Man-Eater – review

My Mother the Man Eater by Tracy Krauss

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MA host of issues resurface when Joleen Allen’s ex-husband Harold—newly out of prison—sues her for a bundle of money. Does he even have a case? What (besides the money) is his motive? Joleen suspects a main one is to turn their five daughters against her.

Long-held secrets of Joleen’s own combine with deeply rooted insecurities to drive her to seek security and affirmation in relationships. A slew of young men find this attractive middle-aged woman an interesting challenge. In My Mother the Man-Eater, Tracy Krauss has created a complex and riveting tale involving Joleen, her many suitors, and her five daughters.

Family loyalty, dealing constructively with past and present life issues, and the value of honesty are themes of the book. They are combined with the possibility of heart change and life transformation through faith in Christ.

Krauss’s writing style is crisp. Her characters’ conversations feel realistic, are often witty, and do a good job of revealing personality and character. Plot action is non-stop. Krauss’s experience with play writing shines through in several episodes that involve characters interacting in ways that reminded me of Shakespeare’s comedies. The close-to-my-home Vancouver setting was also fun to experience in a novel.

I would categorize this book as edgy Christian fiction. Some of the early scenes made me uncomfortable as they followed the characters in their pursuits of very human appetites and lusts. That changes by the end so you may want to persist if, like me, you’re tempted to put the book down after reading only the first few chapters.



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