The Blind Side of the Heart: A Novel

by Michael C. White

Book Overview

From the author of the critically acclaimed novel A Brother's Blood, comes a haunting story about an Irish housekeeper who must discover the truth when her friend, the parish priest, is accused of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006093235X
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

Couldn't put it down!

Michael White's book is beautifully written! The quick-witted Ma Quinn had me in stitches as I flipped the pages. When this Irish woman cursed in her broken Gaelic, I laughed, and then was "sobered" by the remarkable insight he brought to this female character--right on the mark. Of course a priest being accused of horrific crimes is tragic and sets a somber mood, but at the same time, you're seeing it through the eyes of a somewhat dysfunctional-somewhat normal woman with her own set problems. I believe there's a little of Ma Quinn's insecurity in all of us. As I reflect on the book months after reading it, I put aside the situation into which Ma Quinn was drawn, and I begin to focus on her. She is a survivor--a tough, witty, sarcastic, and even contankerous woman. But she survives the situation, her wit unscathed. If you think Michael White writes well, then you should him teach! Thank you Dr. White! (Alanna)

A BELIEVABLY WELL-TOLD TALE!

Maggie "Ma" Quinn has had her share of trouble and grief. Irish born, poor, and fatherless, she struggles through her life living hand-to-mouth. Her mother, a devout Catholic and of very ill-health, is never available enough to show Maggie the ways of life, leaving Maggie to fend for herself. Unfortunately for Maggie, she takes after her father in character--he, a wild-eyed drunk who is killed one bleak night when he stumbles into the path of a passing lorry. Maggie remembers him as given to short bouts of heartbreaking tenderness when he wasn't passed out in a pub somewhere. Though she tries to please her Mother by being the "good little Catholic girl", her reckless side wins out again and again. Inevitably, she finds herself pregnant at sixteen and "deep in her cups", just like her Father. The birth of her son, Eion, doesn't change her much, though it does give her pause more than once to consider the consequences of her actions...to no avail. In one fateful moment, she goes against her better judgement and leaves her then 3-year-old boy alone for a quick afternoon romp with a man who has been flirting with her for months. Eion wanders into a pond and drowns. This, and the death of her Mother shortly thereafter, sends Maggie into the darkest time her soul could endure...a vicious, downward spiral. Trying to escape from her personal guilt and torment, and her loss of faith in God, she travels to America. She succumbs to her demons anyway, unsuccessfully attempting suicide. Awaking in a hospital bed, disoriented and confused, she meets Father Jack Devlin, who sits vigil by her bedside. Thus begins Maggie's redemption...and Father Jack's eventual downfall. Father Jack becomes Maggie's saving grace, taking her in and turning her life around. Father Jack is known for taking in "stray souls" and giving them a second chance at life. Eventually, these good-samaritan gestures come back on him and bite him when one of his former altar boys makes allegations that involve sexual abuse...and which leads to rumours of murder. The wages of unconditional loyalty and passion, truth and deception are all cleverly woven into a rich, warm tapestry of a story by Michael C. White. Detailing every delicate nuance of the human heart during times of strife and conflict, White tells a sometimes disturbing, often beautiful tale of lives caught up in events beyond their control. At the center is Maggie whose loyalty and faith in love seem to come from "The Blind Side of the Heart". An excellent moral story that draws you in and holds you, long after the last page is turned. Read it!

Wonderfully absorbing

Blind Side of the Heart is without a doubt the best book I have read in a long time. And I'm pretty hard to please. I felt as if I personally knew Father Jack and Maggie, which is a tribute to Michael C. White. It takes a rare talent for an author to make the characters seem so alive. I even found myself crying more than once. Although I suspected Maggie's true feelings for Father almost from the beginning, that was okay. It kept me wondering: will she or won't she declare herself to him? This book, while about a horrible crime, was really more about love and loyalty. The ending was very refreshing as well. It was much more true to life than in most books in which all the loose ends are neatly tied up. I'm going to read A Brother's Blood next and will look forward to more books by this author.

Insightful character study

THE BLIND SIDE OF THE HEART. Maggie Quinn left Ireland for America looking for work and perhaps a future. Instead she finds tragedy, loses her belief in the goodness of God, and ultimately finds solace in a bottle. When she is unable to go on anymore, Maggie tries to kill herself. In the hospital she physically begins to recover, but she remains resolute that she has no reason to continue living. That changes when Maggie meets Father Jack Devlin, who provides her with commiseration and forgiveness that she accepts. Mostly he gives her a future. Maggie becomes Jack's housekeeper. Eighteen years later, two adult siblings accuse Jack of molesting them when they were altar boys. Police begin to make inquiries, the media raid Hebron Falls, Massachusetts, painting the relationship between Jack and Maggie as something evil. As the evidence mounts and the townsfolk ostracize the pair, Maggie takes a closer look at her savior and returns to the bottle, making her future seem as shaky as it appeared two decades ago. At first look, the story line of THE BLIND SIDE OF THE HEART appears to come from headlines about illicit behavior of priest. However, this novel actually centers on Maggie (who is the narrator). She struggles between her heart wanting to remain loyal to her rescuer and her mind's reexamination of her memories that paint her hero in a less than noble light. Maggie is the novel and the prime reason readers will look forward to more works from Michael C. White.Harriet Klausner

tightly-plotted, tersely written, utterly fascinating story

This book kept me up late last night. The voice of Maggie, housekeeper to Father Devlin, is captivating as she relates the story of his accusation and conviction of child molestation--a pretty hot topic in the Church these days. While the subject sounds grim, it is handled with grace. Her devotion to Father Devlin is believable and causes the reader to deeply question the legal system and faith. One of the things I particularly admired was how the author left key questions for the reader to discern, instead of neatly tying up the ending. Just a wonderful book and beautifully written.