Cracking Grace

Steven Stromp
Lulu (2006)
ISBN 1847286860
Reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for Reader Views (11/06)

“Cracking Grace,” by Steven Stromp, is about the importance of adults dealing with death so that they might help the children in their life deal with death.  Stromp uses the statues in a cemetery to teach the reader the lesson of focusing on the living, not the dead.  I realize that this is a little strange—the animation of statues?  Stromp effectively tells this story, though.

Audry and her father, Mr. Lansly, are finding their way through grief.  Audry’s mother is buried in a cemetery next to her house.  Mr. Lansly is the caretaker of the cemetery.  Mr. Lansley is obsessive about caring for the cemetery, therefore caring for his wife.  For instance, if a storm is coming, he must surround the cemetery with sandbags. 

Audry feels guilt, because she does not always want to visit her mother’s grave with her father.  Her father goes to the gravesite daily to hold regular conversations with his wife.  “Good morning, honey.”  “I’m glad to see the sun is up.  You certainly deserve it.” 

This obsession with his wife leaves Audry to feel worthless.  She feels second to her dead mother.  “Audry sat at the kitchen table twirling a spoon in a bowl of oatmeal.”  “She looked back to the lumpy oatmeal; her mother’s oatmeal never had any lumps.”  Audry felt as if she could never compete with her mother for the affection of her father. 

“Cracking Grace” will be a meaningful book for anyone struggling with grief or anyone who helps others who are struggling with grief.  I could not get past the fact that I was reading a book of talking statues.  Looking past that and to the point of the book, it was quite touching. 

I do hope that Steven Stromp explains on his website why he chose to write this book.  To know his inspiration would be interesting.

“Cracking Grace” does include references to Christianity, probably more specifically the Catholic denomination.  However, it is not solely a book on religion.  It is a book on grief.  This short tale, “Cracking Grace,” is an interesting read. 

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