Book Review – The Alphabet Sisters by Monica McInerney

I can’t explain why it took me until 2013 to read my first Monica McInerney novel. She is an Australian born author with international bestsellers including: A Taste for It, Upside Down Inside Out, Spin the Bottle and most recently Lola’s Secret. I often trade books with friends and family and didn’t meet Monica McInerney until I was given a book called The Alphabet Sisters. The book was a quick read filled with dynamic characters brought to life with the authors detailing physical attributes and emotional characteristics. McInerney wove a beautiful story of a family in crisis that overcame her own fears and selfish pride. I can only apologize for not reading this lovely story sooner (it was copyrighted in 2004) and can say without a doubt that I will be reading more of McInerney’s books in the very near future.

This beautiful work takes place in Clare Valley, South Australia, just before the 80th birthday celebration of Lola, the grandmother of the Alphabet Sisters. Lola has decided to reunite her estranged granddaughters at the family’s small motel in beautiful wine country. The girls oblige their grandmother (rather reluctantly) and come to the motel. They have no intention of being as close as they once were as a touring singing group like the infamous Alphabet Sisters, with their eccentric outfits and show tunes. The family dynamic varies from awkward and tense to tender and loving as the story unfolds. McInerney has a way of bringing characters to life without any individual becoming an antagonist. There is something to love about each of the sisters: Anna is the oldest and takes charge quickly, Bett is the middle child who feels awkward and unsure of herself from time to time, and Carrie is the youngest and only sister. he had never had left and was still in Clare Valley running the motel with his parents when his brothers returned. Lola is the humorous grandmother and matriarch of the family; she also has a secret that doesn’t come out until near the end of the book. To learn more about her secret, you can grab a copy of Lola’s Secret shortlisted for General Fiction Book of the Year at the 2012 Australian Book Industry Awards and was published in the US in October 2012.

The Alphabet Sisters takes a closer look at family dynamics, sibling relationships and rivalries, secrets, and differing viewpoints. McInerney brought to life many unique characters whose bonds and relationships enchanted his elderly grandmother, Lola, who was the catalyst for bringing the family together and mending broken relationships. McInerney’s first job after high school, at age 17, was as a wardrobe assistant and later as a screenwriter. He drew on his own background as the story of the Alphabet Sisters unfolded with a local play, auditions, local amateur talent and a packed performance to fund a new ambulance for his town.