Book Review: The Girl Made of Clay

By Sara Steven

After Sara’s father, famous sculptor Thomas “TR” Harlow, is badly injured in a fire, she’s suddenly forced to care for a man who is more of a stranger than a parent. Once known as his muse, Sara long ago lost her father to his desire to live the celebrity life.

Now TR’s abrasive and unpredictable presence in her home is reopening old wounds—and causing the rift in her already-strained marriage to deepen. As her young son begins bonding with the grandfather he never knew, Sara must decide if she can find it within herself to forgive the man who broke her heart all those years ago. Will she walk away from a chance to rebuild what was lost, or will she find, by bringing her father back to health, that healing can come in many forms? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

Coming from a past with my own parental contention, I could really identify with Sara and the way she feels about her father, TR. She hasn’t heard from him in several years, and then suddenly, she’s the one he calls on in his time of need. There is the obligation to be a good daughter and do the right thing, but what is the right thing, in this situation?

Meier has done a fine job of allowing her readers to experience what Sara and TR are feeling, giving us the perspective from both characters. By writing in both points of view, we’re able to go deeper into what has made TR the way he is, and why there is a break in the relationship he has with his daughter. It also allows for Sara to showcase her emotions and how she’s really feeling when trying to balance the new entity in her life, and the struggles she faces with her husband.

There was a twist to this story that I didn’t see coming, relating to the past and what TR has really been up to, only adding to the rift. It also adds another layer to the trouble in Sara’s marriage, down to the choices she needs to make in order to have harmony in her life. And, thrown into the mix of it all is the potential relationship her son could have with his estranged grandfather, a relationship she fears, but if she keeps them apart, won’t that mean repeating patterns from her own childhood?

There are a lot of emotional moments in The Girl Made of Clay; pivotal points in various relationships that are several layers deep. It blends together into a complex mix of beautifully flawed characters and less-than-ideal situations, the makings of a wonderful read.

Thanks to Nicole Meier for the book in exchange for an honest review.