From the day Amaryllis was born, her mother Seena knew that she was vastly different from her three other daughters. Just by looking at Amaryllis, nicknamed Yllis, anyone can tell that she’s different; she is as dark as her sisters are fair, and her bright blue eyes are unlike those of her family’s. Whereas Seena’s first three daughters’ names all begin with Mary (Mary Grace, Mary Catherine and Mary Tessa) at her religious husband’s request, Amaryllis is named after Seena’s favorite Greek mythological character. Her husband accepted the name only because it still contained the name “Mary.” But the most different thing about Yllis is her deep understanding of the things around her. She has the ability to visualize, taste and hear emotion, giving her an all-knowing quality, and allowing her to piece together the things that go unsaid. With this power, she realizes after eleven years that she is the product of her mother’s infidelity, an affair. Once Yllis realizes this truth, it tears her family apart.
Amaryllis in Blueberry, by Christina Meldrum, follows the members of the Slepy family during their last summer together. Filled with betrayal, love and loss, this book redefines family drama.
Seena realizes that she possibly never loved her husband, Dick. Where she is imaginative, he is logical, and where she is gentle, he is harsh. They are very much unlike one another, and yet their difficult childhoods and desire for attention push them together. That’s why Yllis is the daughter Seena loves most, because she was truly born from love, unlike her other daughters. Though Seena never voices these feelings, everyone around her knows it’s true. Yllis is the only person who can draw Seena out from the imaginary world she finds in her mythology books, where she hides from the disappointment of missed opportunity caused by her marriage to Dick.
When Yllis and Mary Tessa wander into the woods looking for kindling one day, they meet a Native American man. Yllis’ interaction with this man causes her to suddenly understand her true beginnings. And when she returns home and shares her revelation with her family, all of the suspicions Dick has about his wife and about Yllis’ birth become real. Filled with anger and jealousy, Dick seeks the guidance of his priest, Father Amadi, who recommends Dick offer his services as a doctor in Africa in order to turn his back on sin. With this recommendation, Dick uproots his family and takes them to Africa.
This novel is one of those can’t-put-down novels. The relationships between the various characters are dramatic and yet relatable. Each chapter is told through the eyes of a different character, and the novel follows a non-linear time pattern. This builds a great amount of suspense, leaving the reader hanging until the end. While entertaining, this novel is also thought provoking, making it an enjoyable and quick read.
