Doxology: A Novel by Tanya Long Bennett is a well-written story of tragedy, faith, hope and the power of the human spirit. The story takes place in the early 1990s, West Texas.
Maria Brown is pretty sure she’s pregnant. She’s happy about the coming baby, but she’ll wait for the doctor’s confirmation before she tells her insecure husband, Billy. At one time Billy had aspirations to attend an engineering school, but those plans were dashed when he needed to care for his ailing mother. Later, he’d gone to work for an insurance company, not a fulfilling calling, but he makes enough money for them to get by. Once they were married and Maria had finished two years of community college, she would have loved to go on to Texas Tech, but they couldn’t afford it. She planned to find work, but Billy was against it—it seems her being able to stay home is the measure of his success.
Maria finds ceramics a fulfilling hobby and something she can do without challenging Billy’s fragile ego. She has an eye for proportion and texture and loves to see objects miraculously form under her hands. Maria also spends time connecting with family: her parents, grandparents and sister. She tries to keep busy, but longs to do something meaningful with her time.
When a series of tragedies occur, Maria must call upon her inner strength to cope. The importance of family becomes even more essential. While dealing with these problems, she begins to question her faith and the purpose of life.
Maria’s poignant story is told in a folksy, first-person narrative voice. The characters are well developed and authentic. The author vividly describes the countryside with its sandy soil baked by a hot Texas sun. I enjoyed this story, was saddened when the tragedies occurred, and rejoiced when acceptance or solutions were found. It’s a story that deals with realistic and transformative views of religion, faith, and trust.