A River for Gemma, by Debra Whiting Alexander, a novel that touched my heart, takes place in Oregon’s rural and rugged Willamette Valley, 2018.
Gemma Porter, 26, is considered “intellectually disabled” by many, but her grandmother sees a beautiful soul, a special person capable of great love. Gemma longs to have a baby, but there are those, including her mother, who feel she is not capable of handling such a responsibility. Although Gemma has her own apartment, a job, and can drive a car, she sometimes has trouble thinking things through.
When Gemma announces she is pregnant, and that she and her boyfriend intend to raise the child, many are outspoken about the couple’s ability to give the child adequate care.
Along with the turmoil of Gemma’s pregnancy, there’s a sinister, underlying threat that apparently involves Gemma’s grandmother’s hidden past. Threats of the family’s safety become more frequent and dangerous as they occur closer to home.
A River for Gemma is a story of limitless love, of overcoming restraints dictated by naysayers. It’s about possibilities, about hope. I enjoyed this novel and appreciated another way of looking at “disabilities” as “special abilities.”