What She Left Behind--Ellen Marie Wiseman

Wow.
Just Wow.

I was not expecting this book to be what it was, probably because I didn't actually read the entire synopsis. This was a book I had to read for my book club and I procrastinated until the day of my book club to read it. Let me tell you though, it was worth the wait.

I thought that the majority of the story was going to be with Izzy and how she was coping with her mother’s insanity. I thought that the letters and journal that Clara had written were going to give Izzy insight to the mind of those less than stable. But that wasn't what happened.

The story is split almost evenly with Clara and Izzy. Clara is 18 years old in 1929, while Izzy is 17 in 1995. Their timelines are worlds apart but finding out what happened to Clara becomes a mission to Izzy. She had dealt with so much in her past that, I believe, finding the answers to someone else’s was cathartic for her.

Clara is thrown into an insane asylum "knowing" that she isn't crazy, however no one listens to her, no one believes her and no one cares. She knows what is true to her and she doesn't forget it, ever. Her story is so painful and beautifully written that just remembering it, I am tearing up again. She fought against so much and received so little, all for love. Love for herself, love for her man and love for her family. (If you have read this you will know which family I am referring to, but don't want to have any spoilers.)

Izzy on the other hand is a foster child who has moved from home to home. She is about to grow out of the foster system when she turns 18. She knows that means she will be turned out onto the streets, yet still she helps out of foster family with the "Willard Project" for the local museum. Her foster family and their friends are some of the people that are helping. The friends' son just happens to be one of her tormentors at school. Izzy has a hard time letting him--or anyone--in. But him more so because he just stands there and lets his bitch of a girlfriend bully other people. To say the tension between the two is high would be an understatement. But Ethan watches her and brings her the journal so that she can finish reading it. He sparked her need to solve the mystery.

Ellen Marie Wisemen wrote an incredible novel, which is descriptive, dark and beautiful all at the same time. Now knowing what happens I can reread this book without all the nerves that I had the first time and will probably enjoy it even more than I did the first time. I will be reading more of her books as well. Hope they are just as good.