Philomena is 5'6" and 250 lbs. She leaves her abusive husband and five children and seeks asylum at a convent, where she starts working at the adult Day Center, and begins to shake things up. Two sworn enemies make amends, Philo beings working, gets her kids back, and confronts her demons. Her final act of revenge is both grotesque and somehow satisfying. Lots of questions remain at the end, although a few problems are too neatly solved.

My book club applauds Philo's "forward!" attitude regarding her life (and others'). We just fell in love with her. ( )

Written by the brother of the director/writer of the film In America, this novel proves that the family has a lot of talent, and Peter at least can write without sinking into mawkishness. The novel is at turns hilarious and heartbreaking. In between there’s elderly sex scenes, deus ex machina deaths, and a disgusting comeuppance involving liposuction. The novel is both completely unbelievable, and yet so tenderly real, you can’t help but believe.

“It was a small thing, a cup of tea: on the scale of things it was a small victory. In a world that conspired to defeat her at every turn, it was sweet all the same. If half a loaf was better than no bread, then a crumb was better than nothing at all. Holy Communion was nothing more that a morsel of bread. The secret that unlocked doors was to be found in the smallest things. On reflection, Philo thought, it was a major victory, not a small one. She deserved respect, and it was right and proper for her to get it from wherever it came.” (p. 155) ( )