Irises

Irises by Francisco X Stork

Release Date: January 1 ,2012
Publisher: Arthur A Levine Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: Own
Intrest: Young Adult
Challenge: 2012 Reading Challenge
Buy the Book: Amazon

Two sisters discover what's truly worth living for in the new novel by the author of MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD.

TWO SISTERS: Kate is bound for Stanford and an M.D. -- if her family will let her go. Mary wants only to stay home and paint. When their loving but repressive father dies, they must figure out how to support themselves and their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state, and how to get along in all their uneasy sisterhood.

THREE YOUNG MEN: Then three men sway their lives: Kate's boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own.

ONE AGONIZING CHOICE: Kate and Mary each find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it's Mama's life that might divide them for good -- the question of *if* she lives, and what's worth living for.

IRISES is Francisco X. Stork's most provocative and courageous novel yet.

I had been dying to read this book and was excited to finally get the chance to read it. The story wasn't quite what I thought it would be, but still good. I was expecting more of a... mysterious novel with a lot of hidden elements. This novel dealt more with family, love, loss and faith than anything else.

Irises is the story of sisters Kate and Mary who live with their  controling father who is a pastor at the local church, and their mother who has been in a vegetative state for years. The girls find themselves thrown into a world full of choices with the sudden death of their father. The girls are suddenly forced to take care not only of themselves, but also their mother, in the best way that they know how. 

Kate and Mary's character's are very different from one another. Kate's dream is to become a doctor, she makes top grades and has earned a full paid scholarship to Stanford, the school of her dreams. Kate being the older sister is practical, studious and dependable. Mary on the other hand is a very talented painter, and much like an artist she is sweet, emotional and impetuous. 

After the death of their father, the responsability of taking care of their mother, is resting solely on the girls shoulders. They must decide how far they are willing to go to keep her alive, or will they pull the plug? With so many decisions to make, will the hardships bring the girls closer together, or will this decision potentially tear the girls apart forever?

I really felt for these girls as they were dealt one hardship after another. I loved, respected, and admired their sense of family and their inner strength, especially Mary's , to not give up! It tested their love, friendship and faith! 

Overall, it was a fast paced read with a lot of thought provoking events that really make you wonder what you would do if you were in these girls shows. This book was more of a darker story, because of everything that happens to the girls, but despite this I still enjoyed the story!