Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy

A storm the size of Texas brews when Gloria Powell and Kai Chang meet in a Ft. Worth hotel. They have come to discuss the future of Lily, the daughter Gloria adopted from China and the sister Kai hopes to reclaim. Kai is a doctor who had to give up her little sister during the Cultural Revolution and has since discovered that an inherited genetic defect may be waiting to fatally strike Lily.

Gloria's relationship with her daughter is tattered and strained, and the arrival of Kai, despite the woman's apparent good intentions, makes Gloria fearful. Gloria longs to restore her relationship with Lily, but in the wake of this potentially devastating diagnosis, is Kai an answer to prayer--or will her arrival force Gloria to sacrifice more than she ever imagined?

My thoughts:

The story begins at an orphanage in Eastern China in 1990. From that moment you are drawn into the story of not only two different lives but two different cultures. The long lost sisters Kai and Lily somehow must span the two worlds to find wholeness. The story reflects back and forth between China during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s to present day America.

Kai is the second daughter of the Chang family. She suffered greatly as did the rest of her family during the Cultural Revolution in China. She eventually makes her way to America where she becomes a doctor that specializes in renal medicine in a prestigious practice in Boston.

Lily is the fourth daughter of the Chang family. Because of the family size restrictions in China she is placed in an orphanage. At the age of ten she is adopted by Rev. Andrew and Gloria Powell. They bring Lily to their home in Fort Worth where she is known as Joy.

Both sisters suffer many hardships in America. The adjustment to the American lifestyle is difficult for each of them. By the time Kai finds Joy, Joy has become a very rebellious teenager. In fact the first meeting of the two sisters takes place in a detention center. This providential meeting is the beginning of a relationship that will heal both of the girls.

This is a beautiful love story. It is a story about the love of one sister for another. It is the story about a love of a mother for her daughter. But mostly it is a love story about a Heavenly Father pursuing His beautiful daughters. Patty Lacy does a wonderful job of weaving a story that reminds us again and again that God’s thoughts are not like our thoughts and His ways are not like our ways.

It was very interesting to read the inspiration for the story in the author’s note in the back of the book. I’m thoroughly convinced it is why the story read so well. This is a book of deep subjects. The discussion questions in the back of the book along with the subject matter are sure to evoke thought provoking conversation for any book club.

While this was the first book that I have read by Patti Lacy, I can guarantee it will not be my last. This author has a wonderful writing style that I look forward to reading again and again.

I received a copy of this book for my participation in this book tour from Litfuse. All thoughts are my own and may differ from others.