Forsaking Mimosa

by Valerie Winn, Joe Lee (Editor)

It is 1937 in Mimosa, Mississippi, and fourteen-year-old Max Brinkmann is an active adolescent in the lively railroad he has a newspaper route, builds tree houses with his brothers, and prides himself in making and flying kites. He dreams of running track and playing baseball at Mimosa High School. But when Max's father, Josef (a devout Roman Catholic), announces that the small Catholic school in Mimosa is closing, Max's world is turned upside down. Not only is Josef moving the family to a farm in the middle of nowhere (to remove Max and his six younger siblings from the temptations of the city), the only option for a Catholic education is enrollment at nearby St. Agnes Academy, an all-girls school. Max is overwhelmed by classes of young women and more nuns than he has ever seen, not to mention a new home without electricity or indoor plumbing. Even worse, his hard-hearted, Rosary-a-day father seems intent on making his oldest son as miserable as possible. Friends? Forget them. Hobbies and dreams? Not hardly. Even one speck of something close to fun? Sorry, Max, go chop the wood. Forsaking Mimosa is a timeless story of a disillusioned boy who grows into manhood in a most unlikely environment. Along the way he comes to know the redeeming power of home as he faces tragedy, falls in love, and prepares to become a World War II soldier. These circumstances and others lead him to important discoveries about himself, his faith and, ultimately, his enigmatic father.

289 pages, Hardcover

First published April 3, 2012

Reviews

[Christine Townes · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not a usual type read for me, but I enjoyed it. It was interesting reading the perspective of the main character being taught by nouns.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this feel good, coming of age story! Main character Max deals with a lot during his teenage years. Moving from a house in town with the hopes of going to public school, to a farm with no electricity or running water and going to an all girls catholic school. There is also Adele, dealing with a socialite mother that doesn't make time for her. Although the story is mostly told from Max's and Adele's point of views, you do get a little insight from other characters.

[Lisa Pinkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed reading this 1930s coming-of-age story. The author did a good job weaving in lots of little historic details about the area, the railroad, and Catholic life at the time, but I would like to have seen more showing and less telling and more character development and less summarizing.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone from a small town in the south will love this book.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT!!!!!

[Beckie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to know more about characters. Did they ever get to a movie?

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet story about growing up Catholic.