Sufficient Grace: A Novel

by Darnell Arnoult

One quiet spring day, Gracie Hollaman hears voices in her head that tell her to get in her car and leave her entire life behind -- her home, her husband, her daughter, her very identity. Gracie's subsequent journey releases her genius for painting and effects profound changes in the lives of everyone around her. Ultimately, her quest leads her into the home of Mama Toot and Mattie, two strong, accomplished women going through life changes of their own. As the bonds between these women grow stronger, and the family Gracie left behind come to terms with their own loss, both worlds slowly and inevitably collide, revealing a long-buried secret that they share. A spellbinding debut novel, Sufficient Grace explores the power of personal transformation and redemption, and the many ordinary and extraordinary ways they come to pass through faith, love, motherhood, art, even food. Even though we sometimes have to leave behind an old identity in order to discover our soul, this poignant, poetic study of the human condition affirms the enduring importance of relationships and the strength we derive from them.

Genres: Fiction, Southern, Contemporary, Christian Fiction, Book Club, Mental Health, Chick Lit

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 30, 2006

About the author

Darnell Arnoult is author of the novel Sufficient Grace (Simon & Schuster, Inc.), which received a starred review in PW, poetry collections What TravelsWith Us: Poems and  Galaxie Wagon (LSU Press), and most recently Incantations (Madville Publishing).  Arnoult is the recipient of the SIBA Poetry Book of the Year Prize, Weatherford Award, Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award, and the Mary Frances Hobson Award in Artsand Letters. She is founder of WordWell, a constellation of services for writers. She lives with her family in Mebane, NC. For more about Darnell, visit darnellarnoult.net.

Reviews

[Georgie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the intertwining of cultures the author creates in this story. Also, going into the schizophrenic mind without harsh judgment. I bought it specifically for this reason as I find the condition to be misunderstood in most every society. The only thing I found this book lacking was a bit more story behind the reunion of Doristeen and her mother, however I really admired Ed's character. It brings readers to know how a spouse is also affected by this illness and the search loved ones go through to try to understand it.

[Mona Finney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended by my friend Ashley and was one of the best books I've ever read. It is my understanding that it was the author's first novel. I want to go live with Mama Toot too!!!

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the back cover of my copy:
"Set against the backdrop of two neighboring Southern towns, Sufficient Grace is the powerful, affecting story of two families over the course of a year, from one Easter season to the next."

One quiet spring day, Gracie Hollaman hears voices in her head that tell her to get in her car and leave her entire life behind - her home, her husband, her daughter, her very identity. Gracie's subsequent journey releases her genius for painting and effects profound changes in the lives of everyone around her.

A spellbinding work, Sufficient Grace explores the power of personal transformation and redemption, and the many ordinary and extraordinary ways they come to pass through faith, love, motherhood, art, even food. This poignant, poetic study of the human condition affirms the enduring importance of relationships and the strength we derive from them, Even though we sometimes have to leave behind an old identity in order to discover our soul.

Beautifully paced, filled with unforgettable characters, Sufficient Grace reveals the vital place that spirit and belonging have in every inner life - and in the every day world."


8/27/07: Though it was difficult to get through the first chapter & I even put it down for a few months (I bought it in March, 2007) this is the most beautifully written fiction book I have ever read and the best book I've ever read. It's my top fave read of all time. I actually felt blessed to have read it once I was done. Amazing!

4/30/10: Once again I've fallen in love with this novel, even more than the first time. I don't know why I had a hard time with the first chapter or so the first time I read it (as I mentioned above). Ms. Arnoult's writing is beautiful; simple yet vividly descriptive. Her writing and more specifically this story comforts my soul and heals my heart in unexpected ways. I slowed my reading to a crawl towards the end because I didn't want it to end again. A novel I will come back to time after time.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book I've been searching for without knowing I was lost without it. A noble and worthy read that may not be for everyone, it is for the philosopher deep within to become enchanted and consumed by. A complex southern tale of food, art, humor, connections, race and insightful thought provoking views into many types of religions, as well as a touch of poetry. It made me really see how complex Schizophrenia is from all angles and look for the miracle in every small wonder and the reason behind painful problems in our lives that are so hard to face. Ed was my favorite character he just seems so real to me, like a sweet neighbor that could be right next door(I sure wish he did so I could try his cooking!).

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darnell Arnoult's novel SUFFICIENT GRACE is amazing. I loved it! I not only enjoyed the read, but it was interesting how Arnoult wove voice and point of view and Grace's mental illness throughout the novel. I work in the mental health field and Arnoult captured schizophrenia perfectly, which most novelists who write about it do not. She also writes about it with subtleness and intensity at the same time; it is a fact of the character Grace, it drives her and manages her, but it is not heavy handed in the least. It's a barrier that's in her life, but one Arnoult handles gracefully and with deft.

I had such strong feelings for each character and what he or she hoped for and longed for versus what s/he felt they should do or were bound to do for ethical and moral reasons. The heart often leads one way while the mind leads another, and this internal struggle was wonderfully captured throughout the novel in all of the storylines. I also liked each character, which is hard to pull off in a novel without being cloying, but Arnoult manages to do it; I felt each character's dilemma and hardship and cared about the characters. The entire novel is wonderful, and the ending is extremely satisfying. I highly recommend this novel.

[Judi Asdell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read...southern literature at it's quirkiest! Wish I had more like it in my collection. Cathy Holton's book that reminds me of this gem is "Summer in the South". So glad I checked this one out...left me believing in all things have a reason an d all things bring us back to our true "home"!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky characters populate this southern tale. Middle aged housewife is transformed into voice hearing artist over night, abandons her family, and ironically enough comes under the care of her childhood nanny . Over the course of a few months, her husband goes through his own transformation which is no less bizarre. Loved the book!

[Rebecca Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

My latest read has been on my shelf a while. The author of Sufficient Grace, Darnell Arnoult, is a good friend of my mentor, Susan Gregg Gilmore (Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen, The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove). I've had this book on my "to read" list for ages, putting it off and putting it off over and over again. The title had me a little blocked: I thought I knew what this book was about and how that tale would be told. I was wrong. Now that I've given it a go I'm so glad that I did; this is not a preachy Christian novel. It does not hit you over the head with some message you've already been pelted with. It's a wonderfully intricate look at mental illness, really, and Arnoult tells her tale in that eerie way that makes us all question our own sanity and definitions of normal. It's a challenging read, in the way that good books always are. We have our main character, Gracie, who suffers (or just has) voices telling her to do the extraordinary. From the beginning, these voices sound a bit like her id gone wild; what middle-aged woman hasn't wanted to just get up and leave it all behind? Gracie does just that; she takes off, leaves her wedding ring on the bed, and drives off into the rain. But it soon becomes crystal clear that she's not running so much as leaving. She's shed her old life like a snakeskin and emerges utterly naked on the other side. The voices aren't convenient excuses for bad behavior; Gracie has experienced a psychotic break and Arnoult takes us along for the scary ride. Love is also this story's subject, but I have to say it takes a backseat to the mental illness that plagues the main character. The story is told in present tense, a tense that can be hard to handle and tiresome, but works so well here. She also moves us seamlessly through the lives of several characters and families, showing us that we all hear those strange little voices and that maybe it's ok. I loved this read and have vowed to stop the old judging too quickly thing I'm too prone to do.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book and really started to love the characters and the life changes that each were experiencing as a result of Gracie's illness. Sufficient grace is a wonderful title to convey how each person who is touched by Gracie finds there own way to the place where they are able to make sense out of a situation that seems to make no sense. Gracie in her own way moves the people around her onto a new path of life, growing from this experience. Ed finds that he is a person who has many different preferences that he never took the time to explore.

The only downside to the book was the end left me wanting more. While it tied the open ends of the story together.. it just wasn't the ending that left me satisfied.

It still was a good story.

[BAM who is Beth Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

i really felt that this book lacked a lot. it was written well, and the characters were pretty well developed...yet when i got to the last page, i was highly surprised that the story was over.

i felt like...there was so much more story to tell...and the author just, stopped.

i'm not even saying that i need closure, or resolution in a book..but i want something. something more than this one gave me. i know that i will forget about this novel in a week or two...and i don't really think that's a great quality in a book.

i'm not sure how this book got so many stars from other reviewers. i'm at a loss.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sufficient Grace is a different kind of Southern Literature. The setting, the people, and the food definitely have a southern feel, but the storyline has a good bit of psychology involved, and this makes this book unique. I also enjoyed the characters and how the author connected them in the story.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me floating on an inner tube down a beautiful river on a hot summer day - refreshing, calming - even rejuvenating.

Quirky rural characters and witty exchanges will make you chuckle... yet so much more below the surface. The story dives into the depths of what it means to be family and face mental illness, accept the kindnesses of new friends, grieve and grasp hold of the life you still have.

One of the quotes from the book: A story travels its circumference. A story closes and then it lives on inside its circle, and the next story is a new circle. This story is a perfect circle.

[Valerie HappiestWhileReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

Sufficient Grace is in one of my favorite micro-genres of novels: mainstream (non-religious) books with central themes of faith, religion, and church. It begins just before Easter in one year and concludes just after Easter in the next.

Set in two small Southern towns (across state lines), the book is divided into sections patterned after the structure of the Roman Catholic Mass. The book addresses big, universal topics such as marriage, grief, mental health, food, and family, some of which are inspired by the author’s life experiences.

The characters are quirky and interesting, and I was never quite sure where the plot was headed, which held my interest.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember even putting this on my TBR and didn't re-read the synopsis. When it started off with Jesus I almost DNR'd it but I'm so glad I gave it a chance! I absolutely loved mama Toot from the start and really grew to love Ed. I liked the way the author handled mental health challenges with, well...grace!

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the first time I've read such a deeply personal book by someone I know. There was a scene that just perfectly captured the experience of caregiving, it painted a picture so vividly in my mind, I might not ever forget.

[Dru · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book in a strange sort of way. The main character of the book is a mental person. The book revolves the two families involved with her. It kept you reading.

[Lexie Shumate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very confusing book.

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know a book is good when you think about the characters after you have read the book.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was fine, but the writing was difficult to embrace. She over explained simple parts and carried on too long with some scenes.

[Melissa Helton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story. Looks at the blurry edges between real and fantasy, god and creation, sane and insane, free will and destiny.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words are powerful things. You can cast a spell with words, you know. You better be careful what you say.
In so saying near the end of her book, Darnell Arnoult takes account of the spell she has cast for the roughly 300 pages she has spent weaving this tale. It is one part fiction, two parts of stark painful reality, and the huge piece of regret that is left over she weaves into a wonderful tale about love. Somehow this all adds up to a very impressive and warmly cohesive whole.
This is a rare book about an all too rare subject matter, the issues of learning how to take what remains in your life and turn it into something special for others. I was overwhelmed from the beginning with the sheer beauty of the way she tells the story about a variety of people who come together in odd ways. The title is from 2 Corinthians where Paul has asked God to heal him of a "thorn in his flesh." God replies that His grace is sufficient for what Paul needs to do. One doesn't have to read very far to find the wounded people, people I think who are just like the rest of us, trying to make our way the best we can with His help. While that part strikes a common chord, even her well developed characters are not the real story: the real story is how they develop greater character of their own.
I was reminded of a Roman Catholic priest, a Padre Pio, now a saint, who said Jesus permits the spiritual combat as a purification, not as a punishment. The trial is not unto death but unto salvation. This story is then about that salvation. This isn't a book so much about how far we go to get lost, but how we find our way back.
This story begins simply as a woman running away from her home. She draws three life-sized pictures of Jesus in three different poses on walls of her house, ostensibly to watch over her husband. All we know is that she hears voices and the voices are telling her that it is time to go. She leaves most everything behind, including her husband, household and grown daughter and drives her car off into the country where she slides off the road in the rain. Is she crazy? Is she schizophrenic? Does she really hear the voice of God? I suspect that most secularists would chuckle and suggest that hearing the voice of God was definitely schizophrenic. I wouldn't rush to disagree...but perhaps that just suggests a greater epidemic of what they can't understand in medicine. One keeps reading and wondering whether she is merely deluded and crazy or whether she really feels the spirit of God leading her. In explanation later in the book, Toot, mother in law of Mattie, says, to Mattie’s very secular veterinarian son, Sammy, we all crazy," says Toot. "You, me, your mama, the reverend, even Tyrone. We all got something make us crazy. You ever go in to doctor a bull and wonder if you crazy?" God speaks to each of us when we quiet down the noise we use to make our days seem important.
In the cemetery where Mattie, a black woman suffering from the loss of her husband , first finds Gracie, the author says, For God to work through Mattie, even in her grief-stricken fog, even with her need for a new covenant, is not so unbelievable as some might think. It is a gift like any other gift, an act of love.
Of course what Mattie was missing was someone to care for her... and now she is given someone for whom to care. God isn't giving her what she wants...nor explaining the point of her misery, but he is dealing with the issue...about which he knows far more. There are lots of stories like this, all the same and yet all different.

Sufficient Grace begins with a wonderful quote from Isaiah, but then quotes beautifully from others such as Pablo Neruda, and finally ends with a fiery quote from Nietzsche. Arnoult paints with a wide brush of understanding of the human condition in colors any heart should find quite appealing. As the book suggests to us in its wonderful meandering story line, we work best in using what little grace we have in order to increase, (according to another quote by Phillip Brooks,) our grace with His help. Beyond just being true, in the huge scheme of things, perhaps it is fair to say that little else matters.
This book weaves a story of need, sadness and finally compensation. It may not adhere exactly to Calvinist interpretations of scripture, but it is rewarding to read as well as an important lesson of which we need to be reminded every so often.

[(Lonestarlibrarian) Keddy Ann Outlaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the opening pages of this novel set in the American South, when Gracie Hollaman draws three large murals of Jesus on various walls of her home, we can only guess at what's going on. She seems to be hearing voices. She feels a connection to God. She is menopausal and restless. Then when she cuts up her credit cards and leaves her wedding ring on the marital bed, we realize she is running away. And yes, those voices signal mental illness.

Where Gracie runs to and what happens next is skillfully told, interspersed with the lives of a few other characters, many with strong religious feelings. Although I usually find female characters more compelling, in this book, my favorite character was Ed, the husband Gracie leaves behind. He is literally the Tire Man, basing his life largely on his ownership of a tire shop. But when Gracie leaves him, he begins to realize how starved his life has become. He decides he needs to learn how to cook. He gets hooked on the Food Channel. While shopping for a fish steamer at Dillard's, he meets a woman who he dreams of cooking for. As Gracie's absence continues, Ed becomes quite the amateur chef and begins to let go of the reins of his business, passing responsibilities to his daughter's boyfriend.

At this point I will not reveal any more plot details. I loved the elements of this book related to outsider art, food, psychology and midlife changes. Although some of the minor characters seemed extraneous, others were delightful. The pace of this book dawdled at times, but that was alright. I loved reading about the author's own life and her own back story which ties in with certain elements of the book. This was an impressive first novel, full of color, pathos and humor.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gracie Hollaman follows the instructions of voices in her head telling her to paint Jesus on three walls of her house, then leaves her wedding ring in the middle of her bed, gets in her car and drives away, leaving behind her husband and daughter to wonder what has become of her. After Gracie crashes her car in a small Southern town, she is taken in by Mama Toot, an elderly black woman, and her widowed daughter-in-law who accept her taciturn behavior and need to paint Jesus on rusty automobile parts. Gracie’s husband Ed, convinced she has left him, slowly begins to rebuild his life, unveiling a love for cooking which opens doors for him to a different kind of life. When Mama Toot discovers who Gracie’s family is, Gracie refuses to return to them and claims the voices in her head tell her her circle is closing and she needs to be the ex-wife. Although Gracie is placed under psychiatric care, she insists on listening to the voices while exhibiting an artistic talent that is being professionally noticed. Like ripples from a pebble thrown into a pool of water, Gracie’s impact on those around her is profound as each finds their own circle closing and another world opening to them.

Arnoult joins the likes of William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams and Harper Lee in penning a poignant story of family dynamics, faith, heartache, love and salvation revolving around a woman suffering from schizophrenia. Arnoult’s beautifully written poetic prose invites re-reading and savoring of certain passages. She slowly peels away personas of her characters, revealing depths they are not initially aware of, while taking her reader on a journey of love and forgiveness, faith and healing.

[Colleen Scidmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rate this about 3.75. I really enjoyed Sufficient Grace once I got a past the first several chapters, it was a little slow in the beginning and I kept putting it down. Once I got past the slow beginning I really started to get into it.
It is about a married woman named Gracie that is in her 50's that up and leaves her husband with no warning because voices in her head are telling her to leave. She leaves with no money, credit cards or checks and leaves behind her wedding ring. And as a parting gift to her husband leaves 3 huge drawings of Jesus on different walls including their bedroom. When her husband Ed comes home to find she left he assumed she was going through a sort of mid life crisis because of menopause and had perhaps left for another man because she had left behind her wedding ring.
Shortly after leaving Gracie runs her car off the road in a nearby state and and is found by two woman named Toot and Mattie who take Gracie in their home and care for her thinking it is a sign from God she was found by them because Mattie, a grief stricken widow, discovered her on her dead husbands grave.
The story goes on through a course of a year showing how each family copes with Gracie's illness, how much each family has changed because of Gracie and how 2 different families and from different walks of life unite for a common purpose.
It is an easy read and had some surprises that kept you interested, and had me routing for happy endings for Ed, Gracie, Toot, and especially Mattie.

[Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book at our local Good Will store (a great way to find books you might not find at your local library or book store). This was a pleasant surprise. In the spirit of the Secret Life of Bees, it is kind of a fairy tale where people meet by coincidence and peoples lives are changed by forces that seem a little bit contrived but somehow work. What I loved about this book were the characters. Grace, the title character, has late onset schizophrenia. We don't discover this until close to the end of the book, but her actions show that she is clearly experiencing some kind of break with reality. She leaves her home and family and drives off in her car. She is found a day or two later in another town across the state border lying on a grave at a small farm. The woman who find her take her in and care for her. She does not speak and they just accept that she needs their help. Prior to running away, she has painted four giant figures of Jesus on the walls of her home.

Her husband is baffled by her disappearance, and searches for her to no avail. With her gone, he has to learn to cook and take care of himself. He discovers a passion for cooking and for life again. I don't want to give away any more details, but the protrayal of mental illness is very compelling. In reading about the author, we discover that the author's mother had late-onset schizophrenia; so the account is probably very accurate.

This is one I will keep and read again some day.

[Debdanz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I accidentally picked this book up a second time. I liked this book when I read it 3 years ago, but this time it turned my stomach- starting with drawing white Jesus on the walls. In light of escalating police brutality and the BLM movement, this feels like white washing. And it is offensive having a white woman try to write from a black perspective. It just puts Toot and Mattie back in servitude to a white person; to me, it felt like “Blind Side,” meant to make white people feel good about their relationships with people of color when instead we are just continuing systemic racism. I’m sorry I read it a second time. I enjoyed it the first time, but as I’ve learned more, things like this are less palatable. And, if you find yourself sputtering at this, ask yourself some questions- would this story have worked if Toot and Mattie had been poor white women? If so, why weren’t they? If not, what does that say? (Then maybe read White Fragility.) (I’m writing this review so I dont pick this same book up 3 years down the road— the cover and title really appeal to me. 🤪)

[Lisa Zahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up in the "new fiction" section at my local library because Kaye Gibbons, who is a favorite author of mine, is a featured reviewer on the back cover. It took me about half the book to get into it and it's unusual that I give a book that much time. In the end, however, it was worth it. I liked the story right away, but it was slow going at first. After the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the book, the characters really came alive for me and their stories had me curious about how they fit together. I really enjoyed the spiritual nature that Gracie's mental illness took on, and how that fine line between reality and the supernatural is blurred in the book. I relate to that. In the end, every character is a sympathetic one in this book and both the story and the people are well written. It's a fine read.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sufficient Grace is the story of a woman suffering from schizophrenia. When she starts hearing the voice of God she leaves her husband and ends up staying with the African American woman who had taken care of her as a child. Throughout the book her family struggles to come to terms with the new direction their family has taken and adapts to the changes in surprising new ways.

Interestingly enough, this book does not paint a bleak picture of the effects of mental illness on an individual or a family. In the end, everyone involved is better off than when they started. I enjoyed this book and you can tell that this was written by a poet. There were some lovely uses of language during the course of this novel

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While hardly a book you can't put down, it was an interesting look into the results of mental illness on a family. Grace leaves her family early in the book and the impact that has on the lives of her daughter and husband were unexpected. Her husband, a tire store owner, takes up cooking via Food Network and discovers how relaxing cooking can be. Their daughter is horrified by her mother's voices and choices and refuses to embrace her new roll of being understanding and supportive. Meanwhile, another family is also part of the story with likable mini-dramas playing out along the way. An easy summer read.

[Rosemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Gracie, who leaves home and her husband of 30+ years after painting Jesus's portraits on 3 walls of their home, cutting up her credit cards, and tossing her wedding band onto their bed. She finds her way to the place she needs to be for healing. The reader learns about her family and the family who shelter her. As she explains to her psychiatrist, stories must complete a circle. Hers is completed, new circles begin, new possibilities exist, the reader finishes the book satisfied. The book left me accepting of stereotypes in fiction, when they serve a good purpose.