The Patron Saint of Liars

By: Ann Patchett

Narrated by: Julia Gibson

St. Elizabeth's is a lovely old place in a small town in Kentucky that used to be the beautiful Hotel Louisa. In the 1960s, it is a home for unwed mothers run by nuns. Life at St. Elizabeth's is not unpleasant, but it is temporary. All the pregnant women who come there will go home within the year. Except for Rose, a beautiful, mysterious woman, who is neither unwed nor alone.

She is simply pregnant and doesn't want her husband or her mother to know. She plans to give her baby up because she knows she cannot be the mother the baby needs.

But St. Elizabeth's is near a healing spring, and when Rose's time draws near, she cannot go through with her plans, not all of them. She cannot remain forever untouched by what she left behind and who she has become since the leaving.

A beautiful debut novel about life and love and faith.

©1992 Ann Patchett (P)2007 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Thoughtful....a complex character study." (Library Journal)

"In an assured, warm, and graceful style, a moving novel that touches on the healing powers of chance sanctuaries of love and fancy in the acrid realities of living." (Kirkus Reviews)

Secrets and Lies

Since I'm just discovering Ann Patchett and her earlier novels (and have recently gotten hooked on Dani Shapiro's "Inheritance" memoir and subsequent "Family Secrets" podcast), this kind of story is ripe for 'Cecilla' to discover her family secret and have some peace in the unraveling of her story. A convenient plot twist to have another character dye her hair to give her a new look – hoping to cheer her up after her mother disappears and before her - [*SPOILER ALERT COMING" } - her "bio" dad unexpectedly shows up and they can't recognize that they might possibly be related - leaves me unsatisfied.

However, those were the secrets kept back in the 60s/70s and 80s and this is a fictional story - not a real one. All of Ann Patchett's novels are wildly different - although this story could have been created from someone she knew or had heard about. Nonetheless, (no pun intended), the story tries to examine that a child can grow up with love from strangers and establish a healthy sense of self – even if they don't get it from their biological parents. But, a lack of parental love can really screw someone up and the damage it does when it could be preventable leaves me feeling the lead character was selfish and hard to relate to.

The best!

This reader is outstanding! This story absolutely comes to life With her reading it. It is my all-time favorite audio book! I’ve listen to it four times and could definitely listen four more.

Best Patchett novel

My only complaint is the music in this recording that serves as a break between sections. I found the choice of notes unsettling. Other than that, read perfectly. And, of course, the story was mesmerizing. I feel heartbroken in a way.

I found myself stopping and rewinding so I could hear words, sentences, passages again and again. Ann Patchett is a wizard with the English language, putting words together in a way that won’t leave a reader.

I’ve never read a story if a character so flawed who is not a villain. As a mother, and a daughter, I wanted to hate her, and there were moments when I did, but somehow those moments faded.

Rose is the most flawed character ever who wasn’t also just terrible. The way patchett balanced that concept is nothing short of miraculous.

Well written till the end

The story is entertaining and drew me in. I’d give it 5 stars if not for the ending. Because of other negative reviews about the end, I expected it to be a literary finale that leaves the reader pondering. This was not that.
It feels as if the last chapter is missing. Quite possibly it’s the worst ending I’ve ever read.

I love these characters!

I am a huge fan of Ann Patchett’s story telling style and this did not disappoint. I want to be sitting on the porch at sunset drinking tea with those women.

The music between sections is very thriller style though and I feel could be something that better fits the style of the book.

Wonderful story

I loved this book. I didn’t want it to end. Some of the characters were so likeable

I’m a reader from Kentucky…

And I have to say I was a little disappointed in the mispronunciation of Cadiz by the narrator. It would have been fairly easy to find out the correct pronunciation. Overall, I enjoyed the story, though it ended abruptly for me.

Disappointed

The story was entertaining but the ending was abrupt. Most of the characters are hard to relate to n they his book. The musical transitions where annoying.

I like how the author told the story through the perspective of different characters

If you insist in playing a tune, please, please, please, play only once. It is irritating to hear the repetition. Also, please, please, please, do not play the tune together with the reading. It is distracting and makes it hard to understand the words.

Left with a question

Great story, I liked the way the author weaved the perspectives as the main character switched during the story telling. As the story ended, I was left wanting more: What happened next?