The Making of Mary

In a quietly devastating opening, a frail girl named Mary Mason emerges from the darkness of an abandoned farmhouse, having fled something she will not name. The year is the late 19th century, and Mary carries with her only a terrible wariness and a fierce will to survive. When she stumbles to the home of Mrs. Morgan, searching for refuge, readers understand they are in the hands of a writer who takes children's suffering seriously. The Gemmell family eventually offers Mary something she has never known: a home. But belonging, as she learns, is not given, it must be built through small acts of courage, quiet moments of trust, and the painful work of learning that she is worthy of love. This is a story about the resilience required to become someone when the world has treated you as no one.