Unholy Child: A Novel

When I first picked up this book, I was expecting a Rosemary's Baby type horror, but what I got was a surprisingly well-crafted novel that resembled Jodi Picoult. A catholic nun, Sister Angela, delivers a baby in a convent and suffers complications. The events that ensue are the consequences of her emotional and psychological duress. It is a complex examination of the rigid standards of the catholic church, the psychology of Sister Angela, and the emotional reactions of the community. As Sister Angela recovers and tries to come to terms with her actions, a larger investigation is taking place as she faces criminal charges and prepares to stand trial. I was pleasantly surprised at the intricate narrative Breslin crafted in this dark and engaging novel.

Similar to the film "Agnes of God", but a more satisfying plot and character motivation. Critical of Roman Catholicism, particularly among the lower class, and of the Church's tendency to close ranks when nuns and priests commit crimes. Was the nun in question "sane"? Is the Church above the law? Should punishment of the religious be left to the internal affairs section of the Roman Catholic Church? The reader must decide.