great deal of time in Ireland, which is an enduring source of inspiration for her work.
Maure applied the Page 69 Test to Sisters of Belfast, her debut novel, and reported the following:
From page 69:Visit Melanie Maure's website.“Fresh air,” she says, “the best medicine.” She slips into her coat, reaches into the pocket, and feels to familiar loop of beads nestled, waiting.While I don’t think this test gives the browser a whole idea of Sisters of Belfast, it is a page that could pull the reader in, primarily based on the final line. It might also give the browser a sense of foreboding—a peaceful scene with questions about secrets looming at the edges. Maybe because I know the story, I could, in fact, say this page encapsulates the novel by saying Aelish is always seeking peace and safety. Still, it remains precarious, mostly due to the connection with her twin sister.
“Mrs. Doolin, would you mind if I stepped out for a breath of sea air?”
Gabby is seated on the floor with the twins. Aelish is not sure how she got down there and even less certain how she will get up.
She waves Aelish off. “We’re right as rain here, Sister. Tide’s out—it’s a good time to treasure hunt,” she say, clutching the babies’ round bellies. They squeal with glee, and the sound sends Aelish out the door with tiny bubbles coursing across her skin.
Arriving at the water’s edge, she turns into the wind, glances down at the small crabs skittering about. A penny-sized triangle of amber glass twinkles among the rocks and swaths of kelp crisping in the sun. It has been worn smooth, made matte from sand and salt.
“Izzy will like this.” Aelish drops it into on her wellies.
The fishing community’s old Catholic church sits at a precarious angle, clinging to the hillside. I promise to get there and receive communion after a visit with Isabel today, she vows before perching on a large stone for morning devotions. Crabs dart like tiny thieves between rocks, and gulls drift overhead. She ponders Declan’s question about Isabel, whether she mentioned “not doing so good.” Although Izzy did not write of any struggles, Aelish intends to broach the subject on today’s visit now that her sister is stronger.
Halfway through the third decade of the rosary, she hears shouting. Aelish continues to pray, assuming the fishermen on the pier to be the source of the noise. The indecipherable ruckus becomes more precise. Aelish is startled to hear her name.
From the time the girls were orphaned during the Belfast blitz, this has been their core struggle. They long to keep each other safe and have very different and deep-seated beliefs about what that safety should look and feel like. For Aelish, the church and the life of a nun is the answer. Meanwhile, for Isabel, the church is the most significant source of threat and danger. What binds them is also what tears them apart--their love for one another.
--Marshal Zeringue
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