THE HAPPY ROOM

by Catherine Palmer

Published: 2002

Genre: Novel

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Summary:

The Mossman family were missionaries in Africa. The three children viewed the experiences differently, which affected their adult lives. Peter turned away from God. Julia embraced the faith. The youngest Mossman brings them back together when she is hospitalized due to an illness. During the hospital stay, each of the siblings revisits the memories from their childhood. From the three perspectives, the readers get a clear picture of what life was like in the Mossman home, but also the experience of boarding school. As pain is revealed, healing begins – and the characters learn more about each other and the God who never left them.

My Take:

I’d heard of this book from a few friends and finally got my turn to read it. My curiosity led to a background check on the author, and I discovered that she and I are alumni of the same university, which I find incredible. But, what my investigative work also uncovered was that she is also an MK from Africa. Catherine knows a bit about this life overseas, and it truly comes alive through the characters in this book.

I love that the three siblings had different opinions about being raised overseas. I loved that they each told virtually the same story but with a different twist as to their perspective. The book was a quick read, meaning I had difficulty putting it down. 

I recommend it to parents as it will help them understand how their children may have different opinions about living overseas and being a TCK. I also would recommend it to ATCKs with a warning that if they experienced childhood trauma, it could be a trigger.