I was given this book and put off reading it because the cover was so delicate. I was expecting a light Christian romance. You certainly cannot judge a book by its cover. I, too, was profoundly changed by this story. Margaret's reaction to the losses and abuses in her life is one of isolation and cynicism. She keeps others at a distance with a superior attitude and cruel words. As I read, I often cringed at her words, calling to mind people I have known who behaved in like manner and wondering what secret hurts they harbor. It was painful to watch her mistreat Birdie, but inspiring to watch Birdie perservere. I was also fascinated with Margaret's often referring to books she had read. Although some reviewers found this distracting, it showed me that fictional characters in books were more palatable to her than her husband or her flesh-and-blood co-workers. This is the best work of Christian fiction I have ever read.