Saints For All Occasions Summary
J. Courtney Sullivan

Saints For All Occasions Overview

In Saints for all Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan, set in 1950s America, Nora Rafferty decided to take her unwed sister’s baby, Patrick, and raise him as her own, a decision that seemed to be the best idea at the time. The decision turned out to have a negative impact not only on Nora’s relationship with her sister, but also on her relationship with her biological children. It was only when Patrick died in a car crash at age 50 that Nora’s children began to learn their mother’s secrets and the way those secrets had impacted their lives. Themes in the novel include the changes in women’s roles from the late 1800s to 2009, the impact secrets can have on a family, and the dynamics of family relationships.