Domestic Violence

The premise of this novel is the impact of the murder of Celeste Zachariah on her children. The murder itself is not of great importance in this novel, but the fact that she was murdered by her husband is. The children find themselves in a position in which they feel as though they are in some way responsible for what has happened to their mother and father. Many children who are victims of domestic violence often feel this way and will continue to feel this way even when assured by well-meaning adults that it is not their fault. This is what occurs in the case with Lulu and Merry.

As Lulu and Merry grow up, they find themselves not only orphaned by their mother in her murder and their father due to his imprisonment, but they also find themselves abandoned by the only family that they have...