Irises- Francisco X. Stork

Title: Irises


Author: Francisco X. Stork


Source: SYNC free downloads


Series: No


Rating: 3/5












Two sisters discover what's truly worth living for in the new novel by the author of MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD.

TWO SISTERS: Kate is bound for Stanford and an M.D. -- if her family will let her go. Mary wants only to stay home and paint. When their loving but repressive father dies, they must figure out how to support themselves and their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state, and how to get along in all their uneasy sisterhood.

THREE YOUNG MEN: Then three men sway their lives: Kate's boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own.

ONE AGONIZING CHOICE: Kate and Mary each find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it's Mama's life that might divide them for good -- the question of *if* she lives, and what's worth living for.

IRISES is Francisco X. Stork's most provocative and courageous novel yet.


This did not get the best of reviews on Goodreads but it is part of the SYNC free downloads so I decided to try it out.


Kate and Mary live with there father who is a pastor for a local church. There mother was in an accident years ago that has caused her to be in a vegetative state. There father has brought her home and the girls work together taking care of her. Both have there own ambitions. Kate is determined to be a doctor and Mary is a talented artist. When there father dies, the girls must make tough decisions, Kate's boyfriend Simon offers to marry her so he can take care of her. Mary must up what she loves in ordered to care for her mother. In the end both girls must decide what is the best thing to do for there mother, should they keep caring for her or should they release her from her vegetative state.


The part I most liked about the book was the back story. It is a very controversial subject to broach. Is it inhumane to allow someone in a vegetative state to stay alive through machines? Or is it better to allow nature to take it's course and allow the person to be released?


The characters were frustrating at times. I thought Kate was selfish. She made Mary sacrifice everything while it seemed like nothing was changing for her. Mary was the one who had to come home immediately after school to care of their mother. I felt terrible for Mary but I also wished she would have a little more backbone towards Kate at times. She allowed Kate to tell her what to do and it never seemed to occur to her to stand up to her.


This is a personal pet peeve of mine which completely drove me nuts throughout the book. I hate it when characters refer to there parents as momma and daddy. It seems silly but I find it hard to take them seriously, especially in older characters. Kate was eighteen and Mary was sixteen but they still referred to their parents in that way.


The religious aspect of the novel was one I was not expecting but I found it to be mild. It was clearly a large part of the main character's lives but it was not jammed down the reader's throat. I felt like I understood Mary's religious views but I felt they were not the main focus of the story.


There was even a little romance mixed into the story I never seem coming.


The book gave me more than I expected. I told myself in the beginning I may not like it and I am pleasantly surprised to say I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I am glad I decided to give it a chance.