SOLD ON A MONDAY - Kristina McMorris

HISTORICAL HUMAN INTEREST - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - When Ellis takes a random photo of two boys in front of a "2 Children For Sale" sign, it takes him places he never would have imagined, both physically and emotionally. From a featured newspaper article to a potential relationship, to jail, the action never ends as he follows the trail of missing children.

Writing - 4.5 stars - This is a new-to-me author, and I very much enjoyed her writing. She caught my attention from the first page, then kept the story moving forward quickly, urging me to turn the pages to discover what had happened to the children. Since a happy ending wasn't guaranteed, I was engrossed in the story and compelled to keep going.

Characters - 4 stars - This is where the story shone for me. Ellis is a strong, thoughtful character who has empathy and concern for his fellow man, despite being an aspiring hard-hitting reporter. He was well-designed by the author, with a good back story and an appealing personality--well-meaning but not always wise. Lily is also an attractive character, bravely living a life that would have been frowned upon in the 1930's, when this story is set. She's ambitious, but realistic about her role at the newspaper, despite her dreams. She works hard and has a strong moral sense, except when her passions are aroused.

Title - 3 stars - The title certainly catches the eye, but the reference to Monday really doesn't mean anything to the plot.

Cover - 3 stars - Again, the cover seems designed to catch the eye and spark some sympathy for the child. It really doesn't refer to any particular scene in the story, although the boy is admittedly cute and the photo well-framed.

Overall - 4 stars - Overall, I found this story to be fascinating, building my interest in following Ellis and Lily as they searched for the children. Perhaps they began the quest in order to ease their guilty consciences, but it seemed they had the children's well-being at heart and were working to help reunite a family. The setting of the 1930's added interest and explained the need to travel around to track down information as well as the inclusion of the Mob in the story in a rather low-key way. I found myself rooting for the main characters even as they acted precipitously and almost recklessly, from time to time, in their search. McMorris kept me on the edge of my seat as I followed their actions to discover the ending. Very good introduction to this author, and I will continue to look for more of her books.

Based on the real sale of children by their parents during the early 1900s. When a reporter has to reconstruct a scene based on his original ruined photo, to get his story published, one lie begets another. A life is made on those lies and falls apart taking along with it a budding romance and their careers.

“It started with a picture.”
“Every step a domino essential to knocking over the next.”

How many people today in our social media crazed world can repeat this same phrase? Snap... one picture can tell so many truths but also so many lies. Important message to journalist today still trying to make a buck from falsehoods. This story was heartbreaking. The struggles people are faced with never have a simple solution and each experience is unique. It’s easy to judge until faced with the same situation, it’s easy to say “I’d never.” I’ve come to really enjoy Depression/post-depression era novels and wish more authors would tackle it.

Side note; whomever created her cover art deserves a lot of credit because it is gripping and so spot on in representing the story conveyed inside.

"It all started with a picture."
This picture. Featured in <i>The Vidette Messenger</i> August 5, 1948, it shows a mother hiding herself from the camera as her small children sit beside a sign that says "Four Children for Sale. Inquire Within."

<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/57/6a/31/576a31782212b0ed10427b9f5ba431ed.jpg"/>

As you can imagine, this picture is heart wrenching and thought provoking. What could drive parents to sell their own children? McMorris's book, <b>Sold on a Monday</b>, although inspired by these events asks readers not to jump to conclusions; to reserve our judgement until after we have taken time and care to gather all of the facts. McMorris takes an empathetic approach. Although her characters have made mistakes that they are ashamed of they are for the most part redeemable, human, worthy of our forgiveness.

But <b>Sold on a Monday</b> is a fictional account. What of real life? I'm sure you are wondering as much as I was what was the fate of Chalifoux family? All five children (Mrs. Chalifoux was pregnant at the time of this photo.) were sold off. One would hope that the children were sent to more stable and loving homes. But most of the surviving siblings report being beat, starved and even chained. And what of the Chalifpux parents? After their fifth child was born Ray abandoned the family and Lucille remarried and had four more children.

What starts slowly as a period piece set in the 1930s, picks up the pace about half-way through and becomes a fast paced race to rescue two children caught in a terrible misunderstanding. A bit romance, a bit historical fiction, a bit mystery, a bit social commentary that rings true even today. Although pretty melodramatic in places and pretty predictable, this is a good read that would be excellent for an adult book club or high school lit circle. There's a lot to discuss here -- family relationships & secrets, prohibition, social responsibility, ethics in journalism. But, all in all, this is a good story. By the way, the author based her story on an actual photo from the 1930s advertising children for sale. In her research, she discovered that the photo was staged, setting the stage for this story.

Sold on a Monday
by Kristina McMorris

This book had such an interesting premise, I requested a copy from NetGalley. (thanks, NetGalley!) McMorris presents her story in the form of a complicated moral dilemma—where a seemingly well-intentioned act leads to unexpected challenges and life-changing results—playing out on a couple of different fronts. Ellis Read wanted to tell a story with his photograph, but when things got complicated, he made some ill-advised but understandable choices. The situation, while specific to his era, life and career, is still relatable; especially when choices made in an instant, reflexively, fail to consider long-term consequences. In a story brimming with untold secrets, life decisions are guided by personal experience and sometimes, unbridled ambition. Still, McMorris’ treats her characters with a care and sensitivity that is compelling, and ultimately, uplifting.


For Goodreads:

Why I picked it — Because the story, based loosely on a true incident, was remarkable.
Reminded me of… Love and Other Consolation Prizes, another story begun on an impossible-sounding real-life story about a child.
For my full review — click here

This is such a heart wrenching story of hard times during the depression for many families and the lengths people went to to survive the struggles.

I found this story slow to start and kept putting it aside for other reads. I made it to about 35% and I am just not inspired to pick it back up at this time. I'm not disliking it, but after 10 months of picking it up and putting it down I'm still just not engaged with it. I may return to it at a later date, but for now it will have to wait.

I enjoyed this story very much I did however wish for a little more meat to it. I would have read longer for a little more insight into these characters. Still a very enjoyable read.

In Sold on a Monday, we meet a 1930s newspaper reporter named Ellis Reed, who is young, ambitious, and desperate to get a byline in the paper.  He needs a big break.  One day, while driving around looking for a story, he comes by a country house with a sign in the yard announcing "2 children for sale."  He takes a photo.

His boss, upon seeing the photo, commissions a story, but then both the photo and negative are ruined, so the story can't run.  Ellis, being resourceful, returns to the remote area, retrieves the sign from the front of the now-abandoned house, and props it up in front of another house in order to re-create the picture.  Then two kids and their mother emerge from the house to see what he is doing.

Later, when the kids go missing, a mystery ensues.  Were they kidnapped?  Taken into care?  Purchased?  Did the mother take advantage of the idea and actually sell them?

Ellis faces a moral quandary - Did his "staging" of the photo make all of this happen?

Together with his coworker Lily, Ellis seeks to locate the children and their mother, and to ensure that the family is doing all right.  Along the way, we meet Ellis's parents, Lily's boyfriend, and a gang of mobsters who might be connected to the kids' disappearance.  Ellis and Lily find themselves getting in deeper and deeper, both for their own reasons.  And Ellis is desperate to assuage his guilt and ensure that he didn't harm this family.

I found the book to be a fascinating character study.  Ellis is desperate for a byline in the paper, but did he go too far?  Were his actions innocent, and just turned out badly?  Or did he set this chain of events in motion because of his own ambition?  We see Ellis twisted and turned by this moral quandary, all while trying to put things right.

There are many plot surprises along the way.

Definitely recommended.

One of my new favorite books! This author has such a way with words the pages flew by in no time! I can’t wait to see the next work by this author! This was such a joy to read!

Most people who are interested in the Great Depression must have seen the famous photo that is the central focus of this book. You know the one. The photo of the mother hiding her face while her children sit under a sign that says "For Sale".
"Sold on a Monday" is a well thought out possible explanation as to what might motivate a mother to sell her children. It is historical fiction and definitely well researched.
I never really connected on any level to the main characters, Ellis and Lillian but was interested in reading the story because I have always been interested in the dustbowl and the possible story behind the photo. I always did wonder what happened to the children.
It a very nicely written historical novel but I was left with a bit of sadness as well because we will never really know what the reason really was and what did happen to the children.

Unfortunately, I requested this book, but didn't get to read it before it was archived. I wish I had gotten to it.

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this anymore. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

"Photography is the art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”
I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but then I pick up a book like this and wonder why the heck I don't. This is the kind of historical fiction I love. The feel of this book, the historical importance and relevance of the story, reminded me a lot of "Before We Were Yours." Although this wasn't as heavy or as melancholy. It has all the markings of beautiful historical fiction. I enjoyed it greatly.

I was intrigued by this story and couldn't wait to begin reading this book. The story was great and very heart felt, however it didn't connect with me as much as I thought it would. I do recommend this book to anyone that loves historical fiction.

In 1948, The Vidette-Messanger published a tragic image - four children on the front steps of a home with a sign that read, "4 children for sale. Inquire within." Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris takes inspiration from this history and creates a fiction about a similar image - this one picturing two young children. This book really becomes more the story of the reporter, speaking to his guilty conscience but not the broader reaction to his choices. At the end, the book is an interesting story but one that leaves potential unexplored.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2019/05/sold-on-monday.html

Reviewed for NetGalley

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris is about two children put for sale during the Great Depression. The story centers around a reporter and another newspaper employee that work together to make good out of a horrible situation that occurs after the story gains national attention. I enjoyed reading about the time period when the book was set and how Philadelphia and New York City were during this time. I've been to both places quite a few times and recognized some of the streets and areas mentioned. The cover and title drew me in and the writing kept me reading, I would definitely recommend this book.

The cover of this book is simply stunning. That alone was enough for me to want to read this book. Then after reading the synopsis I knew for sure that it was a must read for me.

I went into this book wanting to know why someone would put up a for sale sign for their children. How could someone give up their children for money? I couldn’t wrap my head around that idea and I needed to know more about this book. What unfolded was not what I expected and the book fell a bit flat for me. I wanted to know more about the children that were for sale, but the book took a different avenue and I think for this reason it fell a bit short for me.

After reading so much hype about this book I think I had too high expectations for this book. It was an interesting read and honestly I think my expectations were too high for me going in. There are so many wonderful reviews for this book so please don’t be discouraged from reading this book after my review, go ahead and give it a read and see for yourself.

This book captivates from the very beginning and I had to know the reasons behind this dire situation. The main characters all had secrets-- and some were not what I expected them to be. Although different in many ways from "Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate, the suffering of children was a sad truth in both. I found the book to be well-written and it held my attention to the end. I would read other books by this author.