Review: Molly Path by Eugene O’Toole

Molly Path has stopped going to school. It will take a specialist like Eileen Murtagh to get her to go back. Eileen agrees to take one more case before retirement, and she starts visiting Molly’s house every day. Eileen has been teaching troubled students long enough to know that Molly’s home is not a happy one.

After days holed up in her bedroom while Eileen sits downstairs, Molly joins Eileen, who starts to read aloud to her. This continues day after day. They begin to discuss books and eventually, Molly writes an essay.

Molly believes she doesn’t deserve an education, that everyone at school knows what is going on at home. She believes they know her dad hit her mom and left, that her mom drinks all the money away, and that Molly is hungry and forgotten. Eileen knows what it’s like to have a mother who doesn’t take care of you. Eileen’s kindness and patience pay off, and even Molly’s mother is changed from Eileen’s instruction.

This is a rough, gritty and gripping story. O’Toole weaves a tale of generations of abuse and neglect but balances this by giving the characters this life-changing moment. Chapters are short, and there is some confusion jumping between past and present, but this works to show how far back the issues with mother and daughter go. Ultimately, this is a story of hope, one that promises change is possible. Readers will be rooting for Molly from the first pages.

Maggie Masterson