Weekend Reads With Cherie Cooper

The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett

It’s a glorious feeling when you realise…

A. Ann Patchett exists!

B. You can safely pick up any book with “Ann Patchett” printed on the cover knowing it’s going to be a great read.

My mum loaned me The Patron Saint of Liars, Patchett’s first published novel. And appropriately, it’s a book about what motherhood means for different people: Those having babies, those giving them away, and those who mother people who aren’t their children.

We follow the mysterious young Rose, who leaves her husband and beloved mother in the 1960s to travel to a remote home for unwed mothers – despite being married. As her journey progresses, we get to know Rose’s (new) husband’s tragic backstory, and eventually meet her daughter Cecilia.

Patchett’s writing is unhurried, deep, and emotional – never fussy or maudlin. She’s a literary writer who is also incredibly readable. This book is about the experiences that shape us as people, and how difficult it can be to ever truly know another person, despite how much you love them.

Cherie Cooper

Cherie lives, works, and reads in beautiful Tasmania – the green island gem below Australia known for its gorgeous landscape and beautiful wildlife. She holds multiple academic qualifications in English, journalism, and fine art theory, and has worked in writing, editing, and communications roles for more than a decade. Most importantly, she has a deep love for books that began as soon as she learned how to read. Old, new, any genre – for Cherie, reading is about as vital as breathing. She is interested in sharing books that move, excite, and compel, so others can share the joy of a truly great read. While she reads across most genres, her favourite is literary fiction. Particularly anything by Margaret Atwood, Ottessa Moshfegh, Kate Atkinson, Elizabeth Berg, Ann Patchett, and Anne Tyler. Cherie frequents Tasmania’s beautiful boutique book shops as well as scouring secondhand shops for books to add to her extensive home library. Catch up with her on LinkedIn