Sold on a Monday - Kristina McMorris

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This historical fiction novel was inspired by an actual Depression Era photograph. It follows the story of Ellis Reed, a struggling reporter, whose photograph and accompanying article launches his career and complicates his life. The photograph? Two children with a sign in front of them: Two Children for Sale. Lilly Palmer is Ellis’s coworker and is involved in a way Ellis doesn’t even know. From the countryside to the city; from news desks in Philadelphia and New York – the story moves along making you want to keep turning pages.
It did take me several chapters to get into the characters of Ellis and Lilly and to be invested in the story. However, once I was there, I finished the rest of the book pretty quickly. The fact that this novel is based on a photograph actually printed and that people were so desperate that all they could think was to sell their children saddens me. It made me wonder what I would do in a similar situation.
One of the reasons I like reading historical fiction is to get a glimpse of the past. This did that with the photograph, a look into gender roles, glimpses of newspaper life, and even some Mafia interaction.
It was a good book. I’d recommend it to others who like historical fiction or books inspired by something true in the past.
There are more points I would like to expound on but don’t want to have spoilers. So I’ll leave it at that.
Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the review copy. If you would like to read more of my reviews, please visit mommyreadsbooks.blogspot.com.


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