Told in flip flopping time lines “The Speed of Mercy” tells the story of Stella. Stella has a secret, a secret so dark and deep that her body has literally taken away her ability to speak about it.
At 13 years old, Stella was involved in a car accident that had taken the life of her mother and left her in a coma for 2 months. Her father, after the accident (and Stella’s minor recovery) gets convinced to move back to his home town, so with his daughter in tow they move back to Seabury, Nova Scotia. Once there Stella meets the Seabury’s (the family for which the town was named) and begins to realize that there is something very different about this town and it occupants.
Stella tells her story between the “HAHA” moments of her life, before, during and after the “Horrible Accident” and the “Horrific Affliction”. The horrible accident that took her mother’s life and the horrific affliction that she cannot remember nor speak of if she did.
This story is horrifically tragic and horribly sad, with supernatural elements and useless characters thrown in the mix. I enjoyed the natural imagery that the author was able to beautifully betray through the retelling of Stella’s story but the flip flopping time lines were confusing and mismatched at times.
With the introduction of too many unnecessary characters and story lines that were not linearly, I felt like the author took away from the impression and impact this story could have and in all rights should have made on my soul.
Be warned, this book can get graphic at times in its details about abuse, and bodily injury.
Thank you NetGalley for the copy!

Complex characters and topics abound in this book which is quite graphic in its details . The author describes eloquently the beauty of rural Nova Scotia and the majestic Bay of Fundy. This book shows the resiliency of women even at a young age. Stella and Cynthia in their preteen years were subjected to so much trauma that their lives were completely altered. It is hard breaking to read about these girls. This book discusses mental illnesses, child abuse, suicide, loss of a parent, rape, pedophiles, and secrets. In the midst of all these dark topics there exist some kind and caring characters and descriptions of the beauty of the province of Nova Scotia. The last section of this book is quite intense . Events happen rather quickly after a much slower and detailed read of what happened before.

Christy Ann Conlin has a voice and style all her own. Overall, this book was beautifully written. The story spooled out slowly, weaving back and forth between the past and the present, revealing dark family secrets, and the power of mercy.