Sold on a Monday is a rather heartbreaking piece of historical fiction by Kristina McMorris. In 1931 struggling reporter Ellis Reed manages to snap a disturbing photo that he doesn’t actually plan to publish. Two young children playing in their yard with a sign on the porch behind them that states 2 children for sale. Not thinking about it he develops the picture only for it to get picked up by Lillian Palmer, secretary to the editor, who passes it on to the editor who then insists on a feature piece about the photo. This ends up becoming Ellis Reed’s big break even as it brings tragedy to the family in the photo. As time goes on neither really think about the family until something rather forcefully brings them back to their attention. When Ellis and Lillian discover what actually happened to the two children as a result of the photo they must figure out a way to remedy their mistake even as they both are haunted by their own pasts. Forced to confront their own pasts and their mistakes they must also ultimately decide what is actually important to them and what they want for their own future.
This book was rather heartbreaking because it shows just what can happen when people are desperate such as they were during the Great Depression when this story takes place. I can’t currently picture any situation in which I would sell children no matter whose children they were. At the same time I also have not lived in the same situation as the family in the book. The idea that someone was driven to that is something that is definitely going to linger with me for quite a while. It is perhaps made worse by the knowledge that while the story is fictional there actually was such a photo that really was published during the depression. What was interesting about this story though is that it was told from the perspective of the reporter who took the photo so it also addresses the responsibilities of the press. I don’t think that is something that really gets talked about but it is something to think about. Ellis and Lillian feel both responsible for and guilty over what happened to the family because they have to acknowledge that it would not have happened without the photo getting published. The story is extremely moving and heartfelt even more so because of that nuance. It also happens to be extremely well written with some incredible characters. The plot had just the right pacing to build the tension and deftly interwoven how the two protagonists handled their own problems and issues even as they handled this one together. I found myself absolutely enthralled and thoroughly enjoyed the story. This book is getting 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.
This book is a great, albeit potentially difficult, work of historical fiction. If you tend to enjoy that genre, especially books about the Great Depression, then you might consider trying this one if you think you can handle the content. As you can imagine this book deals with some difficult topics such as child abuse and other similar themes so it may not be for everyone. For the same reason I would also recommend younger readers be careful when thinking about this book and that only readers over the age of about fifteen or sixteen should read this. It is a really good book though and well worth the read if you can handle it. I genuinely hope you will consider it and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments if you do.