* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

When a rogue wave sweeps Lotte's three eldest children out to sea, she is bereft and tosses her youngest into the surf in an attempt to trade God one child for the other three. In their mourning, her husband Kalle deserts her, leaving town with the traveling Zirkus that comes each year. Lotte is moved in with the sisters of St. Margaret's and her child is wet nursed by young Tilli, who has lost her own child via adoption at the tender age of 11.

The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls is a good multifaceted view of grief and hardship, following how the human mind and soul deal with loss. Highly character driven, the story provides bits and pieces of Lotte, Tilli, and Sabine (the Zirkus seamstress) as they process their own personal moments of grief. The character driven approach provides insights, but can be frustrating because it feels like there is so much potential in the outlines that exist. So much more could be explored beyond the boundaries that are tested.

This is a weird and winding narrative that feels more like a series of short stories loosely intertwined than a full-fledged novel. For me, there wasn't enough here. The stories felt outlined and unfinished--giving a taste of the depth that could be fleshed out without actually achieving it. I was left terribly underwhelmed and, though I liked the writing of it, I didn't like where it ended.