Kalyn Fogarty

This book was on the Friends's sale shelf at my local library and sounded interesting. (It wasn't until later that I read on the cover that it was an ARE and "not for sale".)

The book starts with a miscarriage--and explores the emotions that go along with that. I hadn't realized the statistics on miscarriage. Human miscarriage is also juxtaposed with equine pregnancies since Cassidy is a vet who specializes in horses. I hadn't really considered what "rainbow baby" meant prior to reading this novel.

What we carry refers not only to pregnancy but to the fact that we carry memories and events from our childhoods and lives up to that point--all of which affect how we interact with the world.… (mehr)

The first wife of the man I married at 62 went through two miscarriages. Curious about what she must have gone through, I read Kalyn Fogarty’s What We Carry. It weaves pain, grief, loss, and love in an exploration of what it costs a woman to lose a baby.

Cassidy Morgan followed society’s rules. She became a veterinarian and married a loving man. Her first pregnancy ended in a late-term miscarriage and heart-rending grief. She lashed out, isolated, and pushed away her husband, Owen; her confident sister, Claire; and her officious mother, Joan. She fears she’s the ultimate failure. The horses whose foals she deliver do better. When she becomes pregnant again, she feels equal amounts of joy and terror. Will she deliver successfully? Is it even possible given her age and history?

Based on Fogarty’s personal experiences, this story is a complex, immediate look at what is and is not within a woman’s and a family’s control. Fogarty writes well and includes the voices of Owen, Claire, and Joan, giving readers a sense of how the loss of a fetus travels through family. Readers will root for Cassidy, though they may also be shocked at times. She’s as three-dimensional as you can get. The narrator is honest and emotional but never begs the reader for sympathy.

What We Carry is such a wonderful title. It’s meaning increases as more is revealed. Women—especially those who’ve miscarried or know someone who has will love this. So will book clubs. The book fills a gap. Women seldom write about miscarriages and this heart-wrenching story answered my questions about how both men and women respond.… (mehr)