M. Kenan shows her versatility as an author, crossing cultural worlds with integrity while remaining in the modern age

Book: Abandoned

Author: M. Kenan

Publisher: ArtScroll

Book in three lines

Who can turn away from the cries of an abandoned, starving baby? In a country where daughters are a burden, for they eat but don’t work, a newborn girl is left under bushes verdant with monsoon rains. A Sikh with a dark secret finds inspiration in Judaism. A frum couple grapples with family and health crises as well as the challenge of providing for the endless needs of their children. Another couple, with a silent home, is almost pulled apart by their differences and pain. These characters all come together in a novel touching on some of life’s greatest ironies.

Author in two lines

Initially famed for her epic historical novels, The Betrayal and The Outcast, M. Kenan has acquired a fan club across the frum literary world. In this contemporary saga, she shows her versatility as an author, crossing cultural worlds with integrity while remaining in the modern age.

What inspired me to create this plot

I think there were two sources of inspiration. One was a surprising halachah I learned in the course of a routine Shabbos meal — I won’t tell you more and spoil the read. The other was the many conversations I’ve had with Jewish women, of all ages, about the fact that while parenthood is undoubtedly a miracle, parents of a large family often face a certain amount of prejudice, and don’t always receive the recognition, or even admiration, they truly deserve.

How I researched India

With my eyes, hands, ears, and sometimes even my feet. I couldn’t actually travel there, but got my hands on all the information I could, including photographs of the hospital where Shaul was hospitalized, adoption agencies, maps, and dictionaries.