BOOK CLUB: Lioness

If you saw the movie “Lion” or read Saroo Brierley’s book “A Long Way Home”, then you will already know who Sue Brierley is. Sue is the mother of Saroo and “Lioness” is her story. 

Sue shares with us her tortured childhood and how she felt unloved and lived in constant fear of what would next spark her Father’s temper off, and who his anger would be directed at.  She struggled with her mother’s constant sadness.

The one spark of hope was her belief that in her future she would have a family and she would show her children as much love as she was able.  She would work hard to make sure her children felt loved and secure and that they had as many wonderful opportunities in life as she could possibly give them.   At the age of 16, she met her future husband and they both agreed that they longed to adopt a child that needed a loving home. 

Once they were married they started on their quest to find that child but hit stumbling block after stumbling block.  It took many long years before Sue discovered that the laws on adoption had changed, and they could now apply to adopt with more hope than was possible in years gone by. 

Sue shares with us all of the ups and downs and then the pure joy of finally becoming parents and adopting Saroo. She goes on to explain about going through many battles to adopt her second son Mantosh to become a family of four.

Sue has a wonderful heart and this shines through in her love for her boys and their birth families.  She shows how strong she was as a human being to battle through her childhood and remains a loving and kind-hearted person, who became a very wonderful and loving mother. 
Years later when Saroo manages to find his birth mother with the help of Google Earth and his early childhood memories.

He then went on to write his story which then became the movie “Lion”.  Sue found that one of her favourite actresses was to play her in the movie.  She shares with us her first meeting with Nicole Kidman and how well they connected.

I loved reading Sue’s story and have promised my daughter that I will hold on to the book for her to read when she visits me for Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, this would be an awesome book to gift this year.

A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading Lioness by Sue Brierley. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.

ISBN: 978-0-14379-603-9 / Publisher: Penguin Australia

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