Captivating and engaging, Where Mary Went talks of Maryâ??s early life, World War II, the depression years, and residential school at the Mohawk Institute. The story melts into the past and returns to include three decades of trials faced by one young woman. We meet the man whose love for her is unlimited and who remains her friend and helper, without strings, as she faces daunting obstacles in her efforts to survive until her husband returns. The long-term friendship that develops between Mary and the mayor, Tom Dunsby, is a testimony to true love.
â??â??While the work is fictional, it’s born from stories and traditional teachings recounted to Lynne by elders, as well as her grandmother.Lynne, 50, grew up in Thorold, in a family whose traditions had been lost for two generations through the effects of residential schools and disenfranchisement.The story really begins with Lynne’s great grandmother on her father’s side. A Bay of Quinte Mohawk, a woman who could speak five of the six native languages.She died during the birth of her fifth child and shortly afterwards, an Indian Agent came into their home, took away her children and put them in the Mohawk Institute, a residential school in Brantford. Lynne’s grandmother, Mary, was one of those children. She was nine.Her grandmother, who died in 1990, was a wonderful storyteller. And Lynne, a wonderful listener.â??â??