Ruby: A Novel

by Mary Summer Rain

“The woman's faded Army coat, which partially covered her long skirt, had seen better days. A mass of silver hair bushed out wildly from beneath a red knit hat that had something on it that twinkled in the sunlight. On the lady's feet, dirty tennis shoes were riddled with holes, exposing thin green socks beneath. The approach of a mangy crippled dog caught the girl's attention as it slowly limped into her line of vision. It was pitifully hobbling on three legs toward the seated woman.” When antiques dealer Sadie Brennan, fresh from the break up of a long-term relationship, is called to her sister's estate outside Chicago, she has no idea she's being pulled into a major mystery. She is there to help her 8-year-old niece Savannah, who has entered into a trauma-induced state of muteness. But once she arrives in town, Sadie meets a strange homeless woman named Ruby, and her life truly becomes an odyssey. Together, Sadie and Savannah seek to solve the puzzle that is Ruby. In Ruby , her first work of fiction in more than a decade, Mary Summer Rain delivers a merry adventure of metaphysical awakening, led by an old woman whose identity and purpose is unclear, but who just may be something much more than she appears . . . and more than you've ever imagined.

400 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2005

About the author

Mary Summer Rain is a naturalist philosopher and prolific author whose lyrical writing and deep insight have inspired generations. Best known for her works on nature, dream symbolism, feminine spirituality, and prophecy, she brings clarity to complex subjects. Her novel Ruby was a finalist for the New Age Retailers 2005 Narcissus Award, and she appeared on NBC’s Ancient Prophecies. Mary lives in the Rocky Mountains, sharing a woodland cabin with rescue dogs and a crow named Merlin.

Reviews

[Robin Tobin (On the back porch reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite reads...

[Amy Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story of faith, hope and possibility

[zota korti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary has done it again.

I am a Mary Summer Rainian. I love her work and use some of the lessons she share in previous books like Spirit Song, Phoenix Rising, Soul Sounds and Bittersweet as a referential point in my own personal life. Ruby is just another layer of icing added to the cake. She is beyond gifted. The Story of Ruby really makes you feel warm and uninspired. Just like No Eyes, I have found another guide in Ruby.

[Mari Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful fictional story. Or is Ruby fictional?

[Sylvia Gutierrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reading but liked her earlier books better

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

[ This book was a gift, it was written in 2005]

"One day at a time. I'll take it one day at a time. After all,who am I to argue with God?"

Sadie Brennan's life in Maine has literally fallen apart. Her longtime relationship has deteriorated to the point he left for Alaska. And then, she got a cryptic note from her widowed sister requesting she return home to help with her niece who has gone mute from the trauma she still feels after surviving a crash that killed her father. Mira is pleading for her help, and after she sets things to rights so her antiques business is safe in the hands of her best friend, she travels halfway across the country to help find the key to unlock the door and bring her favorite niece Savannah back to them.

On her way through the City, she spots a homeless person who carefully watches her as she drives past. Little does Sadie know how much that first encounter with Ruby will change all of their lives.

I was so happy to find a Mary Summer Rain book after all these years. Known for her books on metaphysical issues, Summer Rain became a staple for me in the late 80s while I was in seminary, and I own most of her work. She makes me cry because she touches parts of me still living with past pain and heartache.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a "mushy" book. The author confronts real issues in the world, she always has even 20+ books ago. She simply approaches them on a grounded level, truly teaching esoteric concepts in what is still a basic wonderful story. Highly recommended