My Mother's Keeper

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Dawn Elgin was destined to be a 1940s big-band star, captivating audiences with her jazz angel voice from the age of fourteen in Houston's Empire Room. Her glamorous journey took her to New Orleans, Hollywood, and New York, where she gave birth to her daughter, Tara, at twenty-one. However, Dawn's life took a tragic turn as she began experiencing haunting visions and was diagnosed with acute paranoid schizophrenia, leading to a lifetime of institutional care. Tara's story unfolds in the shadow of her mother's illness, as she is raised by her formidable great-great-aunt Elsa, who introduces her to a world steeped in history and treasures while her mother drifts in and out of her life like a fading fairy princess. Though Tara longed for her mother, the family's struggles with Dawn's condition were often kept secret, shrouded in gossip. By seventeen, Tara became Dawn's guardian, determined to rescue the woman she once knew and restore her to her former self. This poignant narrative explores the complexities of the mother-daughter bond, revealing Tara's journey to balance her mother's needs with her own and ultimately come to terms with Dawn's legacy as she embraces motherhood. Emotionally compelling, it highlights love's enduring power in the face of devastating illness.