The Possibilities of Sainthood

Over the weekend I read The Possibilities of Sainthood, a first novel by Donna Freitas. I thought the story was enjoyable, and one I could recommend to any middle school or teenage girl without having to be embarassed by some of the content. Antonia is a fifteen year old girl who works for her mother in the family's grocery store. The whole book centers around the store, their Catholic faith, and Italian roots. Antonia wants a first kiss more than anything, yet the boy she thinks she wants the kiss from turns out not being what she first thought. This means Antonia needs to examine her relationship with Michael, a boy she has been friends with for a few years. In addition to this storyline, Antonia is also hoping to become a saint, so she spends a great deal of time researching saints and petitioning the pope her ideas for sainthood. I am curious how much research Freitas had to do to have such a wealth of information on the saints. The ending of this book is happy, although I won't reveal if Antonia gets her first kiss wish.