Marble Heart

By: Gretta Mulrooney

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Synopsis: A riveting story that illuminates the lives of men and women at the heart of the troubles in Belfast Ireland starts out as a simple story of the friendship between Joan, a hard-working caregiver and her newest client, Nina, an upper class British woman separated from her devoted husband, Martin, who can't understand why his wife feels unworthy to be loved. Joan who has mourned the loss of her brother, Eddie, who was like a father to her and disappeared many years ago, thinks she has found happiness and a partner at last in Rich who is soon to be released from prison. Though she is rapidly becoming weaker because of a terminal illness, Nina teaches Joan about the finer points of decorating, raising plants, cooking and other sophisticated elements of domestic life. In turn, Joan gives Nina extra kind and careful care. When she is alone, Nina is preoccupied writing a series of letters to a former friend now living in Africa about their days together as radicals fighting for Irish Freedom, living with the leader of a small communist group and operating totally under his influence. The sincere and insincere motives of activists is revealed along with their romantic entanglements. Most startling is the planning, and execution of violence and its short and long term aftermath. As Nina nears death the characters come together in surprising ways, and whatever justice is possible is accomplished.