Natasha may be confused, but Micheline Lee's writing is focused and steady. Several secondary storylines converge in the book's final third, intensifying its pace and significance. Lee, taking no shortcuts, prefers complexity to cliché every time, and the result is a story that resonates deeply. What sears the heart, ultimately, is not the fear but the love – Lee imbues the narration with compassion of devastating force.

Lee's writing brims with significant detail, underscored by her direct, unadorned style. She offers nuanced descriptions of body language and pays special attention to food – who cooks, who gorges, who starves (two characters have eating disorders). But what impresses most about this novel is the sense of unshakable integrity at its core. The narrator's insistent questioning of her family's religious zeal is born not out of anger or hurt – though these are acknowledged – but out of duty. She is accused of selfishness and faithlessness, yet her actions suggest generosity and, against the odds, spiritual health. The Healing Party is a courageous book that sheds light on the human condition.