Molly Monroe had her future planned out for her. When she makes an impulsive decision to join the Marine Corps, her boyfriend breaks up with her, her brother bears the burden of guilt, and her mother feels betrayed. The people in Molly's life have always tried to protect her, but she wants to protect herself.
As a Combat Camera Marine, Molly observes and records her environment from behind the lens, where image shapes day-to-day life. After she is wounded during a combat deployment, her dreams are frightening, and her memories are a kaleidoscope of scattered and chaotic scenes; a collision of past and present, real and unreal. Snapshots in time. Glimpses of war. Fragments of love: lost and found.
This story unfolds through multiple perspectives and as the negatives and positives develop, an image of the Model Marine is sharpened into focus.
Sondra Sykes Meek has crafted a deeply compelling novel about a young woman who gives up the bright lights of modeling and pageants to join the Marine Corps. Using a camera and her journalistic skills, her grit and determination take the reader 'outside the wire' where she encounters the truths of the warrior lifestyle while simultaneously protecting a closely held secret. An engrossing read, Model Marine is a book I'm excited to recommend.
Stephanie Austin Edwards - Author of What We Set in Motion: A Novel
Model Marine by Sondra Sykes Meek will be a satisfying sprint down memory lane for all who've earned the eagle, globe, and anchor... This coming-of-age story will engage readers of all ages while reinforcing the values of critical thinking and the courage of convictions.
Colonel Roxanne Cheney, USMC, Retired
