In What is Found, What is Lost, Freddie was raised on faith; it’s in her blood. But when she loses her husband of many years, she can’t quite bring herself to seek solace from the Almighty and instead enters a state of quiet contemplation. Her solitude is quickly interrupted by a man roaming her neighborhood in search of his runaway wife and by her daughter, who returns home to escape another unwise romance. Soon after, Freddie’s sister, Holly, visits, and their thoughts turn to their wretched childhood at the hands of their neglectful and pious mother. Also present is their grandmother, Anna, known only through photographs and letters, who seems so different—strong yet remote. Freddie feels connected to Anna, not just through blood but through the shared experience of raising difficult daughters. This kinship makes Freddie realize that she has been shaped by forces she hasn’t directly experienced, reminding her of the true basis of faith. With all this at hand, Freddie faces a family crisis that forces her to confront the same questions she’s asked all her life: What does it mean to believe in God? And does God even care?
