May 17 2013

The Promise Box, book review

From beloved bestselling novelist Tricia Goyer comes The Promise Box, Book 2 in her Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series. Tricia has written more than thirty-five books and has published more than 500 articles in national publications. Her books have won multiple awards. Her recently launched “Not Quite Amish” website features contributions from a number of her author fans about living a simpler life, nurturing family, and building community relationships. She currently lives with her husband and youngest children in Arkansas. Visit her online at triciagoyer.com.

About this book: Every year, young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive ‘resident’ status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides! In The Promise Box, Lydia Wyse, a book editor from Seattle who grew up Amish, returns to the small community of West Kootenai to give comfort to her father after her mother’s death. She is drawn back to the familiar Amish ways after finding her mother’s most precious possession, a Promise Box of prayers and scripture. What her publisher sees, though, is an opportunity for a sensational ‘tell-all’ book about the Amish. Lydia soon finds herself falling in love with Amish bachelor Gideon Hooley. She wants nothing more than to forget her past and look forward to a future as an Amish bride. But will the pain of her childhood—and her potential betrayal of her community—keep her from committing her whole heart?

Genre: Fiction/Christian/Amish/Romance

Judge this book by its cover? Ja.

Reminds me of… Beth Wiseman

Buy or borrow? Buy if you’re a Tricia Goyer fan or love the genre.

Why did I read this book? Received it from Zondervan for review.

Rating: 4/5 stars

My take: Hats off–or should I say kapps?–to Tricia Goyer, she’s done it again. After thirty-plus books, Goyer possesses an unerring instinct for weaving a solid spiritual message into an original story. This one is replete with winsome hero and feisty heroine, a majestic location, plus a handful of small mysteries for intrigue. And if the novel seems to follow a certain recipe, it’s one that’s been time-tested to consistently deliver a sweet romance that for Amish-fiction fans will go down as easily as Lydia’s best apple pie.

Thanks to Zondervan for providing me a copy to review. All opinions are mine.

The Promise Box is only the second Amish novel I’ve read. (You’ll hear more about the first when it officially releases in July.) Why do you think Amish novels, so-called bonnet fiction, is so popular among American Christians today? Do you enjoy Amish fiction? Why? I’d love to hear your thoughts today.

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May 15 2013

Procrastination Fascination, guest post

Last Monday was one of those days. The kind when I’d rather muck out my son’s grimy backpack than sit my butt in my chair and do what I’m actually supposed to be doing–writing. Thankfully, misery loves company, and I found some small measure of comfort seeing one of my fellow bloggers/aspiring novelists suffering the same angst. Kerry Ann is funnier than I could ever hope to be, so I’m grateful she’s allowed me to re-post her amusing Top-10 list, which first appeared on her own blog.

10 things to do today besides work on my query letter
by Kerry Ann Morgan

1. Practice drawing the perfect heart across my draft with a red pen. Switch to blue pen. Draw stars instead.

2. Search for a ‘real’ job because there is no way I’m ever going to sell this book. Build frustration level—I’m not even qualified to be a lingerie maid or sign spinner.

3. Contemplate a bike ride. Obsessively check the radar and decide the possibility of a shower makes this a bad idea. Decide it takes too much effort to pump up my bike tires anyway.

4. Clean out every closet in the house. Oh, crap — did that last week.  Kitchen cupboards?

5. Stalk agents on Twitter.

6. Ooohh, maybe I should bake something. For my family. There should be thousands of ideas on Pinterest…

7. Organize my notes from my first writer’s conference last weekend. Search for all the speakers on Twitter. And Facebook. Heck, maybe they’re on Pinterest and have a great cookie recipe listed. Check.

8. Nap. Working this night temp job is killing me. I’ll feel refreshed and ready to write after a nap.

9. Check the garden. Maybe another tomato ripened since earlier this morning. I’ll bet my zucchini has grown a tenth of an inch already. I should investigate.

10. Reread every blog post related to writing queries. Imagine Nathan Bransford, Janet Reid, and Jane Friedman are my BFFs. Lurk through hopeless writers forums for snippets of wisdom and success stories. Disconnect internet and stare at blank page.

****SIT ON MY DANG YOGA BALL AND JUST WRITE****

Drop by Kerry Ann’s very entertaining blog Vinobaby’s Voice and say hi for me. On second thought, I’ll do it myself.  And then I’ll get back to my writing. Promise.

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May 13 2013

Chasing Francis, book review

To introduce readers to St. Francis of Assisi, Ian Morgan Cron–author, speaker, Episcopal priest, and psychotherapist–wrote Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale. He’s also written a spiritual memoir: Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir…Of Sorts. As an adjunct priest at Christ Episcopal Church in Greenwich, Connecticut, he curates the Conversations in Courage and Faith series (www.courageandfaith.org). He is a student at Fordham University (The Jesuit University in New York), where he is completing his doctoral work in Christian spirituality. This busy man divides his time between living in Tennessee and Vermont with his wife and three children.

About this book: Pastor Chase Falson has lost his faith in God, the Bible, evangelical Christianity, and his super-sized megachurch. When he falls apart, the church elders tell him to go away: as far away as possible. He crosses the Atlantic to Italy to visit his uncle, a Franciscan priest. There he is introduced to the revolutionary teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi and finds an old, but new way of following Jesus that heals and inspires.

Genre: Fiction/Wisdom Literature

Judge this book by its cover? Yes. (This is a re-release from Zondervan, by the way. First published by NavPress in 2006.)

Reminds me of… The Shack* by Paul Young. Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes.

Buy or borrow? Buy. Lots a good reference materials in the back, and there are sections worth reading and rereading.

Why did I read this book? To review for BookSneeze. Because the premise intrigued me and I wanted to be challenged and to learn.

Would I read another by this author? Probably.

Rating: 4/5 stars

My take: One important things to know about Chasing Francis is that it is what Cron calls wisdom literature: “a delicate balance of fiction and nonfiction, pilgrimage and teaching.”

Chasing Francis is an appeal more to the mind and soul than to the heart. The story didn’t engage my emotions in a very satisfying way–which is why it was important to understand that what I was reading was not meant to (as opposed to true, straight fiction, which is meant to do just that). Knowing this helped to alleviate disappointment in this regard.

As noted above*, Chasing Francis reminded me of The Shack, the self-publishing phenomenon of a few years back, but I enjoyed this book more. (In hindsight, I believe The Shack to be another example of wisdom lit. If I’d understood this classification at the time, I might have had greater appreciation for what it had to offer. Anyway.) Like The Shack, the spare plot provides the scaffolding for spiritual and theological themes.

I read the first half of the book in a little more than twenty-four hours, and polished off the rest three days later. Lyrical prose lives side-by-side with snarky humor, and I found the expositions on beauty and art in the church deeply resonant. There was also this: ”When the front door of the intellect is shut, the back door of the imagination is open.” Yes! It’s the same reason we love *story* and why Jesus taught in parables.

All in all, it was an interesting read, and I’m glad I picked it up. It left me with much to think about in terms of the way the church does business–which was exactly the author’s intent. I recommend it to anyone who has ever questioned his faith or the relevance of his church in the postmodern world.

Thanks to BookSneeze and Zondervan for providing me a copy to review. All opinions are mine. 

Visit Ian Cron online at iancron.com, where you can watch a short video about why he wrote Chasing Francis and to download two free chapters. 

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May 12 2013

My Final Words to My Mother, guest post

Pearl Girls McSweeneyWelcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series—the last day of a week-long celebration of moms and mothering.

I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing from these women. Many of you have told me you’ve been blessed, and I’m glad. I particularly like this last post. I hope you do too.

AND . . . last chance to enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful handcrafted pearl necklace and a JOYN India bag. Enter at the bottom of this post. The contest runs 5/4-5/13, and the winner will be announced on 5/14. Contest is only open to U.S. residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info, subscribe to our blog, and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith to help support Pearl Girls™.

 
And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!
~

My Final Words to My Mother By Lisa Takeuchi Cullen

The day had come.

My mother lay pressed against her pillow, her skin like baking paper, her limbs disposable chopsticks. She had not moved or spoken for days.

In those last days we rarely left her side, my three siblings and I. Between us we had eleven children, the youngest my newborn, whom we had baptized a week ago right here by my mother’s bedside. The children tumbled and danced around the hospice floor, admonished by us to keep quiet, keep quiet! They had already said their good-byes to Nana. Now it was our turn.

The hospice nurses had told us of the final signs. She will cease to wake, even briefly. Her fingers and toes will turn blue. Her breathing will grow shallow and ragged.

Then we heard it. My mother took a breath. That’s all it was—a sip of air. We knew it was time. We rushed around her, my siblings and I, and all together began to sob.

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And this is what I said to my mother before she died: “I’ll be all right, Mommy. Don’t worry. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be all right.”

Not “I love you.” Not “I’ll miss you.” Not “thank you for everything.” Why? I asked myself that night as I cradled my colicky newborn, both of us wailing. Why did I choose that moment to inform my mother of my own well-being? Why did I feel this was the very thing she needed to know as she drew her last breath?

It took me years as a parent to understand: As mothers, that is exactly what we want to know. We want to know our children are safe. We need to know they’ll be all right as they journey into the world without us by their sides.

I don’t know if my mother heard me. But if she did, I hope my final words eased her journey just a hair. That she believed and trusted in my well-being, and then let go.

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The Pastors Wives_LisaTakeuchiCullen_cr Matt DineLisa Takeuchi Cullen is the author of Pastors’ Wives, a new novel from Penguin/Plume, and The Ordained, a 2013 CBS drama pilot. Previously, she was a staff writer for Time magazine. Readers can friend her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter @lisacullen, or visit her website at www.lisacullen.com.

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May 11 2013

The Pursuit of Imperfection, guest post

Pearl Girls McSweeneyWelcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series—a week-long celebration of moms and mothering.

Today I’m pleased to welcome author Beth Vogt. Look for my review of her latest novel, Catch a Falling Star, later this month.

AND . . . do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful handcrafted pearl necklace and a JOYN India bag. Enter at the bottom of this post. The contest runs 5/4-5/13, and the winner will be announced on 5/14. Contest is only open to U.S. residents.

~

The Pursuit of Imperfection by Beth Vogt

In my early mommy-ing years, I was all about perfection. I wasn’t going to be just a good mom—oh, no. I grabbed the virtual performance bar and shoved it way out of my reach.

It didn’t take long for that bar to come crashing down on my head. Perfection was toppled by the harsh reality that, at times, I was an angry mom. I hit my knees and begged God for forgiveness, for patience, for the ability to love my children one day at a time . . . sometimes one hour at a time.

I embraced 1 Peter 4:8: Love covers a multitude of mistakes, even altering it a bit so that it met my need. My version of 1 Peter 4:8 became: Love covers a multitude of mommy-mistakes. There was no way I could pretend that I was perfect, but I could do everything possible so that my children knew that I loved them, despite my imperfections.

Fast forward through toddlers and teenagers to being the mother of a twenty-something son, two late-teen daughters, and one (surprise!) elementary-school-age daughter.

During lunch one day with Katie Beth and Amy, my two oldest daughters, Katie Beth looked at me and asked, “Do you want to know what the best thing was about you as a mom?”

Did I? How could I say no to an unexpected “her children will rise up and call her blessed” moment? I assured Katie Beth I absolutely wanted to know the best thing about me as a mom. She looked at me and said, “The best thing about you as a mom was that you weren’t perfect.”

Oh. I admit I expected something . . . more. I joked with my daughter, telling her I wished she’d told me this sooner, as I wasted too much time trying to be perfect. We all laughed and the conversation moved on.

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A few weeks later as a prepared a talk on motherhood and perfection for a moms group, I asked Katie Beth, “Can you tell me again why not being perfect was the best thing about me as a mom?”

She emailed me a letter that read: So many kids grow up thinking their parents are up on this pedestal. They think their parents can do no wrong, but then when they fail at something or make a mistake . . . it can tend to devastate those kids. Also, it taught me that being a Christian does not equal perfection. So many people think because they are a Christian they have to be perfect, and I learned from you that, while you are a very loving mother, you are not perfect. It helps me know you don’t expect me to be perfect. 

Our children don’t want perfect moms—but they do want to know we love them. And maybe by admitting we’re not perfect, our kids will avoid the perfectionist trap too.

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Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best is often behind the doors marked “Never.” After being a nonfiction writer and editor who said she’d never write fiction, Beth has proudly authored two novels, Wish You Were Here and the newly released Catch a Falling Star. Connect with Beth at bethvogt.com.
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May 10 2013

The Cat That God Sent, book review

For all of you cat lovers out there comes The Cat That God Sent by Jim Kraus, author of The Dog That Talked to God, reviewed earlier on this blog. Kraus has spent twenty years as a vice president of a major Christian publishing house. He and his family live outside of Chicago with a sweet miniature Schnauzer and an ill-tempered Siberian cat (who apparently is nothing like the cat featured in this book).

About this book: Disillusioned young pastor, Jake Wilkerson, has just arrived at his new assignment in the small rural church of Coudersport, Pennsylvania. Also new on the scene is Petey, a cat of unknown origins and breed—but of great perception.

As Jake sets about doing the business of ministry, Petey’s continued interference brings chaos to the community of curiously off and eccentric people—residents like the faith-avoiding veterinarian Sally Grainger and Tassy, a young runaway with a secret. An expert at hiding his fears, Jake wonders if all this—and the cat to boot—is more than he can handle. What is Petey’s real “mission”? Perhaps something larger than Jake—or even Petey—can possibly know.

Genre: Fiction/Christian

Why did I read this book? For Litfuse Publicity to review.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

My take: Honestly, I liked this novel’s predecessor more than I did this one, and I don’t believe it’s just because I’m a bigger dog person than cat person. This book didn’t have quite the same zest as number one–certainly not the same snappy tone. The story would benefit with some faster pacing, and often the internal monologue interspersed with narrative felt clunky. The novel also included some distracting head-hopping (shifts in point of view within the same scene). What I did like, however, was the general premise, and I especially liked the way Petey’s ultimate mission was at last revealed. I also resonated with the insights into Emma’s actions at the end of the book, which required real understanding of human motivation.

Thanks to Litfuse Publicity and Abingdon Press for providing me a copy to review. All opinions are mine.

Check out what other reviewers are saying here. You can also visit Jim Kraus online at  www.jimkraus.com.

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May 9 2013

History Has a Way of Repeating Itself, guest post

Pearl Girls McSweeneyWelcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series—a week-long celebration of moms and mothering.

Today I’m delighted to welcome beloved bestselling author Tricia Goyer. Look for her latest novel, The Promise Box, which I’ll be reviewing soon right here on Story Matters.

AND . . . do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful handcrafted pearl necklace and a JOYN India bag. Enter at the bottom of this post. The contest runs 5/4-5/13, and the winner will be announced on 5/14. Contest is only open to U.S. residents.

~

History has a Way of Repeating Itself by Tricia Goyer

Forty years ago a single, young woman was about to give birth. She didn’t know how she could afford a child without her parents’ help. She hadn’t talked to her former boyfriend in months. She had no idea how to reach him, how to tell him she was having his child.

This young woman attended church some, yet her dialogue with God was stilted. How could God let this happen to her? What would her life be like now? A baby girl was born, and upon holding her child this young lady knew things would be okay. Perhaps this baby was a gift, not a burden as she supposed.

This woman raised her daughter the best she could, and while she wanted to give her child more than she had . . . history has a way of repeating itself. When the daughter became a young woman, she found herself in the same situation—living at home, pregnant and scared.

The daughter knew she could raise this child. After all, her mom had done it. But what would her life be like? How could God let this happen to her?

If you haven’t guessed already. I was the daughter born to a single mom and as a teenager became a single mom myself. At age 17, God gave me a son. My boyfriend was out of the picture, and I faced raising a child alone with little education, no money and, maybe according to the world, little hope for my future.

Now if you take this story at face value, I am nothing more than a statistic. According to government research, most daughters of young mothers will be teen mothers themselves. They face lives of hardship, living on welfare for the most part — becoming a burden rather than an asset to society.

Yet, I am not a statistic. Why? Because God doesn’t do them.

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As a 17-year-old pregnant teenager I prayed a simple prayer, “God, I have messed up my life big time. If you can do anything with it, please do.” I dedicated my life and my heart to him and things changed. I had hope in my heart and I started walking God’s way. God brought an amazing, Christian man into my life. John was a wonderful husband and a father to my son. When had a daughter and another one on the way, God did something else unexpected. He gave me the desire to write books.

This Mother’s Day, my heart is filled with thanksgiving. I’m thankful for my mother who chose life for me. I’m thankful that when I questioned my future, God gave me hope.

History has a way of repeating itself in families, but even more important that our history of mess-ups is God’s history of setting things right. God has a history of seeing something no one else does . . . like seeing a king in a shepherd boy named David, seeing an apostle in a young zealot named Paul, and seeing a mighty warrior in a frightened nobody named Gideon. God’s X-ray eyes see right through any outward characteristics or national statistics. His X-ray eyes scan down to the heart.

Where have you felt you’ve fallen short of God’s perfect plan? Trust that God’s dream is to turn a mess-up into a miracle. He’s a BIG God with BIG dreams. A God who has made an agreement with us that is eternal, final, and sealed. A God who is strong in our weakness. A God who sees the future, sees the past and has a perfect plan for me . . . and for you. It’s something we can all be thankful for.

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Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of two, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites. In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. Tricia, along with a group of friends, recently launched www.NotQuiteAmishLiving.com, sharing ideas about simplifying life. She also hosts the weekly radio podcast, Living Inspired. Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.
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May 8 2013

The Dog That Talked to God, book review

The Dog That Talked to God is the 2012 release by Jim Kraus, a writer and editor who has authored or co-authored more than 20 books. Kraus has spent the last twenty years as a vice president of a major Christian publishing house. His best-selling humor book, Bloopers, Blunders, Jokes, Quips, and Quotes, sold more than 40,000 copies and inspired several spin-off books. He and his family live outside of Chicago with a sweet miniature Schnauzer and an ill-tempered Siberian cat.

About this book: Recently widowed Mary Fassler buys a Miniature Schnauzer, Rufus, and her world is turned sideways in the midst of her grief.  It seems that Rufus speaks. And not just to her. He also talks to God. When Rufus begins sharing advice that could result in major changes, Mary gets the feeling the pooch might not be steering her in the right direction. Or, is she just afraid to take the leap and discover something she desperately needs? Only Rufus…and God…knows.

Genre: Fiction/Christian

Judge this book by its cover? “Judge this book by its cover…” quoth Publishers Weekly, “and be charmed.” That’s one opinion. Personally, I think the book contains much more promise than the cover implies. Inside this G-rated cover is a surprisingly PG-rated story.

Reminds me of… Garth Stein’s The Art of Racing in the Rain. John Grogan’s Marley and Me. And for tone and character, Jan Karon’s Mitford series.

Buy or borrow? Buy if you love dogs in general and quirky, heart-warming stories in particular.

Why did I read this book? To review for Litfuse Publicity. On a lark because I wanted to see if a book so far outside my preferred genres could win me over. (It did.)

Would I read another by this author? Yep.

Rating: 4/5 stars

My take: This book surprised me–in a completely good way. Though I did find an odd typo or two, The Dog That Talked to God is surprisingly–refreshingly–grown-up. If it were a movie, it would be rated PG because of the content (i.e., sexual references–yes, really). Nothing explicit, mind you, but wonderfully, honestly frank.

Another pleasant surprise was this male author’s ability to get inside a female head. The female narrator’s voice rang true–engaging, with just the right balance between sweetness and snark.

Altogether, I found The Dog That Talked to God whimsical, witty, charming, relevant. I recommend it for reading in long stretches–a road trip, long flight, sick day. (I did find it a delightful diversion on a day I had a horrific headache, which also happened to be the last day of my kids’ spring break. Not saying there’s a connection. :) )

This book released last year, but I was able to read it in a piggyback deal prior to the release of Jim Kraus’ second book of this ilk, The Cat That God Sent–which is not a sequel but a stand-alone. After reading this little gem, I can’t wait to dive in.

Thanks to Litfuse Publicity and Abingdon Press for providing me a copy to review. All opinions are mine.

Visit Jim Kraus online at  www.jimkraus.com and stay tuned: on Friday, my review of The Cat That God Sent.

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May 7 2013

Daughter, Sing Softly, guest post

Pearl Girls McSweeney

Welcome to Day 3 of Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series—a weeklong celebration of moms and mothering.

I’m pleased to welcome again to my blog Lesli Westfall, who, in her book Dancing Upon Barren Land: Prayers, Scripture Reflections, and Hope for Infertility, ministers from the heart to those still awaiting the fulfillment of their dreams, motherhood.

AND . . . do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful handcrafted pearl necklace and a JOYN India bag. Enter at the bottom of this post. The contest runs 5/4-5/13, and the winner will be announced on 5/14. Contest is only open to U.S. residents.

Daughter, Sing Softly By Lesli A. Westfall

RedBirdAlong with the visit of winter comes the wet, dull, silent days and gray landscape, even in Southeast Texas. On the other hand, there is always a turn between the seasons. The brightness of spring is just around the corner. And God, in His unique, loving way, proves to us a sign through the things we love and when we need it the most.

I love birds, truly, any kind of bird! However, one of my favorites is the cardinal. It’s indigenous to some parts of North and South America. An attractive bird to say the least! Bright red feathers, black bill, a metallic chirp with a sweet, crystal clear melodic song . . . and my most favorite feature, for the most part, the male and female are always together.

For the last two weeks, right outside our bedroom at daybreak there has been a cardinal singing, loudly, wakening me morning after morning. In the deepest sleep, I would hear the bird’s song, and smile, knowing God is near. The daily morning concerts continued. Then, one particular day for my daily devotion, I opened my Bible and my eyes fell upon this scripture:

“. . . one arises to the sound of the bird, and the daughters of song sing softly.”  Ecclesiastes 12:4

Wow!  How personal God truly is to you and me. He knows how much I love birds. The little feathered beings always reminded me of the Creator. He placed it in a strategic place to sing, then He led me to His Word and gave instruction for the moment: while waiting for the desire of my heart to become a mother; daughter, sing softly. In our waiting the Creator of life desires for us to worship Him.

In doing a word search about the cardinal, I found some interesting characteristics. The word “cardinal” originates from the Latin word “hinge.” A hinge helps a door or gate to turn. Could this sweet bird be a sign there is a turn in the change of seasons of our lives? Could the waiting to become a mother or answer to a long-awaited prayer be a turn from winter’s silent, dull barren landscape to spring?

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I believe He is saying to us, “As the season turns, Daughter . . . sing softly!”
Scripture for reflection: 

“Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” Psalm 86:17

A prayer for the day:
 “Heavenly Father, I ask that you show me a sign of your goodness! I need it Lord. I thank you for your faithfulness to me, even in the littlest things. Comfort and help me as I wait upon you for the desires of my heart!” 
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(All scripture from The Holy Bible, New International Version, Thomas Nelson Inc., 1991.)
 
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Westfall - author photo smLesli Westfall, author of Dancing Upon Barren Land, enjoys her moments in life by teaching cooking and etiquette to children, finds pleasure in spending time with family and friends, traveling and eating dark chocolate!  Most of all, she enjoys sharing God’s love and teaching His Word to women. She is happily married to her man of faith, live-in comedian and best friend, Larry, of twenty years. Visit her website.

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May 6 2013

Orphan Train, book review

I’m pleased to introduce Orphan Train, this month’s featured She Reads selection by Christina Baker Kline.  Born in England and raised on the American East Coast, Kline is co-author of The Conversation Begins: Mothers and Daughters Talk about Living Feminism. Orphan Train is her fifth novel. She lives with her husband and three sons in Montclair, New Jersey.

About this book: Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to “aging out” out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvie and worse…

As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life – answers that will ultimately free them both.

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Judge this book by its cover? A beautiful cover that ably captures a poignant story.

Reminds me of…The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler.

Buy or borrow? Buy.

Why did I read this book? It’s the She Reads Book Club selection of the month.

Would I read another by this author? Absolutely.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

My take: Double-narrative novels seem all in vogue these days; Orphan Train is the third I’ve read in as many months. As a writer, I recognize that this narrative choice take some skill to achieve. Indeed, in a post-book interview, Kline speaks of her desire to balance her parallel narratives. “Sometimes I gave myself a headache trying to figure out how it all fit together.” Fortunately for us, she artfully succeeds.

In shades of Jane Eyre and Anne of Green Gables, Orphan Train gives us a fascinating glimpse into a little-known period of American history. It is a poignant story of two young Americans, living nearly a century apart, who find themselves caught in terrible circumstances beyond their control. It’s a story of cultural identity, family history, identifying the things we value enough to take with us, and fate.

Kline’s language is flowing and evocative without being flowery. (I like that.) She’s also a very powerful writer. At times I found myself clenching my fists, enduring a swelling rage at her gripping portrayals of injustice, abuse and degradation–circumstances that often resulted from the well-intentioned but completely inept decisions of supposedly good people.

Toward the end of the novel, Molly asks this: “So is it just human nature to believe that things happen for a reason—to find some shred of meaning even in the worst experiences?”

I liked how Kline’s story answers that question. It ultimately left me with a feeling of hope, not only for these characters, but for all of us who seek meaning in our lives.

Thanks to She Reads and William Morrow for providing me a copy to review. All opinions are mine.

Kline is currently working on her sixth novel. You may visit her online at christinabakerkline.com. See what other reviewers are saying at SheReads.org (and leave a comment there for your chance to win your own copy). You can also check out the trailer for Orphan Train, below.

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