{Hey friends, continuing the Flashback Fave series, my chance to glance back at some resonant reads from years gone by and tell you again why they meant so much to me.

My review of Jolina Petersheim’s debut novel, The Outcast, first appeared on the blog July 16, 2013. It remains one of my favorite fiction finds. Since then, it has gone on all garner all sorts of favorable attention, including:

*Library Journal’s Best Books 2013*
*Christian Manifesto’s 2013 Award Winner for Excellence in Amish Fiction*
*World Magazine’s Notable Books*
*2013/2014 Christian Retailing’s Best Finalist* 
*2014 INSPY Shortlist Author*

I don’t  normally quote other reviewers on my blog, but this one so neatly summarizes my own experience that I will:

“I have to say I’ve never been a fan of the Amish fiction genre. I’m still not. But Jolina Petersheim’s The Outcast was the only Amish fiction book I’ve ever read from cover to cover.” ~Ira Wagler, NYT Bestselling Author of Growing Up Amish 

Yep. It was the delightful surprise of it, on top of Jolina’s superb mastery of the art of storytelling, that first elicited my praise. It still does.}

The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim

About the book: (from the publisher) Raised in an Old Order Mennonite community, Rachel Stoltzfus is a strong-willed single woman, content living apart from mainstream society until whispers stir the moment her belly swells with new life. Refusing to repent and name the partner in her sin, Rachel feels the wrath of the religious sect as she is shunned by those she loves most. She is eventually coerced into leaving by her brother-in-law, the bishop.

But secrets run deep in this cloistered community, and the bishop is hiding some of his own, threatening his conscience and his very soul. When the life of Rachel’s baby is at stake, however, choices must be made that will bring the darkness to light, forever changing the lives of those who call Copper Creek home.

About the author: Jolina Petersheim is the best-selling author whose unique Mennonite heritage originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She and her husband now live in the mountains of Tennessee with their daughters.

Connect with the author: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary/Amish

[bctt tweet=”#Flashbackfave THE OUTCAST by @jolina_joy” username=”KatherineSJones”]

My take: From its opening lines, The Outcast wowed me in every way. Petersheim has a rare gift for storytelling, stringing along conflict and surprise revelations from first page to last. Billed as a modern retelling of The Scarlet Letter, I found The Outcast riveting, its themes universal…transcendent. It’s about the value of purity, the consequences of pride and the power of forgiveness.  This is its message, yet its *story* is what consumed my thoughts when I was away from the book, and what kept drawing me back.

Its characters are so true, their motivations so believable, that you do not need to be or want to be or know anyone Amish to relate. In this character-driven tale, there’s not one false note. Though published by a Christian publisher, this is not your typical Christian fiction. Its spiritual elements are so intrinsically woven into the story that they become absolutely organic, nothing preachy about it.

I also marvel at the author’s ingenuity in narrating her story from two points of view, using the omniscient, third-person voice of a deceased character to provide an artful counterpoint to Rachel’s intimate, first-person narration.

Perfectly paced, beautifully written, flawlessly executed, I could not put this book down.

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

Buy it here.