When all is lost, she must find herself…

The Hummingbird’s Cage by Tamara Dietrich

About this book: (from the publisher) Everyone in Wheeler, New Mexico, thinks Joanna leads the perfect life: the quiet, contented housewife of a dashing deputy sheriff, raising a beautiful young daughter, Laurel. But Joanna’s reality is nothing like her facade. Behind closed doors, she lives in constant fear of her husband. She’s been trapped for so long, escape seems impossible—until a stranger offers her the help she needs to flee….

On the run, Joanna and Laurel stumble upon the small town of Morro, a charming and magical village that seems to exist out of time and place. There a farmer and his wife offer her sanctuary, and soon, between the comfort of her new home and blossoming friendships, Joanna’s soul begins to heal, easing the wounds of a decade of abuse.

But her past—and her husband—aren’t so easy to escape. Unwilling to live in fear any longer, Joanna must summon a strength she never knew she had to fight back and forge a new life for her daughter and herself….

About the author: Tamara Dietrich was born in Germany to a U.S. military family and raised in the Appalachian town of Cumberland, Maryland. She earned a degree in English/creative writing from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and launched into journalism. Chasing a newspaper career, she has lived in New Mexico (twice), Maine, upstate New York, Arizona and, now, Virginia. She has won dozens of journalism awards for news reporting, feature writing, and opinion columns. She now lives in Smithfield in a colonial cottage that predates the Revolution. She has a grown son, a dog, three cats, and an English cottage garden.

Genre: Fiction/General

First impressions: A winsome cover and hook first pages. Off to a fast start.

If this book were a movie, I would rate it: PG-13 for occasional profanity and depictions of domestic violence.

Reminds me of… The Accidents of Marriage by Randy Susan Meyers and The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

This story matters because… it’s about taking chances, embracing hope, and discovering the courage to find your way.

My take: I claim a mixed reaction to this one. On the one hand, I was completely drawn in by this story’s gripping beginning, which describes in harrowing detail the abusive life Joanna has fallen prey to. Despite the grim details, the author maintains a light touch, and she possesses a clean, clear writing style that is a pleasure to read. Her characters are complex and original, and she delivers one very big, imaginative twist early on.

I continued to enjoy the story for some time after Joanna and her daughter find refuge from the storm of their lives. But then, my interest began to wane. While the author does a good job of supporting her premise, it all became too fantastical for me. Or maybe, more accurately, I didn’t buy into this particular, New Age-y fantasy.

I’m also conflicted about the conclusion. To me, it didn’t keep to the moral high ground and for that reason left me feeling disappointed. It is, however, as dramatic and intense as you might wish to find. All in all, the author’s ability to weave a compelling story never wanes. The Hummingbird’s Cage is an interesting tale with plenty of moral lessons, but probably not for everyone.

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

After words: Did you ever read The Shack? Most readers seemed to either love it or…not. How about you?

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