Good morning everyone.
I’ve been a busy reader this week, so I’ll probably make some of these reviews a little shorter.
If you’ve read anything good lately, leave me a comment and let me know! I’m always looking for suggestions.
Here Burns My Candle and Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs– These two novels go together, following the lives of the same characters. I have read and enjoyed many of Higg’s novels, and these were no different. Higgs has a rare talent for writing Christian fiction that is realistic and relevant, without being preachy. These two books tell the story of Lady Elizabeth Kerr, a common Highlander who marries into an upper class family. Her husband, Lord Donald, is unfaithful to her, and his mother is unwelcoming to Elizabeth. As Donald tries to prove his love for Elizabeth, he joins the Jacobite uprising against King George, causing his family to be ostracized and branded as traitors. Throughout the uprising and afterwards, Elizabeth remains loyal to her mother-in-law, serving her and helping her in any way possible. Elizabeth struggles in a journey of faith as she learns to trust again.
Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain– This novel comes before Kiss River, which I reviewed a couple of weeks ago. I had no idea! Also, Her Mother’s Shadow (next in this post), comes after Kiss River. So, it’s a little series of 3! Keeper of the Light opens with the murder of small-town saint, Annie O’Neill. Dr. Olivia Simon fails to save her life after Annie is shot, setting into play a complicated chain of events. Olivia’s husband Paul is in love with Annie, though he has hidden the truth about their relationship. Olivia befriends Annie’s husband Alec in an attempt to understand why she can’t measure up to Annie in Paul’s view. Alec struggles to parent his two children, Clay and Lacy, while dealing with his grief and coming to understand the truth about his wife.
Her Mother’s Shadow by Diane Chamberlain– The third book in the trilogy, this novel delves deeper into Lacey O’Neill’s struggle to deal with her mother’s infidelity and murder. When Lacey’s childhood friend Jessica dies in a car accident, Lacy is shocked to find that Jessica has left guardianship of her daughter Mackenzie to Lacey. Mackenzie is bitter and scared, and Lacey tries to relate with her, while at the same time dealing with the parole of her mother’s murderer. Mackenzie begins to find happiness again while working with Clay (Lacey’s brother) in his work training dogs. Lacey also brings up the past when she decides to contact Mackenzie’s father Bobby, who never knew of her existence. Meanwhile, Lacey struggles to decide between Bobby, the former bad boy, and Rick, a lawyer she’s been dating, but has no attraction towards.
Again, Chamberlain weaves together universal themes such as rebellion, forgiveness, and second chances. Her characters are complex and deal with realistic human problems. Their emotions are beautifully portrayed, as well as their struggles to make the right choices.
Falling Home by Karen White– Falling Home is a beautifully written and evocative novel. Cassie Madison ran away from home and heartbreak, and hasn’t returned for 15 years. She finally comes home to visit her father before he dies, but she is determined that it is a temporary visit. She fights against the pull of family and familiar faces, determined to be different than the teenager she was when she left home.
This novel was a beautiful story about acceptance, family, and home. Cassie fights against herself and those she loves, but they never stop loving her. The values of her childhood are strong, and she cannot help but realize that she has grown up and moved past her earlier heartache. Her emotions are very realistic, and the interactions with her family are believable. I really enjoyed this novel, and I am looking forward to reading more by Karen White.
Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks– Wow! Brooks is an amazingly talented author, and Caleb’s Crossing did not disappoint. It is a historical novel based on Caleb, the first Native American to graduate from Harvard. This novel is told from the perspective of Bethia Mayfield, a preacher’s daughter who grows up on the island now known as Martha’s Vineyard. Bethia and Caleb are friends from childhood, and she teaches him how to read and introduces him to the world of knowledge and of her English religion. Bethia struggles to bridge the gap between the passion she sees in Native American worship with her own austere religious practices. Bethia also seeks an education, but her father denies her due to her gender. She seeks out other methods of educating herself, and the novel follows both Bethia’s growth and Caleb’s “crossing” into another culture.
Although this novel is not entirely factual, I feel as if the characters are real and breathing. Brooks uses historical fact, mixes it with fiction, and serves up a beautiful tale of friendship, prejudice, and passion. Their emotions and conflicts are believable, as well as the judgmental society they must struggle against.
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