A Whisper of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer - a book review

A Whisper of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer

I really liked this book.  It’s set in Alaska in 1898 and Sawyer’s descriptions of the landscape and her attention to historical details takes your imagination back to those frontier days and Alaskan wilderness.

The story opens by introducing us to Lizzie Dawson, part Athabascan and part white.  Her white father left her when she was twelve years old.  She and her mother were left to fend for themselves because the tribe  has “shunned” them.  After her mother dies, Lizzie is left to survive on her own, and she does an admiral job of it, with only the company of her sled dogs. She becomes totally self sufficient.  However, she longs to grant her mother’s dying wish, to bring reconciliation between her and her grandparents.  Once she has accomplished that, she plans to leave and find her father.

Meanwhile, Clay Selby and his step sister, Vivian, arrive in the Indian community to set up a mission school.  They become acquainted with Lizzie and begin to form a friendship with her.  The tribal leaders warn Clay not to continue his friendship with her or risk losing his school.  His father was a great missionary and he has always longed to follow in his footsteps. He struggles with making the right decision.

Vivian, on the other hand, chooses to keep visiting with Lizzie in the hopes she can teach her the tribal ways and in exchange, Vivian helps Lizzie learn to “be” white.

This is a story of love, forgiveness, sorrow, faith, acceptance, racial and cultural differences, and spiritual lessons.

 I do wish that Vivian’s romance, (you know there had to be one!) was more developed, but maybe that’s for another book.  We can hope!

You can read an excerpt here:

A Whisper of Peace

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House  through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”