A Shining Light by Judith Miller - a book review

 

 

I had never heard of this particular group of people before, so reading about the Amana community was very interesting. You can tell the author did alot of research. 

It is written in the first person narrative, which for me, was a little hard to follow at first. Once I got used to it, it made the story much more interesting. 

 There are many twists and turns in the plot and sometimes I wondered how much more this little family could take.  God provides for them in ways they would never have expected.  This is definately a faith based novel but not at all preachy. 

 
The characters are very engaging and ‘real’.  Throughout the story of this family’s journey there a many characters that at times can be hard to keep track of.

Overall, I liked this book. I can’t say it is one of my favorites but it is well written and interesting. 

Here is a synopsis from the publisher’s website:

 “The kind people of Amana have been her guiding light, but her greatest trial is yet to come...

 West Amana, Iowa, 1890

After Andrea Wilson receives the devastating news that her husband has been lost at sea, she returns home to Iowa with her young son, Lukas. But what she finds there causes more heartache: The family farm has burned and her father has died, leaving Andrea with nothing.

Andrea must rely on the kindness of the people from the nearby Amana village who invite her to stay with them for a time. She discovers much generosity and contentment among the Amanans--especially from the tinsmith, Dirk Knefler, who takes her son under his wing. But is the simple, cloistered life in Amana what Andrea wants for Lukas's future? Is she willing to give up the comforts and freedom of the outside world? And when yet another round of shocking news comes her way, will Andrea ever be able to find the serenity and hope that have eluded her for so long?”

 

I encourage you to read this book and learn about a very interesting group of people.

 

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.”