Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are both romantics. Seventeen-year-old Katie is starry-eyed, in love with the idea of being in love, and does not want to wait to marry Jonas until she is eighteen, despite her parents' insistence. So much can happen in a year. Twenty-year-old Jonas is taken in by the romance of soldiering, especially in defense of anti-slavery, even though he knows war is at odds with the teachings of the church. When his married brother's name comes up in the draft list, he volunteers to take his brother's place. But can the commitment Katie and Jonas have made to each other survive the separation?
My Review
The setting of this book was very different than what I am used to with Amish fiction, and I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it very much! The setting created a tumultuous setting due to the Civil War, and the internal conflict created by the war intrigued me from the beginning. It's hard to think of the Amish in the background during that time, but I'd honestly never considered that the Amish were already in the United States when the war had begun. Before this book I had never considered that they might have been pulled into the draft or even compelled to fight. I knew that the Anabaptist way is non-resistance, but it finally hit me when reading this book that their beliefs were probably shaped due to situations arising where they had to define their faith and stance on hot topics like the war.
The characters were compelling, and I enjoyed Katie's innocence as she falls in love with Jonas. I was surprised by a development in the first few chapters that concerned Katie, and after that particular revelation I understood why she was so dependent on Jonas and his love. I dug into the book after that, because I related to her life so much. I cannot ruin the book for anyone by relating certain elements, but I highly recommend you pick up a copy and read this author. The setting, the characters, the word imagery - all ties into a book that makes you feel like you can fall into and become a part of.
The characters were compelling, and I enjoyed Katie's innocence as she falls in love with Jonas. I was surprised by a development in the first few chapters that concerned Katie, and after that particular revelation I understood why she was so dependent on Jonas and his love. I dug into the book after that, because I related to her life so much. I cannot ruin the book for anyone by relating certain elements, but I highly recommend you pick up a copy and read this author. The setting, the characters, the word imagery - all ties into a book that makes you feel like you can fall into and become a part of.
This book was provided by the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.
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