Monday, September 24, 2007

The Parting-Beverly Lewis

The Parting
Beverly Lewis
Bethany House, Oct 2007, $13.99
ISBN 9780764203107

After the accidental drowning death of her sister Suzy during Rumschpringe, Amish teen Nellie Fisher grieved her loss. Several years pass and Nellie is emotionally healing due to the distraction of her baked goods shop.

When Caleb Yoder asks her to go steady, she feels ready to move on with her life as she recognizes that she will always mourn her sister’s death, but that was part of God’s master plan. She agrees expecting they would they would marry one day. However Nellie’s road to marital bliss with Caleb is not smooth as her father breaks societal dogma when he reads taboo scripture and begins seeking his salvation by other means than a pious life filled with good deeds.

There are several other subplots that enhance the readers visit to the Amish, but the prime story line remains Nellie’s saga. She heals from her loss through her shop and Caleb’s courtship as much as her and her family’s belief that Suzy’s death is God’s plan. Although that concept of predestined is hard to accept especially with the recent school killings and if one believes in free will, fans will appreciate Beverly Lewis’s insightful look into Amish family several years after a tragedy occurs.

Harriet Klausner

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