Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Christian's Hope by Ervin R. Stutzman Amish Fiction follows French & Indian Wars [Review & Giveaway]

About the book: When Christian Hochstetler returns to the Amish after seven years in captivity, he finds that many things have shifted. His father wants him to settle back into a predictable Amish life of farming, and Christian's budding friendship with Hannah Rupp beckons him to stay as well. Yet Christian feels restless, and he is soon faced with a life-altering decision. Will Christian choose the Amish identity that his father desires for him? Or will he depart from his family and faith community, yet again?

Christian's Hope tells the story of the younger brother of Joseph and the son of Jacob, whom readers have come to love in the first two books in the Return to Northkill series.

My thoughts: Christian's Hope was an interesting story to read because it is based on an historical event from the author's family that lived during the early settlement days of America - the mid-1700s. The story involves the turmoil white captives of the Indians faced when they were returned to a white settlement after spending years living amongst the Indians.

For a fictionalized telling of a historical event it rates a 5-star. However, from the standpoint of readability and maintaining the reader's interest it rates a 2-star. Perhaps that is the reader's fault, or perhaps the story was just not edited sufficiently. Overall, I'll give it about a 3.5 star.

As the book begins, the boys are returning as young men after eight years of captivity by the Indians. Joseph, brother of Christian, acclimates fairly well but Christian is tediously slow to embrace the life of a white man. And the white community of Amish is slow to accept Christian because he clings to his adaptive Indian ways.

Even though the boys lost their mother, brother, and home in a violent raid and even though they and their father were taken captive by different tribes, they see the Indians as friends and family and the white men as hostile and unapproachable.

The story's resolution works well and the attitues of both sides is well represented by the author.

Author Dr. Ervin R. Stutzman was born into an Amish home in Kalona, Iowa, and spent most of his childhood in Hutchinson, Kansas. He is author of Jacob's Choice, Joseph's Dilemma, Tobias of the Amish, and Emma, A Widow Among the Amish. He serves as executive director for Mennonite Church USA and has also served the Mennonite church in the roles of pastor, district overseer, mission administrator, area conference moderator, seminary dean, and moderator of the denomination. He holds master's degrees from the University of Cincinnati and Eastern Mennonite Seminary, and received his PhD from Temple University.

~   ~ ~  FLASH GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~
Begins October 30 @ 10:30 p.m.
ENDS November 7 @ 12:01 a.m. ET
Open to USA addresses only
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review of my honest opinion. I received no compensation for this review. More on the book - CLICK HERE

1 comment:

  1. Hmm. Looks like an interesting premise so I might give it a read. We shall see. Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday last week on Mommynificent.com!
    Tina

    ReplyDelete

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