This was a book for a while ago but I just finished reading it last week, and the previous post was full of book ideas so I figured we needed a new place for comments.
I would give this book 4 stars. I really did like it! I am surprised but it wraps up all the characters so nicely and they have such heartbreaking problems. My favorite character is Lidia. I thought she had died and I felt terrible for her a girl who made some bad choices without all the information then giving up her baby because she was probably going to die. Thinking her baby would grow up the daughter of a Lord in England but instead she was raised by the servants. But the author gave a twist and had her still alive to meet her granddaughter and make her granddaughter's life better. I love the happy ending.
At the beginning of the book you get a glimpse into Julia's life. You find out really fast that something terrible happened to her family. I think that the first entry about dreams is very telling about the book:
"People say that dreams are important and they tell you something, something that you are hiding from yourself. I am hiding nothing from myself; I only wish I could."
SPOILER ALERT If you don't want to know about the big twist to the book don't read the next part.
I was getting into this book and thought yay, Julia is going to face her demons and try and get past the death of her husband and son, but NO! the author brings back the husband!!!!!!! Julia I know you are feeling bad but wow it took her so long to realize what a terrible guy her husband was. I'm sorry. I understand your husband not being able to face you when their son died due to the car crash and he was driving, but a year????? a year of letting her believe you were dead too??? And he only comes back when shows up at their house. I want to know who was the other dead body then????? She was way to nice to him. I know people handle grief differently but he was shady to me and I am so glad she left him!
Lidia had a quote later on in the book, "When I lose my faith in human nature, I put my faith in nature. . . Nature nourish the soul."
For a long time I envied people who found peace and the feeling of the holy ghost in nature. I envied people who could be in the great outdoors and feel closer to God. Until December of last year I have never had that kind of experience. I thought places were beautiful and I appreciated the wonderous things God created. But I had never had a spiritual connection with Nature. In Decemebr I organized a Cub Scout trip to Greylodge Wildlife Preserve. I had never been there before. I did not know what to expect. But after the hour long guided tour with the park ranger we went to the overlook and the birds took flight. I felt like I was in a Mutual of Omaha production. And the spirit was so strong that day. I was crying right there with cub scouts running around. Ive been back since then and it hasn't quite been the same as that day, but I can see now how your faith and spirit can be rejuvenated by the awe of Heavenly Father's creations. That's why Lidia's quote reached out to me.
I would give this book 4 stars. I really did like it! I am surprised but it wraps up all the characters so nicely and they have such heartbreaking problems. My favorite character is Lidia. I thought she had died and I felt terrible for her a girl who made some bad choices without all the information then giving up her baby because she was probably going to die. Thinking her baby would grow up the daughter of a Lord in England but instead she was raised by the servants. But the author gave a twist and had her still alive to meet her granddaughter and make her granddaughter's life better. I love the happy ending.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the book you get a glimpse into Julia's life. You find out really fast that something terrible happened to her family. I think that the first entry about dreams is very telling about the book:
"People say that dreams are important and they tell you something, something that you are hiding from yourself. I am hiding nothing from myself; I only wish I could."
SPOILER ALERT
If you don't want to know about the big twist to the book don't read the next part.
I was getting into this book and thought yay, Julia is going to face her demons and try and get past the death of her husband and son, but NO! the author brings back the husband!!!!!!! Julia I know you are feeling bad but wow it took her so long to realize what a terrible guy her husband was. I'm sorry. I understand your husband not being able to face you when their son died due to the car crash and he was driving, but a year????? a year of letting her believe you were dead too??? And he only comes back when shows up at their house. I want to know who was the other dead body then????? She was way to nice to him. I know people handle grief differently but he was shady to me and I am so glad she left him!
Lidia had a quote later on in the book, "When I lose my faith in human nature, I put my faith in nature. . . Nature nourish the soul."
For a long time I envied people who found peace and the feeling of the holy ghost in nature. I envied people who could be in the great outdoors and feel closer to God. Until December of last year I have never had that kind of experience. I thought places were beautiful and I appreciated the wonderous things God created. But I had never had a spiritual connection with Nature. In Decemebr I organized a Cub Scout trip to Greylodge Wildlife Preserve. I had never been there before. I did not know what to expect. But after the hour long guided tour with the park ranger we went to the overlook and the birds took flight. I felt like I was in a Mutual of Omaha production. And the spirit was so strong that day. I was crying right there with cub scouts running around. Ive been back since then and it hasn't quite been the same as that day, but I can see now how your faith and spirit can be rejuvenated by the awe of Heavenly Father's creations. That's why Lidia's quote reached out to me.