Pages

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

'The Thorn (Rose Trilogy Book 1)' by Beverly Lewis

Genre: Amish Fiction

About: (From Beverly Lewis' website)
The Rose Trilogy is the stirring saga of two Amish sisters, and the events and decisions that change their lives.Spirited Rose Ann Kauffman has long enjoyed a close friendship with the bishop's rebellious foster son. Rose's older sister, Hen--who knows more than she should about falling for the wrong man--cautions her against him, but Rose is being courted by another, and so dismisses the warnings. Hen Kauffman Orringer's impulsive marriage to an outsider divided her from the People, a decision she regrets now that she has a daughter of her own. As Hen struggles to reclaim aspects of Amish culture, her very modern husband pushes back, and the two soon come to an impasse. Can she find a way to reconcile her longing for the Old Ways with the life she has chosen?


Why I wanted to read this book:

  • I believe that no one does Amish fiction like Beverly Lewis and whenever she has a new book I'm the first on the list of requests!!
What worked for me:
  •  I absolutely loved the premise of the storyline for this trilogy. I think Lewis is really taking risks in this book and writing about taboo subjects within the Amish culture and shedding some light on them.
  •  Lewis portrays the Amish as real humans, not saints and that is why I really enjoy her books.
  •  Many of us have went against our parent's wishes, but few of us are ever shut out of a way of life because of it. I'm intrigued by how strictly the Amish adhere to their customs, even though they themselves may not agree with what the Bishop dictates, they nonetheless follow it.
  • The sister relationship in this book has many different layers. I loved both girls, Hen and Rose. I could easily understand how Hen's falling in love with an outsider made her make a rash decision to leave her Amish roots behind her. It isn't until she has her own child that she realizes something very important is lacking in her life and the life she wants her daughter to live.
  • I can not wait until the next installment because I really need to know what is going to happen with Hen's marriage and Rose's love interests!!
  • I have found myself just a smidgen in love with Nick who is the Bishop's foster son. He remembers enough of his previous English life that prevents him from embracing the Amish way of life.
What didn't work for me:
  • I thought that Lewis made Hen's husband too much of a jerk. I can understand how he may be upset because she wants to start dressing plain again, but he takes it to an extreme that borders on abusive. 
Recommend? If you love Amish fiction then absolutely make sure you read this one. I've read all of Beverly's books and I can say that this one is my favorite of them all and I believe the next two will be outstanding!!!

My Rating: 4.75/5

SourceMy public library
The Thorn, Rose Trilogy Book 1
By Beverly Lewis
Published: September 1, 2010 Bethany House

 
© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

14 comments:

  1. I have not (yet) read any Amish books, but having gone to school in Lancaster County, I have a special appreciation for the Amish.

    I will have to check Beverly Lewis out sometime.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow great review. Although I have never read what you call Amish fiction, this story sounds really amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ohhhhhhhhh this sounds GOOD! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm glad to hear this one was so much better for you than the last Amish fiction book you read. It seems like whenever you have a strict culture, it's almost built in that you can get good stories out of the struggles that younger people go through!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Before I even finished reading your review I went to my library's website and requested this book. I actually looked at your 4.75 and knew you loved it. I figured if you loved it, I would too. I like the premise too. I've often wondered what happens to the people who leave the Amish order and how they deal with the loss.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I still haven't tried any AMish books, yet but after your reviews I do want to

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hope to get to this author this year!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your review has me wanting me read this book even though it is not my first choice of genre.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Staci, I love how you set up your reviews. You're organized and clear.

    I've never read any Amish fiction. This sounds like a book I'd enjoy (and learn from).

    ReplyDelete
  10. I haven't read any Amish books yet, but I am super interested in this one. All of the ones I see as a matter of fact. The cover is beautiful and since I live close to Amish country, I must get cracking on these books. Thanks chica!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Glad to see you enjoyed this one. I love Beverly Lewis, but I think I'm about six books behind! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for the heads up on this one... my mom loves Amish stories... and with Christmas coming, ideas are always welcome!

    You mentioned loving a book but having a hard time describing it to make someone else excited. That would be me... that's why I don't do reviews much.... but I think You do a great job. I've gotten excited with a few you've suggested!

    Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a fantastic review! I’ve posted a link to it on my own site.

    I’ve been reading Beverly Lewis for years and was thrilled to gat a chance to read The Thorn.

    I was disappointed that very few (one, I believe) of the plot lines were ever resolved. I guess that’s why there is a book 2. Of course I’ll have to wait until April, 2011, for that.

    My own review of this book can be found at www.tracysbooknook.com.

    -Tracy

    ReplyDelete

Hello Friends!! I want to take this moment to say thank you. Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and thank you for leaving me a comment.

* Because of the excessive spam I have decided not to allow anonymous users to comment.

Happy Reading!