Thursday, February 3, 2011

The Amish Midwife


CLARK, MINDY STARNS
GOULD, LESLIE
THE AMISH MIDWIFE

A deathbed confession...a dusty carved box containing two locks of hair...a century-old letter about property in Switzerland...

Nurse-midwife Lexie Jaeger's encounter with all three rekindles a burning desire to meet her biological family. Propelled on a personal journey of discovery, Lexie's search for the truth takes her from her home in Oregon to the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country.

There she finds Marta Bayer, a mysterious lay-midwife who may hold the key to Leslie's past. But Marta isn't talking, especially, especially now that she has troubles of her own following the death of an Amish patient during childbirth. As Lexie steps in to assume Marta's patient load and continues the search for her birth family, a handsome local doctor proves to be a welcome distraction. But will he also distract her from James, the man back home who lovingly awaits her return?

From her Amish patients, Lexie learns the meaning of the Pennsylvania Dutch word demut: "to let be." Will this woman who wants to control everything learn to depend totally on God? Or will her stubborn determination to unearth the secrets of the past at all costs only serve to tear her newfound family apart?

A compelling story about a search for identity and the ability to trust that God securely holds our whole life -- past, present, and future.

IN A WORD: RIVETING. A BRILLIANT COLLABORATION. THE AUTHORS HAVE CREATED A TENSE, COMPLEX STORY THAT WILL LEAVE YOU GASPING IN SURPRISE RIGHT THROUGH TO THE VERY END. I LOST MYSELF IN LEXIE'S WORLD. FELT HER PAIN AND CONFUSION, HER DESPERATE NEED TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH IN A COMMUNITY EMBROILED IN SECRETS.

AND LEXIE ISN'T THE ONLY CHARACTER I COULD IDENTIFY WITH. EVERY ONE IS CRAFTED SKILLFULLY WITH CAREFUL DETAIL -- ALL WITH OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS AND VARYING GOALS THAT BUILD TENSION AND SUSPENSE.

BUT LEXIE'S JOURNEY IS MUCH MORE THEN DISCOVERING HER BIOLOGICAL FAMILY. HERS IS A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY -- A CLEARING OF THE MIND AND OPENING OF THE HEART. SHE IS ON A QUEST TO FIND PEACE.

AT ONE POINT SHE IS ASKED IF SHE HAS EVER EXPERIENCED SORROW. WHEN LEXIE REPLIES THAT SHE HAS, SHE IS THEN PRESENTED WITH THIS PROFOUND QUESTION: "AND DID IT MAKE YOU TRUST JESUS MORE?" I GOT GOOSEBUMPS WHEN I READ THAT. ..AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND ASKED MYSELF THE SAME QUESTION WHICH LED ME TO SOME SOUL-SEARCHING OF MY OWN.

THE AMISH MIDWIFE IS DEFINITELY A BOOK FOR YOUR KEEPER SHELF...AND ONE YOU WILL WANT TO RETURN TO AGAIN AND AGAIN.

5 comments:

  1. I've been wanting to read this one, and you've just made me want to read it more. I believe I'll be suggesting it to my library. Once my account is unblocked, lol.

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  2. Uh-oh -- a blocked library account doesn't sound good! LOL. I'm still mulling over this book even though I'm half way through another one. There's something about it that struck an emotional chord and stays with me. Hope you get to read it soon.

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  3. Library account is unblocked! Since I work from home, and the weather has been bad, I've not wanted to get out. So I sorta ran my library fines rather high.

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  4. I am going to have to put this on my wish list. I like Mindy's Other mystery series but haven't read this one yet. I am in the middle of reading Lady in the Mist, which sounds kind of like this. Really good!

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  5. Ohhhh, Charity -- you have Lady in the Mist???? I'm dying to read that one. Have to race to the Christian bookstore this weekend and pick up a few more books!

    Michelle, have you ever heard of renewing online? LOL. I hardly ever have overdues because I have a dog to walk and we swing by the library as soon as a book is read. :-)

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