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The Courtship of Nellie Fisher #1
The Parting
A new novel cycle by Beverly Lewis will bring joy to the hearts of fans of Annie's people and Abram's daughters. Like its predecessors, The Courtship of Nellie Fisher blends romance and devotion to family and religious issues. Gentle characters; lyrical prose.\
MP3 Book
First published January 1, 2007
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About the author
Beverly Lewis
336books2,945followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the ŷ database with this name.
Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician, has been an award-winning author for over a dozen years. Her acclaimed novel, The Preacher's Daughter, was a 2006 Quill Book Award finalist in the romance category. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. She and her husband, David, live in Colorado."
Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician, has been an award-winning author for over a dozen years. Her acclaimed novel, The Preacher's Daughter, was a 2006 Quill Book Award finalist in the romance category. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. She and her husband, David, live in Colorado."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
December 24, 2008
After reading the vampire series, I had to find something else to read. I thought to myself something on the other side of the spectrum? Found this book and was intrigued by the Amish culture. Being raised in a very conservative and traditional culture, I wanted to see if there were similarities. Ha-Ha! I couldn't put it down and had to read all 3 in the series. Wanted to know what would happen to Nellie and Caleb.
August 7, 2018
Rather emotionally charged, but still captivating reading. Can't wait to read the sequels!
November 6, 2014
It's been about 3 months since the death of Nellie Mae's loved younger sister, Suzy. But it still stings like she died yesterday. Dare Nellie start thinking about boys again? Caleb Yoder in particular. But then there's the matter of this new faith, threatening to tear apart so many families and friends. And what about the things surrounding Suzy's death? Were the rumors true? Was she really that...worldly?
This book. It was amazing. The mystery about Suzy kept me guessing. I never knew till the end what exactly went on in her life.
The argument going on about the 2 religions gave a bit of suspense and a thrill. I got excited along with all the others about the new faith. But part of me wanted them to stay with the old ways, even though I don't agree with everything they did.
And the romance. Oh! Caleb is so sweet! Why, oh why can't everyone just agree? Nellie Mae and Caleb are perfect for each other. Why must their families' faith keep them apart?
This book left me excited and eager to start the second in the series, The Forbidden.
This book. It was amazing. The mystery about Suzy kept me guessing. I never knew till the end what exactly went on in her life.
The argument going on about the 2 religions gave a bit of suspense and a thrill. I got excited along with all the others about the new faith. But part of me wanted them to stay with the old ways, even though I don't agree with everything they did.
And the romance. Oh! Caleb is so sweet! Why, oh why can't everyone just agree? Nellie Mae and Caleb are perfect for each other. Why must their families' faith keep them apart?
This book left me excited and eager to start the second in the series, The Forbidden.
June 13, 2022
Wow! This book by Beverly Lewis has blown me away! Has to be one of my favorites so far!
So, many aspects were interesting. From the secrets about Suzy, to Nellie's Mae relationship with Caleb. To watching Reuben and Betsy come to Christ. Aw, that was so touching. I would say this book has a stronger spiritually thread than any Beverly Lewis book I have read. I absolutely loved it!
The only aspect of this book I didn't realize is that it is sent in the mid-sixties. I think because most of Beverly Lewis books feel like they are set in the present day and they aren't always. I wouldn't say that is a negative. I think it's because it's set in an Amish community and I don't always pay attention to dates.
With this being the first book in a three book series, the ending was very satisfying while leaving me interested in what is going to happen next.
I look forward to going to Honeybrook very soon!
So, many aspects were interesting. From the secrets about Suzy, to Nellie's Mae relationship with Caleb. To watching Reuben and Betsy come to Christ. Aw, that was so touching. I would say this book has a stronger spiritually thread than any Beverly Lewis book I have read. I absolutely loved it!
The only aspect of this book I didn't realize is that it is sent in the mid-sixties. I think because most of Beverly Lewis books feel like they are set in the present day and they aren't always. I wouldn't say that is a negative. I think it's because it's set in an Amish community and I don't always pay attention to dates.
With this being the first book in a three book series, the ending was very satisfying while leaving me interested in what is going to happen next.
I look forward to going to Honeybrook very soon!
December 27, 2008
Wonderbaar gut! This & the 2 books following it (The Forbidden & The Longing) are about the revival among the Lancaster County Amish in the 1960's. Lewis makes things so realistics you'll want to don a Kapp and apron to read it! For sure & for certain.
July 28, 2015
I am not a Christian and for this reason I normally stay way from Christian themed novels. For some reason I have gotten caught up in the Amish book craze and this one being free made it all the more palatable to me. I really love how these authors make learning about the Christian religion AND the Amish heritage and customs, very easy and pleasant.
This book made none of this pleasant -I understand that this was a historically significant time amongst the Old Order Amish -but this author didn't simply steer us into the direction she wanted us to go, she preached me vehemently into a corner. The romance took a backseat to the conversion and splintering of this particular group.
I wanted knowledge and romance with a dose of religion - what I did get is someone trying to convert me.
Plus the fact that this book was written to not have an ending -with any of the plot lines -but to simply get you to buy the next book in this trilogy (and an expensive next two books I might add), was another disappointment and mark against this book for me.
This book made none of this pleasant -I understand that this was a historically significant time amongst the Old Order Amish -but this author didn't simply steer us into the direction she wanted us to go, she preached me vehemently into a corner. The romance took a backseat to the conversion and splintering of this particular group.
I wanted knowledge and romance with a dose of religion - what I did get is someone trying to convert me.
Plus the fact that this book was written to not have an ending -with any of the plot lines -but to simply get you to buy the next book in this trilogy (and an expensive next two books I might add), was another disappointment and mark against this book for me.
September 29, 2007
I really loved this book. I could not put it down. wonderfully well written. faith and hope. When's the next one coming out?
March 19, 2009
As a former "book snob," I struggle with the idea of enjoying a novel that hasn't been canonized by some professor or another.
But I can't put Beverly Lewis's stuff down! Should I devote so much of my reading time (six books in so many months isn't too much) to something that could be called trivial?
Yes.
Let me explain: I became a Christian my freshman year of college, just graduated in December, and am marrying the man who led me to the Lord in June. I haven't been taught to honor and love keeping a home nor have I had much Christian fellowship since coming to Christ.
In The Parting--and the other Beverly Lewis books I've read--I find inspiration toward the domestic life that God started calling me to and gratitude for my relationship with Him that I struggled for so long to find. Kind of like the Amish characters in her novels who struggle between the Old Ways and a "foreign gospel" that offers assurance of salvation.
I can hardly wait to read the next book in the series, eager to see how church matters turn out--not to mention things between Nellie and Caleb!
But I can't put Beverly Lewis's stuff down! Should I devote so much of my reading time (six books in so many months isn't too much) to something that could be called trivial?
Yes.
Let me explain: I became a Christian my freshman year of college, just graduated in December, and am marrying the man who led me to the Lord in June. I haven't been taught to honor and love keeping a home nor have I had much Christian fellowship since coming to Christ.
In The Parting--and the other Beverly Lewis books I've read--I find inspiration toward the domestic life that God started calling me to and gratitude for my relationship with Him that I struggled for so long to find. Kind of like the Amish characters in her novels who struggle between the Old Ways and a "foreign gospel" that offers assurance of salvation.
I can hardly wait to read the next book in the series, eager to see how church matters turn out--not to mention things between Nellie and Caleb!
December 30, 2008
This was really fun to read. I loved the peek into Amish life during the 1960's. They had some very interesting dating customs!
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series, but there is one major aspect of the books that I wish I could change. They are very focused on the Protestant doctrine of being "saved by grace" and how a sect of the Amish broke off and started living according to that. The author makes it an either-or dilemma: either you work your way to salvation or Jesus just gives it to you. It's hard for me to relate to the protagonist when she "awakes" to this new idea of "free salvation." It's a personal problem, I know. I just would enjoy the books more if they were written for an LDS audience, I guess (resurrection is a free gift, for salvation we must live the gospel).
Anyway.
As long as I remind myself of what is really true and just read the book with the idea that Nellie is at least coming to a greater appreciation of our Savior, I really like reading it. :)
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series, but there is one major aspect of the books that I wish I could change. They are very focused on the Protestant doctrine of being "saved by grace" and how a sect of the Amish broke off and started living according to that. The author makes it an either-or dilemma: either you work your way to salvation or Jesus just gives it to you. It's hard for me to relate to the protagonist when she "awakes" to this new idea of "free salvation." It's a personal problem, I know. I just would enjoy the books more if they were written for an LDS audience, I guess (resurrection is a free gift, for salvation we must live the gospel).
Anyway.
As long as I remind myself of what is really true and just read the book with the idea that Nellie is at least coming to a greater appreciation of our Savior, I really like reading it. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2020
Plot: 4 months after her sister’s drowning, Nellies life is in shambles: her peace and family are shaken. And her cultish, Amish community is judging as they spread rumors that Susie died in the arms of a immoral “English”man. And to top it all off, she’s stressed with her bakery business, her best friends infertility, and her tumultuous relationship with Caleb Yoder, the neighborhood heartthrob. And her father is becoming increasingly interested with the New Order, something that Nellie will do anything to stop!
Rating: 3 stars
Recommend: for older readers if Amish love fiction
Reading interest: totally absorbing
Warnings: parental disobedience, and Frank dialogue about childbirth, sex, infertility, illegitimate children, and lust
Rating: 3 stars
Recommend: for older readers if Amish love fiction
Reading interest: totally absorbing
Warnings: parental disobedience, and Frank dialogue about childbirth, sex, infertility, illegitimate children, and lust
June 19, 2012
A very intriguing, yet surprising outlook on Old Order Amish way of living in which content places it in a more unfavorable light; however, considering that the schisms took place in the 1960's, it should figure that not only "Englischers" were undergoing a revolution, but the Amish were experiencing religious and technological revolution. I must say that one does not just simply read Lewis' works, but peruses them with utmost raptness and ponders them, which may permit you to revise your philosophies. Lewis has done it again in writing another remarkable story. She has yet to disappoint me.
January 29, 2021
Love this ,but you must read all in series . Beverly is a very good writer
July 21, 2024
A wonderful Amish story by one of my favorite authors.
January 17, 2021
Amish romance is very far out of my wheel house so take this review with a grain of salt. This book is based on a true story about the division that occurred within the Amish community. We follow Nellie. She is a young, Amish baker and her parents have found God and want to be a little more progressive. She has a courtship going on with a guy named Caleb, but his family wants to preserve the old ways. Can their love overcome? I loved the Romeo and Juliet aspect of this book and that part would make me continue with the story, but the rest of the book was just okay for me. We hear about Nellie's sister who passed away and is shrouded in mystery and rumor for being a very progressive individual. We hear about the drama in the community and more about the courtship, but this is one book where I really just wanted the romance.
July 23, 2020
Beverly Lewis writes with a complexity that I love. The Parting has rich, appealing characters and several storylines that capture the emotions - the death of a beloved teenager, a spiritual revival among some Amish families, a rift in the church, an infertile couple longing for children, and a courtship that faces a rocky road. My favorite part is seeing families who have long followed Amish tradition, discover the saving grace of Jesus for the first time. The story reaches a satisfying conclusion, but all storylines lead into the next book.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
May 12, 2020
it was A very interesting book... kind of sad ending though.
December 18, 2023
I need the next book😩 this was a lot better than I expected. 4.5⭐️
September 9, 2020
I love this book! Definitely recommend.
January 24, 2013
A review from my old blog...
I've always been intrigued by Lewis' books and her exploration of what it means to be Amish and an Amish person's relationship with Christ.
This book (and likely the books to come in the series) deals with a schism in the Old Order Amish that occurred back in the sixties. (Lewis did actually find evidence of two such splits and based the series off of those). The hair that broke the camel's back (for lack of a better metaphor) was a real and true revival... many Old Order Amishmen searching out the Scripture for themselves and their families.
The main character... Nellie Fisher... has to deal with many things in order to marry her sweetheart Caleb Yoder. Among them are her younger sister's death a hundred days before the beginning of the story, rumors of Suzy's wild Rumpsprighe, Suzy's revelation (through her diary), Nellie's father's conversion, the beginning of the schism and the pressures of Caleb's father... stay Old Order and away from the Fisher family or be denied the family land (something promised almost as a birthright).
The main issues Lewis deals with in this book (and likely further in the forthcoming books of the series) are things that I have always wanted to get my head around when dealing with the Amish. I almost could not put this book down. (I had to at one point in order to go to work :D) I eagerly anticipate the publishing of the subsequent books in the series.
I've always been intrigued by Lewis' books and her exploration of what it means to be Amish and an Amish person's relationship with Christ.
This book (and likely the books to come in the series) deals with a schism in the Old Order Amish that occurred back in the sixties. (Lewis did actually find evidence of two such splits and based the series off of those). The hair that broke the camel's back (for lack of a better metaphor) was a real and true revival... many Old Order Amishmen searching out the Scripture for themselves and their families.
The main character... Nellie Fisher... has to deal with many things in order to marry her sweetheart Caleb Yoder. Among them are her younger sister's death a hundred days before the beginning of the story, rumors of Suzy's wild Rumpsprighe, Suzy's revelation (through her diary), Nellie's father's conversion, the beginning of the schism and the pressures of Caleb's father... stay Old Order and away from the Fisher family or be denied the family land (something promised almost as a birthright).
The main issues Lewis deals with in this book (and likely further in the forthcoming books of the series) are things that I have always wanted to get my head around when dealing with the Amish. I almost could not put this book down. (I had to at one point in order to go to work :D) I eagerly anticipate the publishing of the subsequent books in the series.
January 25, 2013
Nellie Mae Fisher falls in love with Caleb Yoder at a tumultuous time in her Amish community. Her family is in the midst of dealing with the death of a child, and her community is at an impasse with the details of the Ordnung. Nellie tries to balance all the details of her life, but it seems like she is not meant to have everything.
Will the church be able to settle their differences, or will a split be neccesary to placate all parties? Will Caleb's father accept them as a couple, or will something bigger keep them apart? Will her sister's death remain a mystery? Nellie wants to do what is right by God and the church, but is stubbornly holding on to Old Ways truly what God wants of her?
I wasn't sure this series had enough to catch my interest, but boy, was I wrong! Somehow the idea of there being trouble in an Amish community in the 60's over the Ordnung rules and ordinances gives us a whole new look into this fascinating world. The plot kept taking new twists and turns, and I turned the page into something I never saw coming more than once.
The family is torn apart when a daughter and sibling dies, and the questions that surround the mystery of her death incite the curiosity of this Old Order Amish household. Lewis has done it again with this first installment to The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series, and it is worth the read. It is based on actual events from a time and place where the redeeming grace of God was given freely to even the most stubborn of hearts.
Will the church be able to settle their differences, or will a split be neccesary to placate all parties? Will Caleb's father accept them as a couple, or will something bigger keep them apart? Will her sister's death remain a mystery? Nellie wants to do what is right by God and the church, but is stubbornly holding on to Old Ways truly what God wants of her?
I wasn't sure this series had enough to catch my interest, but boy, was I wrong! Somehow the idea of there being trouble in an Amish community in the 60's over the Ordnung rules and ordinances gives us a whole new look into this fascinating world. The plot kept taking new twists and turns, and I turned the page into something I never saw coming more than once.
The family is torn apart when a daughter and sibling dies, and the questions that surround the mystery of her death incite the curiosity of this Old Order Amish household. Lewis has done it again with this first installment to The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series, and it is worth the read. It is based on actual events from a time and place where the redeeming grace of God was given freely to even the most stubborn of hearts.
December 8, 2016
I'm hooked on these Amish books. Maybe because I've always lived near the Amish and I've been intrigued by both the air of mystery around them and also by the allure of a simple lifestyle. I did not realize until I read this that the Old Order Amish controlled the Bible reading and beliefs of the members or that there had been an Amish revival. I enjoy reading about the old fashioned romances and the strong faith of the characters in Beverly Lewis' books. With that being said, I can overlook the fact that I really DISLIKE Lewis as a writer. Her stories are great but her writing leaves a lot to be desired. She usually forshadows so much with repetitive "self reflecting" questions ("Did she ever find peace?" "Had she been as reckless as the rumors suggested?""Did she hold a secret that would be revealed?" - you get the drift) that you KNOW what is going to happen. Ask it once, fine, but Lewis has her characters reflecting on the same questions over and over. I want to scream "YESSSSSS! NOW STOP ASKING!" I always feel that her books could either A) have more depth and better developed characters or B) Be much shorter. It's like taking the long way home. You might enjoy the ride and the destination, but it gets a little tiresome.
October 16, 2008
I always find it interesting to read about different cultures, especially when it is in the form of historical fiction. This story is about what happens within one family in the 60's when the Penn. Amish community went through a major transformation. I find a lot of their practices cult-like and controlling. It is hard to understand why perople would choose to obey so blindly. This book points out how they are only allowed to read certain sections of the Bible. The remainder of them are forbidden and if discovered are grounds for shunning. This particular time in their history left many families divided between spouses, parents and children, and siblings. Although, Lewis doesn't get too involved in the more political side of things, you can imagine the gravity of the situation when the young girl, Nellie, has to put her life and her feelings on hold so that her love can somehow find a way for his father to accept her. A very foreign concept for the modern world.
December 27, 2024
Shockingly offensive and self-serving. Beverly Lewis fantasizes about evangelizing to the Amish, but has likely been rebuffed in person, so she writes these asinine books where they convert themselves without any effort on her part.
These books infantalize the Amish and shows off Lewis's obsession with converting her Amish characters to born-again evangelism. Why write about this community at all if you're just going to write book after book of the amish characters switching to your own religious doctrine. Is this part of the evangelical obsession with 'saving souls?' Beverly couldn't convert anyone in real life, so she gets that 'boost' of ''saving souls' by writing about amish who instantly convert to her religion without having to do any real work? Shockingly offensive and self-serving.
She sees Amish people as spiritually naive, and that if only they would learn about what her church preaches, then they would be saved! She believes that they just don't know the truth, that they don't know who Jesus is, they don't know that Jesus died for their sins, repeats the lie she put in her The Shunning book series that the Amish are forbidden from reading the bible, that they don't know about John 3:16. (None of this is true, by the way. The suggestion that such a regimented religious society is full of people who have never opened up the bible once is laughable.) But Beverly imagines that if they knew, well, they'd immediately join her evangelical born-again church! By the end of this book, Nellie, and every single one of her family members has converted to born-again evangelism. Well that was easy!
After reading the Shunning series, I thought this plot element of conversion was a tacky wish-fulfillment one-off, but this is the second series in a row where Beverly Lewis is obsessed with the idea of Amish characters praying out loud like people in her own evangelical church do, and she has her Amish characters 'come to jesus' and practice HER version of christianity.
It's so insulting that all it takes for an Amish family to leave their extremely rigid and conservative religious society is for the father, Ruben, to open the bible once, and go, wow, lmao, I never knew this was in the bible before! He literally refers to being 'born-again', using those words. Nellie later goes and digs up her dead sister's diary, searching for the truth, and in a parallel of her dad 'finding the truth' in the bible, she finds out that dead Suzie, guys, get this, I'm about to freak out-- Suzie's backstory, dead Suzie, the one who drowned in the lake at the start of the book? She coincidentally also converted to born-again evangelism before her death. And Nellie reading her diary and finding out that she converted was enough to also convince Nellie to attend an evangelical preaching service and also is instantly converted. I cannot tell you how much rage coursed through my body and how much my hands were gripping into my kindle with the desire to throw it.
What really sucks is, besides the social, political, and religious messaging Beverly Lewis puts in her books, I like the characters, I like the descriptive picture painted of Amish community, food, weather, houses, surroundings that Beverly creates. I even enjoyed the relationship between Nellie and Caleb. But god, if all of Lewis' books are just outer packaging for her personal evangelism, I swear I will die mad about it.
The basic plot of this book was decent: Nellie Mae is dealing with the death of her sister Suzie, and since their Amish anabaptist beliefs mean that anyone who dies before baptism isn't 'saved', the family is mourning Suzie's eternal damnation. The community relates Suzie's death to her 'straying' from her conservative religions beliefs in some way during her Rumspringer, but its never made clear how. She apparently wrote about it in her diary, which Nellie buried in the woods without reading, but she later decides to dig it up and read it. Nellie is also hoping that her former crush, Caleb, will take up with her again, and he does! However, a schism in their church district is going to separate their two families, making their relationship impossible for now, and they have to see each other in secret. Meanwhile, Nellie's father decides to read the bible for the first time and immediately converts to born-again christianity and spends the rest of the book trying to convert his wife and children, and succeeds with all the daughters. We also have an unrelated side-plot about Nellie's infertile friend Rosanna being given a baby by another couple in the community, and there's some drama that maybe this friend is going to change her mind at the last minute and not give her the baby after all, and also Rosanna's husband is a jerk for a little while and is like 'maybe we shouldn't take the baby if it isn't a boy, i only want a son' but changes his mind -- everything ends up working out and they end up with twins.
I'll honestly say I see why these novels are appealing, but you can tell who the target audience is. Evangelical women who yearn for pure sexless courtship and imagine that Amish men are virtuous and honorable. But what's astounding is how despite this fantasy version of amish society, it paints such a bleak picture of that life, even within the fantasy of itself. There is no voting on community decisions allowed, because it would usurp the authority of the religious leader. Let's keep the women out of it too, even though these decisions affect them too. This is an authoritarian patriarchal enclave. This 'pure' conservative patriarchal trad-lifestyle portrayed in these books that evangelical women lap up is a dystopia even in its fantasy form. There is no love between married couples: Nellie's own brother never refers to his wife by her name, referring to her solely as 'wife', as if she has lost individual personhood by marrying him -- Nellie remarks how strange and cold this is, and she notes that many men in the community are the same. Her own parents apparently love each other, but this seems rare within their social circle.
Men treat their wives like big children, not equal adults; A main plotpoint in the books is the men in the community all conspiring together to lie to and hide 'men's matters' from their wives, i.e., the political and religious disagreements happening within their community that AFFECT THE WOMEN TOO. The worst part is that the men in the community think that Nellie's sister deserved to die. Even her own father is at first like, "It's hard for me to fully miss my dead daughter, because she left our church and our ways." ... Even though Susie never actually broke Amish. The only reason he's able to get over his grief is by converting to evangelism, because he thinks, 'oh, now I can believe that Suzie's soul was saved and that she went to heaven despite being a dirty sinner." Reminder: The most they know about Suzie is that she started talking to 'English' young people. Not leaving the church, not breaking amish. All she did was make friends with some outsiders, and they mentally condemn her to eternal fire.
This is a community so disgusting that the religious leader uses Suzie's funeral as an opportunity to scare-monger about not straying from the church. "Look at what happened to her!" he says, using the tragedy of her death to further his own unrelated religious cause. Disgusting. Any priest who breathes hellfire over a dead child deserves to be punched in the face right there in the church. By the way! Suzie died in a drowning. There was nothing nefarious or sinful about her death, but they take the opportunity to attribute her death to punishment for 'straying.' Fucking vultures.
Anyway, I'll keep reading because I want to see Caleb and Nellie get together-- but I know how this is going to be accomplished. Nellie is going to convince Caleb to convert too, isn't she. Fucking hell.
These books infantalize the Amish and shows off Lewis's obsession with converting her Amish characters to born-again evangelism. Why write about this community at all if you're just going to write book after book of the amish characters switching to your own religious doctrine. Is this part of the evangelical obsession with 'saving souls?' Beverly couldn't convert anyone in real life, so she gets that 'boost' of ''saving souls' by writing about amish who instantly convert to her religion without having to do any real work? Shockingly offensive and self-serving.
She sees Amish people as spiritually naive, and that if only they would learn about what her church preaches, then they would be saved! She believes that they just don't know the truth, that they don't know who Jesus is, they don't know that Jesus died for their sins, repeats the lie she put in her The Shunning book series that the Amish are forbidden from reading the bible, that they don't know about John 3:16. (None of this is true, by the way. The suggestion that such a regimented religious society is full of people who have never opened up the bible once is laughable.) But Beverly imagines that if they knew, well, they'd immediately join her evangelical born-again church! By the end of this book, Nellie, and every single one of her family members has converted to born-again evangelism. Well that was easy!
After reading the Shunning series, I thought this plot element of conversion was a tacky wish-fulfillment one-off, but this is the second series in a row where Beverly Lewis is obsessed with the idea of Amish characters praying out loud like people in her own evangelical church do, and she has her Amish characters 'come to jesus' and practice HER version of christianity.
It's so insulting that all it takes for an Amish family to leave their extremely rigid and conservative religious society is for the father, Ruben, to open the bible once, and go, wow, lmao, I never knew this was in the bible before! He literally refers to being 'born-again', using those words. Nellie later goes and digs up her dead sister's diary, searching for the truth, and in a parallel of her dad 'finding the truth' in the bible, she finds out that dead Suzie, guys, get this, I'm about to freak out-- Suzie's backstory, dead Suzie, the one who drowned in the lake at the start of the book? She coincidentally also converted to born-again evangelism before her death. And Nellie reading her diary and finding out that she converted was enough to also convince Nellie to attend an evangelical preaching service and also is instantly converted. I cannot tell you how much rage coursed through my body and how much my hands were gripping into my kindle with the desire to throw it.
What really sucks is, besides the social, political, and religious messaging Beverly Lewis puts in her books, I like the characters, I like the descriptive picture painted of Amish community, food, weather, houses, surroundings that Beverly creates. I even enjoyed the relationship between Nellie and Caleb. But god, if all of Lewis' books are just outer packaging for her personal evangelism, I swear I will die mad about it.
The basic plot of this book was decent: Nellie Mae is dealing with the death of her sister Suzie, and since their Amish anabaptist beliefs mean that anyone who dies before baptism isn't 'saved', the family is mourning Suzie's eternal damnation. The community relates Suzie's death to her 'straying' from her conservative religions beliefs in some way during her Rumspringer, but its never made clear how. She apparently wrote about it in her diary, which Nellie buried in the woods without reading, but she later decides to dig it up and read it. Nellie is also hoping that her former crush, Caleb, will take up with her again, and he does! However, a schism in their church district is going to separate their two families, making their relationship impossible for now, and they have to see each other in secret. Meanwhile, Nellie's father decides to read the bible for the first time and immediately converts to born-again christianity and spends the rest of the book trying to convert his wife and children, and succeeds with all the daughters. We also have an unrelated side-plot about Nellie's infertile friend Rosanna being given a baby by another couple in the community, and there's some drama that maybe this friend is going to change her mind at the last minute and not give her the baby after all, and also Rosanna's husband is a jerk for a little while and is like 'maybe we shouldn't take the baby if it isn't a boy, i only want a son' but changes his mind -- everything ends up working out and they end up with twins.
I'll honestly say I see why these novels are appealing, but you can tell who the target audience is. Evangelical women who yearn for pure sexless courtship and imagine that Amish men are virtuous and honorable. But what's astounding is how despite this fantasy version of amish society, it paints such a bleak picture of that life, even within the fantasy of itself. There is no voting on community decisions allowed, because it would usurp the authority of the religious leader. Let's keep the women out of it too, even though these decisions affect them too. This is an authoritarian patriarchal enclave. This 'pure' conservative patriarchal trad-lifestyle portrayed in these books that evangelical women lap up is a dystopia even in its fantasy form. There is no love between married couples: Nellie's own brother never refers to his wife by her name, referring to her solely as 'wife', as if she has lost individual personhood by marrying him -- Nellie remarks how strange and cold this is, and she notes that many men in the community are the same. Her own parents apparently love each other, but this seems rare within their social circle.
Men treat their wives like big children, not equal adults; A main plotpoint in the books is the men in the community all conspiring together to lie to and hide 'men's matters' from their wives, i.e., the political and religious disagreements happening within their community that AFFECT THE WOMEN TOO. The worst part is that the men in the community think that Nellie's sister deserved to die. Even her own father is at first like, "It's hard for me to fully miss my dead daughter, because she left our church and our ways." ... Even though Susie never actually broke Amish. The only reason he's able to get over his grief is by converting to evangelism, because he thinks, 'oh, now I can believe that Suzie's soul was saved and that she went to heaven despite being a dirty sinner." Reminder: The most they know about Suzie is that she started talking to 'English' young people. Not leaving the church, not breaking amish. All she did was make friends with some outsiders, and they mentally condemn her to eternal fire.
This is a community so disgusting that the religious leader uses Suzie's funeral as an opportunity to scare-monger about not straying from the church. "Look at what happened to her!" he says, using the tragedy of her death to further his own unrelated religious cause. Disgusting. Any priest who breathes hellfire over a dead child deserves to be punched in the face right there in the church. By the way! Suzie died in a drowning. There was nothing nefarious or sinful about her death, but they take the opportunity to attribute her death to punishment for 'straying.' Fucking vultures.
Anyway, I'll keep reading because I want to see Caleb and Nellie get together-- but I know how this is going to be accomplished. Nellie is going to convince Caleb to convert too, isn't she. Fucking hell.
August 19, 2014
Part of reader’s advisory is to read things that are outside of your comfort zone to better help all different kinds of readers. Beverly Lewis is a HUGELY popular Christian author, specifically known for her Amish series. Honestly, these are often the kind of books I look down my librarian nose at, but people often ask about them, so I thought I would pick one up. A few days of being sick, and this was almost just what I needed. This book tells of a schism that took place in the 60s in Pennsylvania between the Old Order and a new group. Caught in this parting, fictitious characters have their love tested by family differences and the rigid structure of the church. This book wasn’t as terrible as I might have first thought. I don’t think I will pick up any others anytime soon either.
August 9, 2015
It is pure ChickLit, but I have always had a book-crush on Beverly Lewis. I got my first Beverly Lewis book in the late 80's when it seemed the only place you could find her books was at an Amish inn in Middlebury, Indiana.
Lewis' stories always involve the tension between Old Order Amish and the world outside, and this one is no different. However, what is different is how far Lewis goes into the theology and Scripture surrounding this tension.
While ostensibly a romance about a young girl and the love of her life; the story is backdropped by an actual split in the Amish community that took place in 1966. The divisions drove hard into the community, and the relationship between the young girl and her suitor get swept up in the events, threatening to interfere with their planned future together.
Lewis' stories always involve the tension between Old Order Amish and the world outside, and this one is no different. However, what is different is how far Lewis goes into the theology and Scripture surrounding this tension.
While ostensibly a romance about a young girl and the love of her life; the story is backdropped by an actual split in the Amish community that took place in 1966. The divisions drove hard into the community, and the relationship between the young girl and her suitor get swept up in the events, threatening to interfere with their planned future together.
June 12, 2010
Ahh, the beginning of a new series. I'm all ready to dig in and race through these books. Unfortunately, I can't. What is wrong with these people? Why don't they act normally? Why do they constantly puzzle over problems that I had figured out in chapter one? Why can't Beverly Lewis keep some plot twists a secret so that they can surprise you during the length of the book? Why does this thing have to be so...preachy? I barely made it through some of Reuben's mullings over God. Good Christian fiction doesn't have to preach to you for you to learn something. It should flow naturally through the characters.
If you can answer any of these questions, you obviously got more out of the book than I did.
If you can answer any of these questions, you obviously got more out of the book than I did.
December 5, 2007
I liked this book a lot! It's the first I've read by Beverly Lewis, and I will be sure to check out her other books. She has a very nice writing style and helps you understand the character's thoughts. The main character, a teenager named Nellie Fisher (isn't that surprising!) has just lost her younger sister in a boating accident, and she's also being courted by an Amish boy named Caleb. You'll really have to read it yourself, because I can't describe it well enough!
Another thing: this book demands a sequel! And it's coming: "The Forbidden" will be released in May next year.
Another thing: this book demands a sequel! And it's coming: "The Forbidden" will be released in May next year.
December 3, 2009
I really enjoyed reading about the Amish. I have always been interested in that community and it was so fun being emersed in their world for a while. I always read the reviews that other people have given books usually after I have already started reading. I only read one bad review, where she said she thought Nellie and Caleb were both so very selfish. But I found it to be opposite. They fell in love with each other, and still tried to be mindful of his parents wishes, which I thought to be commendable. Not like most teenagers, with their hormones raging.
May 31, 2015
An interesting read. I thought it would be a fairly standard Amish romance but instead this book explores the divisions in the community as some start to want tractors, motorized vehicles and electricity in their home whilst others want to follow the bible more closely and not just the Old Order as laid down by their grandparents.
Interesting, wish more loose ends were tied up by the end instead of them all left hanging out. I know she wants us to read book 2 but in just left feeling irritated.
Interesting, wish more loose ends were tied up by the end instead of them all left hanging out. I know she wants us to read book 2 but in just left feeling irritated.
December 4, 2015
I enjoyed this book and how Nellie Mae's family found salvation by simply reading parts in the Bible that weren't read at the Amish meetings. Rosanna's point of view didn't seem part of the rest of the book, so I skimmed her scenes a lot to get to the other POV's. It's a typical Amish story (there are only so many ideas you can do!!), but still a good read. Of any other Amish authors, Beverly Lewis writes the best Amish books. She makes the Amish life sound refreshing, even though there are areas that she (and I) wouldn't agree with.
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