Saturday, July 5, 2014

A Quaker Girl Hopes to Bring Christianity to the Nez Perce

The day before her wedding Amanda Pearson is thrilled to be marrying Nathan, but before the day is out her bridegroom has confessed his love for another and canceled the wedding. Trying to overcome her disappointment, Amanda, a Quaker, tells her father, a Quaker pastor, that she wants to travel to the Wyoming Territory to join the Spalding Mission to bring Christianity to the Nez Perce. He agrees to accompany her.

Before reaching the mission, Amanda's father dies. He knows he's dying and makes Amanda promise that she will continue on to the mission. He believes that her destiny is there and that God will protect her. Harvey, the guide they hired, sees it differently. He doesn't want to continue the journey with a fragile woman.

Amanda is resolute, and she convinces Harvey to continue the journey. The travel is far more frightening and dangerous than Amanda imagined, but she is rewarded by meeting both Indians and mountain men who help her on the journey and become friends.

The book has an exciting plot. The dangers Amanda faces are described realistically, and the pace is fast.

I have two reservations about the book. The development of Amanda's character is limited. We know what she does, but we know little of her background or her beliefs beyond her disappointment with her fiance and that her mother died when she was born. However, the other characters, particularly Mary Yellowbird, are well done and add to the texture of the story.

The second reservation is the use of dialect. I find that using 'ya' too much is distracting. Likewise all the thees and thous while appropriate for the characters slow the reading. However, if you enjoy Christian fiction, this is a book you'll appreciate.


I reviewed this book for Handlebar Publishing.  

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