Beloved Author Lauraine
Snelling Launches New Immigrant Series
I loved this
book! From the beginning I was sucked
into the story. It began in Norway with
Signe and her husband Rune and their three boys. They get a letter from her Uncle Einer and
Aunt Gerd who have a farm in Minnesota.
They are in Norway where things have become rough as far as jobs,
getting a home or land of your own jobs……
They travel to
America by ship, go through Ellis Island, travel some more by boat, and by
train and finally get to Minnesota. They
find the home in Minnesota is filthy and Gerd is in her bed unable to get up
and help with anything. Uncle and Aunt
are demanding and loud and before long even the boys are doing a man’s day of
labor.
Signe and Rune
are run off their feet from morning til night and before too long Signe begins
to think there is no God watching over them and they will never be able to have
a home and their own land.
The author went
into great detail telling all of the work of lumberjacks, using, original first
washing machines, cooking stoves, sewing machines, working with animals on the
small farm and life in general back in the early 1900’s. I found the entire story fascinating, you are
drawn in and can almost see the details of the story as described by the
author. I couldn’t believe how much work
the women got done in a day and how hard they had to work at everything! I really loved the characters of this book
and really disliked the Uncle and his wife.
I found the story so very interesting!
I love historical fiction, and this one does have all of the bones of a
great story. I can’t wait until the next
book comes out this being the first in the series, Under Northern Skies!
I received a
copy of this book free in exchange for an honest review I believe from Bethany
House.
Description as found on Good
Reads:
When Signe, her husband, Rune,
and their three boys arrive in Minnesota from Norway to help a relative clear
his land of lumber, they dream of owning their own farm and building a life in
the New World. But Uncle Einar and Aunt Gird are hard, demanding people, and
Signe and her family soon find themselves worked nearly to the bone in order to
repay the cost of their voyage. At this rate, they will never have land or a
life of their own.
Signe tries to trust God but struggles with anger and bitterness. She has left behind the only life she knew, and while it wasn't an easy life, it wasn't as hard as what she now faces. When a new addition to the family arrives, Signe begins to see how God has been watching over them throughout their ordeal. But after all that has happened, can she still believe in the promise of a bright future?
Signe tries to trust God but struggles with anger and bitterness. She has left behind the only life she knew, and while it wasn't an easy life, it wasn't as hard as what she now faces. When a new addition to the family arrives, Signe begins to see how God has been watching over them throughout their ordeal. But after all that has happened, can she still believe in the promise of a bright future?
