Then Sings My Soul

Then Sings My Soul

Author:  Amy K. Sorrells

Website: https://amysorrells.wordpress.com/

Number of Pages: 360

Publisher: David C. Cook

ISBN-13:  978-1434705457

Release Date: March 1, 2015

Market: Christian

Genre: Fiction

My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Description (from the back cover): When Nel Stewart returns home due to the sudden death of her mother, she realizes her beloved father, Jakob, is struggling with dementia.

With the reappearance of a high-school sweetheart, deliveries from Ukraine addressed to her, and the discovery of a mysterious, vintage aquamarine gemstone, Nel senses God is pulling her into the past to restore their faith and their futures. Told partially through Jakob's flashbacks of fleeing genocide-ridden eastern Europe at the turn of the twentieth century, the novel combines elements of mystery, history, faith and romance to reveal how God redeems the broken years ... and our future.

How and Why I Acquired this Book

I received a free copy of the book from the publisher David C. Cook in exchange for an honest review.  I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review.

My Expectations

The Holocaust and events leading up to it intrigue me.  My expectations were high because of it.  Also, I really like the simple cover, and I wondered how the title would play into the story.  I appreciated the author addressing that very issue after the story was over.

Were My Expectations Met

Yes, yes, and yes!  I absolutely love this book.

The Writing

The story is split between the father’s experiences as a boy and 1994-1995.  There are dates at the beginning of the chapters to alert the reader to the time change.  Sorrell definitely has a gift for writing.  Excellent job!

The Storyline

To sum up the story in one word: beautiful.  This is about a family, mainly the father and daughter, who have issues with letting people be too close to them.  They both have walls for different reasons.  This story evokes so many emotions that the reader should have tissues handy.  It’s a story of letting go, overcoming, and accepting that God never leaves us. 

 

Spiritual Aspect

God does not lie.  When He says “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” (Heb 13:5) He meant it.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (Ro 8:39) no matter how alone we seem to be.  Great ending!  I love the vision (Should I call it that?).

Audience Appropriateness and Appeal

Anyone who likes stories about surviving horrific conditions will appreciate this story.  I would caution parents to read it before their tween or teen picks it up.  Although the story is not graphic, there are a few historic scenes that my mind was able to visualize the horror of the moment.

Conclusion

This book is historic, realistic, and amazing.

Pros:

§  History comes alive

§  The writing is amazing and stirs up emotions

Cons:

§  None