Review of Lynn Austin’s Until We Reach Home
November 11, 2008
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Bethany House (October 1, 2008)
by
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband’s work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she’d earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. She has published twelve novels. Three of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, and Fire by Night have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, and 2004 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005.
Lynn’s novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.
Among her lastest books are A Proper Pursuit and A Woman’s Place
ABOUT THE BOOK
Life in Sweden seems like an endless winter for three sisters after their mother’s death and father’s suicide. Ellin feels the weight of responsibility for her sisters’ welfare and when circumstances become unbearable, she writes to her relatives in Chicago, pleading for help.
Joining sixteen million other immigrants who left their homelands for America between 1890 and 1920, Ellin, Kirsten, and Sophia begin the long, difficult journey. Enduring the ocean voyage in steerage and detention on Ellis Island, their story is America’s story. And in a journey fraught with hardships, each woman will come to understand her secret longings and the meaning of home.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Until We Reach Home, go HERE
Sally Says: I was very eager to read Lynn Austin’s latest book because first she’s a great writer and second this is a book about immigrants coming to Chicago. You hear a lot of immigrant stories set in New York but not much in Chicago. And since I’m from there and love the history of the city and stories about people choosing to become American, I had to read the book.
To me this isn’t Lynn Austin’s best book. The book started rather slow with the story going back and forth between the three sisters as they each struggle with this somewhat forced decision to go to America. And it felt a bit repetitive as each sister dealt with the same emotions, some anger, some whining, over and over and over. So the story didn’t pick up and grab me until they actually made it to New York. And then it got good.
The book shows how hard and scary it is to leave home for another country, life, and culture — only to arrive and find it that you can’t just walk in and start this new life. And when they finally make it to Chicago, the girls are in for a huge shock that drives their actions the rest of the story.
Fans of Lynn Austin will enjoy the story as will fans of historical fiction. And I think anyone who reads it will appreciate the grit of their ancestors who made this choice and journey years ago.
Comments
One Response to “Review of Lynn Austin’s Until We Reach Home”
Hi, Sally, it’s been awhile since I read your blog & tho’t I’d stop by. Good job. Don’t get too busy w/cares of life to keep it up. You do a good job. Smiles.
Carole