From the Back:
He studied the picture more closely, finding it curious that the young woman looked so boldly into the camera while wearing a white prayer Kapp shaped like a heart--the characteristic head covering for the Lancaster County Old Order Amish.
Why would a devout girl have her picture taken?
When her sister Lily disappears only months after their widowed mother's passing, Eva Esch fears she has been wooed away from the People. Yet Lily's disappearance isn't Eva's only concern: She and her sisters must relocate once their older brother takes over the family farmhouse. Then Jed Stutzman, an Amish buggy maker from Ohio, shows up in Eden Valley with a photo of a Plain young woman. Eva feels powerfully drawn to the charming stranger--but the woman in the forbidden photograph is no stranger at all. . . .
Why would a devout girl have her picture taken?
When her sister Lily disappears only months after their widowed mother's passing, Eva Esch fears she has been wooed away from the People. Yet Lily's disappearance isn't Eva's only concern: She and her sisters must relocate once their older brother takes over the family farmhouse. Then Jed Stutzman, an Amish buggy maker from Ohio, shows up in Eden Valley with a photo of a Plain young woman. Eva feels powerfully drawn to the charming stranger--but the woman in the forbidden photograph is no stranger at all. . . .
My Reflections:
Beverly Lewis's newest novel the Photograph is a story that centers around tragedy, misunderstandings, uncertainty and strife. Although this is the nucleolus of the story the real structure seems to be resolution and reconciliation.
This book flows and ebbs seamlessly allowing for intricate character development, so much so that I didn't want this novel to ever end. The characters have the ability to embed themselves into your life and you feel like they are good friends. This was exacerbated by the fact that I sped through this book at a accelerated rate, from the sheer fact that I could't put it down.
Set in the 1980's in Lancaster County Pennsylvania, Eva Eschand and her sisters Frona and Lily reside on their family homestead. Their parents have passed on leaving the farm to the youngest son, Menno who decides to move in with his family in turn giving the ultimatum that one of the sisters may stay as long as she is willing to help with his children as a nanny of sorts.
After this revelation the youngest sister Lily runs away leaving a mere note in her absence.
Jeb Stutzman having recently lost his fiance, is an apprentice who travels to Pennsylvania to learn how to build the Pennsylvania style buggy on his trip over he comes across the book "Little Women" inside is a picture of a beautiful young lady. Jeb is intrigued by the personal notes written in the margins and the simple beauty of the woman.
The Photograph was a pleasure to read and I found the characters to be real to life, if not a tad perfect they were however easy to relate to. I was so dissapointed when this story came to its conclusion. I love all of Beverly Lewis's novels, but this one has been one of my favorites thus far. If you also love Amish fiction I am sure you will be thrilled to purchase this one for your book shelves.
I received this book free of charge from Graf-Martin Communications in exchange for my honest review. Thank you so much Graf -Martin!
About THE AUTHOR
Photo courtesy of Gene Photography Beverly Lewis
Beverly Lewis, born in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, has more than 17 million books in print. Her stories have been published in eleven languages and have regularly appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including the New York Times and...Continue reading about Beverly Lewis
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