Title: The Devoted
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Revell
Provided by: Publisher
Series: The Bishop's Family #3
Subjects: Amish, relationships, calling, chronic illness
Setting: Ohio, present day
Rating: 3.5/5
Pages: 336
Cost: $15
Amazon Link
Author Page
Synopsis:
Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave? She's done all she can to prepare to go--passed the GED, saved her money--but she can't quite set her journey into motion.
Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He's come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to "everything Plain." Time, to Patrick, is of the essence. Every moment is to be cherished, especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.
Ruthie's next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back--"anything"--and Patrick Kelly is getting in his way.
Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites readers back to Stoney Ridge for a story of dreams deferred and hopes fulfilled--complete with Fisher's signature twists that never fail to leave readers delighted.
My opinions
In some ways this book is pretty much your typical Amish book: KJV references, rebellious teenagers, etc .
What makes it stand out, though, is the message about father-child relationships. The main character gets along very well with her father and it is great to see that trust and care.
Another character hasnt been himself since his father died and struggles to get along with his step father. I think that this is an interesting sub plot as well.
Strong points:
I liked how the book exposed some of the hidden pieces of the Amish culture: greed, drugs and alcohol, mischief, etc.
It felt very personal to read about it, the sort of "hush, its a secret" that gets you interested in reading more.
The book was well written and when all the pieces started to come together at the end of the book I did have a nice "ohhhhhh" moment. However, the book as a whole isnt something I would reread again.
Weak points:
Personally I dont appreciate books where the characters have similar names. Jenny and Jesse? Ruthie and Doc (whose real name is Ruth)?
I am not a fan of these similarities.
Also, there were some Pennsyvania Dutch words used that you couldnt actually tell what they meant from the context around them. Sometimes books will have a glossary or define the words within the text, but this one left me confused :/
Example:
Shauderhhafdich. Jesse was shocked silent. Were Jenny Joders eyes always that shade of blue? Nearly violet.
I have no idea what "Shauderhhafdich" means from this passage.
Final thoughts:
In the end, I didnt enjoy the book as much as I would have liked, but there were some nice points nonetheless.
I think that this book would be great for readers who would like to read about father-child relationships, who might be familiar with chronic illness, or who enjoy Amish fiction in general.
You can order a copy from Amazon here.
About the author
Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling, award winning author of fiction and non-fiction books about the Old Order Amish for Revell Books, host of the radio-show-turned-blog Amish Wisdom, a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazine.
Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, who was raised Plain. A theme in her books (her life!) is that you don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate the principles of simple living.
Suzanne lives in California with her family and raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To her way of thinking, you just can't life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.
Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Revell
Provided by: Publisher
Series: The Bishop's Family #3
Subjects: Amish, relationships, calling, chronic illness
Setting: Ohio, present day
Rating: 3.5/5
Pages: 336
Cost: $15
Amazon Link
Author Page
Synopsis:
Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave? She's done all she can to prepare to go--passed the GED, saved her money--but she can't quite set her journey into motion.
Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He's come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to "everything Plain." Time, to Patrick, is of the essence. Every moment is to be cherished, especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.
Ruthie's next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back--"anything"--and Patrick Kelly is getting in his way.
Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites readers back to Stoney Ridge for a story of dreams deferred and hopes fulfilled--complete with Fisher's signature twists that never fail to leave readers delighted.
My opinions
In some ways this book is pretty much your typical Amish book: KJV references, rebellious teenagers, etc .
What makes it stand out, though, is the message about father-child relationships. The main character gets along very well with her father and it is great to see that trust and care.
Another character hasnt been himself since his father died and struggles to get along with his step father. I think that this is an interesting sub plot as well.
Strong points:
I liked how the book exposed some of the hidden pieces of the Amish culture: greed, drugs and alcohol, mischief, etc.
It felt very personal to read about it, the sort of "hush, its a secret" that gets you interested in reading more.
The book was well written and when all the pieces started to come together at the end of the book I did have a nice "ohhhhhh" moment. However, the book as a whole isnt something I would reread again.
Weak points:
Personally I dont appreciate books where the characters have similar names. Jenny and Jesse? Ruthie and Doc (whose real name is Ruth)?
I am not a fan of these similarities.
Also, there were some Pennsyvania Dutch words used that you couldnt actually tell what they meant from the context around them. Sometimes books will have a glossary or define the words within the text, but this one left me confused :/
Example:
Shauderhhafdich. Jesse was shocked silent. Were Jenny Joders eyes always that shade of blue? Nearly violet.
I have no idea what "Shauderhhafdich" means from this passage.
Final thoughts:
In the end, I didnt enjoy the book as much as I would have liked, but there were some nice points nonetheless.
I think that this book would be great for readers who would like to read about father-child relationships, who might be familiar with chronic illness, or who enjoy Amish fiction in general.
You can order a copy from Amazon here.
About the author
Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling, award winning author of fiction and non-fiction books about the Old Order Amish for Revell Books, host of the radio-show-turned-blog Amish Wisdom, a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazine.
Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, who was raised Plain. A theme in her books (her life!) is that you don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate the principles of simple living.
Suzanne lives in California with her family and raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To her way of thinking, you just can't life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.
Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com
