Suzanne Woods Fisher's book The Return is the third book in the Amish Beginnings series. I reviewed the second book, The Newcomer, earlier this year on my blog. This novel is quite different from the previous book in that the setting and era has tremendously changed. From the beginning, the reader learns that the opening pages start twenty-five years after the last chapter in The Newcomer. Also, instead of the people trying to find a place to settle, the characters are having to consider possible Indian attacks. Unfortunately, an Indian attack does occur for one of the families in the book. If you are faint of heart, I recommend passing on this novel. It was challenging to read some of the scenes in this text, and it reminded me of the movie The Searchers with John Wayne.
In that movie, a young girl's family gets raided by Indians. Her family is killed, and they kidnap her. As John Wayne searches for her whereabouts, years go by and she grows up in the Indian tribe. The entire film shows the grief Wayne feels and the turmoil he undergoes as he tries to find this young girl. As each day passes, it appears they are not coming any closer to knowing what became of her, which is very much an echo to what happens to a teenage girl in this book. As each member of the community tries to cope with the horror of what has touched their friends, tears, heartaches, and growth will touch every individual within these settlements.
If you do read this particular novel, I recommend reading the first two in the series first, so that you have a better understanding of this historical time period and why so many individuals endured so much to find freedom. I cannot even begin to imagine what the early settlers of this land went through in order to find and obtain what they did not have in their birth country. As always, happy reading.
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to Revell Publishers for my copy.
About The Book
*Beautiful and winsome,
Betsy Zook never questioned her family's rigid expectations, nor those
of devoted Hans, but then she never had to. Not until the night when
she's taken captive in a surprise Indian raid. During her captivity,
Betsy faces brutality and hardship, but also unexpected kindness. She
draws strength from native Caleb, who encourages her to find God in all
circumstances. She finds herself torn between her pious upbringing and
the intense new feelings this compelling man awakens within her.
Handsome and complex, Hans is greatly anguished by Betsy's captivity and turns to Tessa Bauer for comfort. Eagerly, Tessa responds, overlooking troubling signs of Hans's hunger for revenge. When Betsy is finally restored to the Amish, have things gone too far between Hans and Tessa?
Inspired by true events, this deeply layered novel gives a glimpse into the tumultuous days of prerevolutionary Pennsylvania through the eyes of two young, determined, and faith-filled women.
*Synopsis is from the back cover of the novel.
About The Author
Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including Anna's Crossing, The Bishop's Family series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.
