Reading Challenge Book Review # 6: Until We Reach Home

I finished another book from my original "Fall Reading Challenge" book list!

This book was given to me by my dad.  He knows I like historical fiction, as do my daughters, and said I could pass this book on to them. 

It was such a good story!!

The genre is Historical Christian Fiction.

The setting is Sweden, Ellis Island (NYC) and Chicago.

STORY SUMMARY

Three sisters live in Sweden but their parents are dead.  Their uncle and aunt take over the farm because their older brother leaves to go to the big city.  The oldest daughter, Elin, has a shameful secret that she has told no one.  Her younger sisters Kirsten and Sophia need to be saved from their abusive uncle because she promised her dying mother that she would always take care of her 2 younger sisters.  Elin decides to write to their uncle in America and ask to live with him and his wife.  He sends them tickets for passage to Ellis Island.  They dream of starting a new life in America!  

Meanwhile, Kirsten has to say good bye to the boy she loves, wishing he loved her back.  Sophia is a fearful teen who doesn't really want to leave her homeland. 

When they arrive on Ellis Island, they are not allowed to get off the island and continue to Chicago due to Elin acquiring typhus!  Kirsten finds out she is pregnant and Sophia begins to trust in God and meets a young man who captures her heart.....only he doesn't speak Swedish...only German!  They manage to "speak" to each other through the Scriptures and he promises that he will find her one day.  Soon they are on their way to Chicago where they hope their dreams of having a stable home with their mother's brother and his family come true.

They face constant hardship!  Kirsten still hasn't revealed her pregnancy, not wanting to bring shame on her sisters and uncle's family.  They end up working for a widow who is very rich and they begin to really care about her.  

After a season of hardship and strife, they begin to realize that their dreams will only really be met by having a personal relationship with God.

What happens to Kirsten??  

Does Elin ever come to peace??

Will Sophia find the boy she met on Ellis Island and live happily ever after??

MY THOUGHTS

This was a very well-written story that taught me some more history of the immigrants who came from Europe to our country in the late part of the 19th century, and all that they had to endure.

I liked that I could connect with the oldest daughter right away and that I was rooting for Kirsten and Sophia to go after their dreams.

The characters are very believable and the author does an excellent job in describing Chicago in the late 1800's. (I have never been to Chicago but I have read many stories and historical perspectives of that area).  I pictured Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty and when I visited there with my family a few years ago, the book does describe that setting very well!  I had forgotten that Ellis Island had burned at one time.

I also liked the fact that I didn't know this was Christian fiction. If I had, I might not have picked it up. As a Christian, I am very choosy about Christian fiction and sad to say, so much of it reads like a Harlequin romance which is a genre I just don't tolerate!!  This book is NOT sappy or trite.

It is believable and the author does a fantastic job in presenting the salvation message in subtle ways that wouldn't turn off a non-Believing reader.

I highly recommend this novel if you are interested in family sagas, history and  the Swedish community.  There is a little bit of love story to it, drama, comedy and overall, forgiveness from the act of betrayal and the everlasting love of family and God.

 In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 15 and older.

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10!