2013 Book Review #31: The Fiddler

A Christian fiction book that I actually liked!!  I just finished this book which is the first one in the Home to Hickory Hollow Series.  I had read a couple of Amish books by this author many years ago and didn't care for it. It was like soooo many secular Amish books I had seen or read and I just stopped  caring for this genre.  But....a couple of weeks ago at our town library, this series caught my eye and I decided to try it.  I loved this book!!!!  It was much faster paced and more contemporary than I expected.  It also didn't reek of "sappiness" like so many of these types of novels.

STORY SUMMARY

Michael Hostetler is a young Amishman who was raised in Hickory Hollow, an Old Order Amish community.  He has older siblings who are married and living in Hickory Hollow near his parents.  He isn't sure he wants to be baptized in the Amish church and is questioning some of the Amish ways. He IS a Believer however, but wants to live in the world rather than the Amish community.  A farming accident leaves his Daed (father) with an injury that forces Michael to remain at home for a time......

Amelia Devries is a young woman from Columbus, Ohio who was a child prodigy on violin.  She is now traveling to many concerts as a soloist throughout the United States.  She is an only child.  Her parents do not know that she also enters fiddling competitions under another name (Amy Lee) and that she has just completed an opening act for a famous country singer.  They prefer that she remain a classical violinist and her agent wants her to tour Europe in the coming months. Her mother is trying to get a novel published and her father, an accomplished violinist himself, has become very ill.

A wrong turn on her way home from the country singer's show, forces Amelia and Michael to meet.  Although Amelia is very much an Englisher, Michael is drawn to her.  They both have very different backgrounds but they both struggle with the expectations that other people in their lives have placed upon them and they both are trying to find the room to make their own hopes and dreams come true.  Michael invites Amelia to visit Hickory Hollow, and when she does, she is drawn towards God and prayer via the fellowship and compassion of the Amish people she meets. One elderly woman, Wise Woman, (Ella Mae), in particular opens her eyes and her heart towards the things of God.  She also meets a young woman named Joanna who becomes her dear friend.  She is happy that Michael invited her to spend some time in Hickory Hollow.

This chance encounter soon begins to change their lives.

MY THOUGHTS

This book was a good story and very believable from both characters' viewpoints. I like that the author wove in the "Englisher" values with Amish values and that both characters have a heart towards God and His plans and purposes.  There is a little bit of drama and romance to this story but the romance part isn't sappy nor does the drama behind Amelia and her parents, nor Michael and his parents get bogged down.

I also like that in the book, Michael's niece, Lizzy, comes back to the Amish community after spending some time in the "world".  It shows that the Amish people are very forgiving and know how to extend grace and mercy even though they have a strict set of rules they adhere to. 

The story reminded me of how when God closes a door, He often opens another one with something even better for us than we could have planned or dreamed.

I am now planning on reading the other two books in the series!

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older.

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