Book Review: The River

I'm a huge fan of Beverly Lewis' books and have already reviewed a few of her books here.  Her newest book, The River, intrigued me from the moment I saw this video clip on her facebook fan page.  It's not the typical Amish story that readers have come to expect from her writing.  It is set in an Amish community, but the main character left her Amish community years ago...only to be drawn back to her roots by a letter that tugs at her heart and the memories of a past she has tried so hard to forget. 

The River is a story of heartache long buried in the past and a young woman still haunted by its memories...but it's also a story of beauty from ashes and redemption in a God who takes our broken pieces and makes us whole.  Sometimes, it takes a return to those painful memories to see how God was there all along and how He redeems it all.

"The Lord gave me beauty for ashes...and you must never doubt that, my dear."

As I read the story, Tilly's character really came alive through the authors words and I found myself drawn into both her sorrows and her joys.  In my own life, I've seen firsthand how God can make beauty out of ashes, but I also know full well what it feels like to hold onto hurts I've tried to hide and forget.  Sometimes the only way to move forward and really heal from the past is to allow God to take us back to those hard memories to see them in a new way.

"Tilly had to let herself step out in faith, wholly trusting in the sovereignty of God, knowing that the sufferings of life didn't have to crush her but could instead draw her closer to the Savior."

I love how the author kept me guessing, giving hints about the past, but still drawing me into the mystery of the past Tilly was trying to both forget...and uncover.  While Tilly was the main character, there were so many other characters - her Mamm, her Daed, Ruth, Melvin - who played a key role in her discovery not only of the truth about her past but of the peace that comes from forgiveness.  At the beginning of the story, I had an image in my mind of who these key characters were, but I didn't really discover the heart of their character until I continued reading and watched the story of Tilly's past unfold.  As the author shares in the note at the end, there are so many "redemptive threads" that weave their way through Tilly's story, making it a beautiful tapestry, true beauty from ashes. 

"Christ Jesus has set me free...And while I didn't leave here in search of a strong faith, I certainly have found it.  I've found love and acceptance in my Lord and Savior."

***Disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my review.