Maher's
skill with the English language sets her apart in the best of ways.
Her word choice creates eloquence, paints beautiful word pictures,
and places the reader squarely in both time and place with her
well-developed characters. Her research and depth of knowledge is
readily apparent. Maher's dialogue flows smoothly and is believable.
The reader sees both the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley and the
Maryland countryside as well as the horrors of battle scenes and
prison camps. They see the hearts of abolitionists, slaves forcibly
separated from their families, brothers torn apart by a country
divided, those with misguided loyalties, and both those hardened and
those broken by war's realities. Most importantly they see the hearts
given to God and the healing of the forgiveness that follows.
Marietta
Hamilton comes of an age where she is allowed to join her family's
abolitionist missions. It is on such a mission that she becomes
compelled to reunite a mother and son, and as a result falls in love
with Ethan Sharpe, an honorable son of the south who chooses to take
up her cause and to seek her hand in marriage. The obstacles that
keep Marietta and Ethan apart seem to multiply over time, but their
reliance on God and their dependence on His Word sees them through,
even though, like many of us, they are tempted to and sometimes seek
to help God along by pursuing plans of their own.
I
always feel like I am taking a chance when I agree to review a book
for a new-to-me author of whom I have received no specific
recommendation from a friend. I am so glad that I took that chance on
this author and this book, and I will gladly agree to review any
other books she writes in the future. I am one of those readers who
has several fiction and non-fiction books going at once. This time,
all other reading was halted as I became immersed in The
Abolitionist's Daughter. I thank
Kathleen L. Maher for providing me with a copy of this book in
exchange for an honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide
a positive review and received no monetary compensation.
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