Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Book Review: My Sister Dilly by Maureen Lang

Maureen Lang's new book is due out in October, 2008. Here's my review:

I’ve had the privilege of reading and reviewing Maureen’s novels since On Sparrow Hill came out a couple of years ago. One thing you can always count on with Maureen’s work is she puts a lot of heart into her stories. Her storytelling has a way of digging deep into the reader’s own heart to find what’s buried there. My Sister Dilly is set in the Midwest. I grew up in the Midwest, and I can vouch for her descriptions and skill at immersing the reader into that setting. Her descriptions were so realistic, down to the personalities of some folks there—people working hard throughout their lives and finding the help God offers, but not always understanding His heart. (Which can happen anywhere.) I also really appreciate her ability to infuse her stories with life-changing messages without leaving room for defensiveness from the reader. She writes real stories, seemingly about real people, and the reader is left pondering those characters long after the book has been placed on the shelf or into the hands of the next reader, or friend. There are few authors (which I have found) who so skillfully accomplish what Maureen does in her novels. Every time I read one, I am changed.

2 comments:

Dawn Kinzer said...

Hi Annette!

Beautiful book cover. :)

I also grew up in the Midwest, so I'm sure I'd relate to the setting as well.

What's the storyline?

Annette M. Irby said...

Hi Dawn,

Here's the back cover blurb:

"Hannah Williams couldn't get out of her small hometown fast enough, preferring the faster pace, trendy lifestyle and beauty of California's Pacific Ocean coast.

Only when her younger sister, Dilly, makes a desperate choice does Hannah realize she never should have left her behind in rural Illinois.

Hannah returns home, anxious to atone for failing Dilly in the past, leaving the one man she's ever loved in California. But Dilly is a changed woman, and when Hannah's plans don't go as expected, the bonds of sisterhood are tested like never before."

Me again: you'll rarely see me give specifics of a book's content (plot) in a review because I never want to risk giving away anything to the reader (which, as a reader, I appreciate from reviews I read).

Watch for Maureen to visit in September for an interview. :)