SEARCHING FOR ETERNITY by ELIZABETH MUSSER

After reading this emotional book I very quietly sat and closed my eyes. I wanted to savor every word I had read, feel every emotion that the characters felt and think about the rich history that was scattered throughout the book. I loved the characters and their passion for what was right and wrong. It is not easy being "different" but the author wrote such a stirring  and lovely story I cried at times.

Emile de Bonnery has just discovered that he is leaving France with his mother and traveling to America. There is a big secret about his father. What is his mother hiding about his father? Emile does  not want to leave France, but he has no choice. I loved his French grandmother and you could feel her heart breaking as Emile and his mother leave.

The author does an amazing job of taking the characters on a journey through history starting in the 1960s. Emile is really in for a shock when he arrives in Atlanta. They arrive at his grandmother's house unannounced. I can't imagine what his American grandmother  must of thought when she opened the door. She had not spoken to her daughter in a very long time. I loved the scenes where Emile gets to know his grandmother. I kinda laughed when he tried his first peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It is like an everyday staple for Americans, but Emile had never had it.

As Emile tries to fit in at school, he finds out what it is like to be bullied. The kids make fun of his clothes and accent. He tries so hard to be liked but it is difficult. When he befriends Eternity Jones he finally has someone to talk to. I think Eternity was my favorite character. She was a young girl who was living a hard life. She is ferociously protective of her siblings and the author handles the abuse in a very delicate way that lets readers know Eternity  is strong. I think about the time she was growing up and how much responsibility she had. It was such a hardship but I think going over to Emile's house was a godsend for her. She spent a lot of time with his grandmother.

The story deals with hard subjects like abuse, racism and learning about the civil rights movement. I really enjoyed how the author handles each subject with knowledge and wisdom. It is hard to believe that these young children were faced with so much hurt, secrets and a longing to be accepted. Even long after Workd War II was over, there were still some facts that were painful to recall. This is a very intense emotional read that touches on faithfulness and God's  grace and mercy. Will Emile ever find out about his father? Can Eternity overcome her home life and stand up for what she believes in? One person can make a difference.  I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I received this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.