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Tuesday, December 27, 2016

MATTIE'S PLEDGE by JAN DREXLER

I love reading books set in the 1800s. You can get a sense of how tough it was to survive during this time period by the great description the author provides. I can't imagine traveling for  days in a wagon filled with all your belongings. The terrain is rough in areas and dust blowing around certainly didn't add any comfort to the trip. The story is well written and I felt like I was sitting in the wagon with Mattie and her family.

It will be a new adventure for Mattie as her family decides to move from Pennsylvania to Indiana. Have you ever moved to a different state? For Mattie she is looking forward to the move but saddened that her sister Annie will not be going with the family. Annie and her husband Christopher have decided to stay in Pennsylvania. I could feel the sadness that swept over the family as they soon would be leaving without their sweet Annie. It is always hard on parents to see one of their children start a new life. I could sense that Christopher was determined that he would not move his family. I really liked his character and thought he was a good family man.

Mattie will learn along the way that there are many choices to be made. As the wagon train grows, Mattie is reunited with an old friend. Jacob and his family have joined the group in hopes of a better life. Does Jacob know that Mattie has always been smitten with him? I found Mattie's character to be a dreamer and looking ahead for something better. She is smart and wants to get out of her rut of day to day routines. Will the new land they are traveling to be just what she is looking for? i can't imagine what it was like to be stuck on the road for days with no real place to sleep comfortably at night. When we go camping I usually stay awake all night. I hear strange sounds and always think some  big animal is going to attack us.

The story is very interesting and takes you on a journey with families looking for new beginnings and a better life. I loved how the author portrayed Mattie struggling with her faith. Is she mad at God because she doesn't think He is listening to her? Sometimes we find out that the things we thought we really wanted, wasn't what we needed to be happy. The story also deals with forgiveness in a very compassionate way. Do you find it hard to forgive someone who has hurt you? I loved the story and found myself so caught up in Mattie's story that I didn't put the book down till I finished it.

I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads Program. The review is my own opinion and I was not compensated for it.

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