by Cindy Woodsmall
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
ISBN-13: 978-1400072927
About the Book:
Hannah Lapp was born and raised in an Old Order Amish home, without
electricity, a telephone, or the right to follow her heart. Without her
parents’ knowledge, she’s been in love with Mennonite Paul Waddell for
years. When he asks her to marry him, she accepts, even though to do so
will cause her family to avoid her for the rest of her life.
Before Hannah and Paul reveal their relationship, tragedy strikes. In
one unwelcome encounter, all that Hannah has known and believed is
destroyed and she faces losing everything: her family, her fiance, and
even her faith in God.
My Thoughts:
I had a very hard time reading this book. The Amish books I've read, and there haven't been many, always show a loving supportive family who have a strong faith and a bond that seems to be tight. This book, When the Heart Cries, isn't like that. You have an abusive father who controls his family through fear. A wife afraid of her husband and children (even the older ones) afraid of their father.
Hannah Lapp has a desire to escape the Amish community she was raised in and promises to marry a young Mennonite man before he heads off to finish his last year of college. The day he leaves Hannah walks home after telling him goodbye and ends up being viciously raped. Even with that I thought the book would only get better but when she arrives home, in shock, torn and shaking - her mother collapses, her father swears her to silence - so he can decide if he is going to tell the Bishop and tells her it is not their way to seek revenge by contacting the police. Not even to save another girl from going through what Hannah went through.
To top it off, Hannah now feels that Paul isn't going to want her if he finds out what happened to her. She withdraws to the bedroom and the top floor of the house and it isn't until her brother gets into a car-buggy accident and she and her mother go to the hospital to help him that she finds out that she has rights as a woman. Her family turns against her and Hannah is in a tailspin....
I think it's obvious I didn't care for this book. I found it really hard to read - the father more than any other character in the book bothered me and I would of liked to see him taken down a peg or two. Personally I don't think I would put this book out around your kids - unless it's a book that you and your daughters are reading together - but please don't read this until your girls are at least 16 years old. It is definitely not for younger teens - but for older kids it would be a good opportunity to discuss women's rights, safety and what to do in a bad situation.
You can purchase this book on Paperback for $11.12 as a paperback. It's also available on Audio, CD, Audiobook, CD, Unabridged for $23.09 and as an Audible Audio Edition for $15.95 or FREE with a Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged (30 day trial)
Would you please rank my review - it only takes a moment and it helps me improve my reviews and get more books to review for you. Thanks!
When the Heart Cries by CIndy Woodsmall (Chapter 1) I was given a copy of When the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall as part of the Blogging For Books program. No money exchanged hands and I wasn't required to write a positive review.
I haven't read ANY Amish fiction yet (I DO have a title or two on my Kindle reader), but I can't imagine that all families are loving and supportive. We are all human, after all, no matter our religion :) Sometimes, though, a character or two is just so unlikable that, as a reader, the dislike extends to the entire story. It's happened to me as well - we just want to see them get a comeuppance, and we're so disappointed when they don't (in a way, that comeuppance would be the happy ending we all like to see).
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review!
( I came over from Cym's book review party)