The Marvelous Journey Home

If anyone has journeyed down the road of international adoption, they empathize with the author's every pen stroke. The book starts off with John describing a little girl who longs to be adopted after her best friend is adopted. He captures what this little girl was surely going through in heart-touching detail, having obviously been told first-hand what it was like to be so lonely, teetering on the verge of losing hope. The delicate feelings of many sweet children, as well as the see-saw emotions of the would-be mom and dad, who never gave up, are captured so vividly in this book. This book is based on actual experiences. Knowing that simply makes the tears of sadness and joy flow more freely as you live this experience. If you haven't experienced internation adoption, you just might find yourself Google'ing 'Russian Adoption' before you finish.

i really enjoyed reading this book and could barely put it down until i finished it. i would recommend this novel whether you are considering adoption or not. it is a wonderful story about the love of a family.

This book is a must-read for anyone considering adopting a child from overseas. It also is an eye-opener if you know someone who has. You will discover they've gone on a journey that may be marvelous but also was filled with emotionally draining setbacks and disappointments. But a warning to everyone else: After you finish this you might very well want to adopt a child yourself. The dedication, under a picture of four older girls and one younger one, foreshadows the joy and sorrow ahead: "For Marina, Svietta and the girl in the blue bandana. Three beautiful young woman who saw past the shards of their own shattered dreams, to find joy in the fulfillment of hope for a beloved younger sister in tribulation, who they would never see again in their lives. You will trouble my thoughts and dreams as long as I live." We follow the fictionalized account of Mike and Laura Knight (who have two sons of their own) as they adopt two girls from Russia (Katya and her younger sister, Luba, who lives in a different facility). John Simmons wisely begins the story with Katya at an orphanage in Partizansk. We feel her disappointment as a friend leaves and through one of the workers, Sofia, experience the mixture of hope and cynicism characterizing post-Soviet Union Russia. There are then some contrasting chapters between the orphanage and the Knights' life in America that create early drama. Once the adoption process is in full motion there is drama enough to carry us forward. There are also a few surprises for readers. Mike, we discover half way through the book, was a Mormon missionary to Brazil for a year when he was a young man. And Laura has a revelation about her own past that adds poignancy to the story. I love the cover but the title is too Walt Disney-ish (though it takes on added significance in the final chapters). Some description of the early adoption process seems as if it were out of a brochure, and the interaction between the couple at times feels sugar coated. But the children are real, real, real. And there is no doubt the author and his wife have experienced each stage of this process themselves. He speaks with absolute veracity. Why do we write? Sometimes it is for escapist pleasure or to discover some profound truth. But there is also the sharing of experiences that help us understand life a little better and appreciate the goodness of the human heart. That may not make for great literature, but it just might provide something more important. When we meet the children, through Mike and Laura, it is as if we are trying to assess what we see, do the right thing for the officials and pick up the Russian word or two that will allow us to connect with each girl. Even more interesting are the girls' first experiences being overwhelmed by too many choices and the couple's early attempts to exercise some parental control. Then there is Mike's mother dying of cancer back in the United States. Like the two girls she is, "...torn between two worlds, no

It has been some time since I have read a book that captured my emotions like Mr.Simmons "Marvelous Journey Home." The book captures the emotions of two little girls in Russia as well as those of a loving couple in the U. S., who are both wanting family togetherness. As the story progesses, it reveals the obstacles that must be overcome before the parents are finally united with their daughters. I highly recommend this wonderful book to anyone who is willing to pursue their dreams. Bill Jenson West Jordan, Utah

Marvelous Journey Home I loved this book! I found myself getting emotionally involved with each character (especially the children). I also enjoyed the beautiful parallels in the story; it seemed to take on such depth as it progressed. The end of the book really pulled everything together, giving a new meaning to the title "The Marvelous Journey Home." I would highly recommend this book to everyone!