Though Waters Roar

Going into reading Though Waters Roar, I had never read a Lynn Austin book. After reading this impeccably written piece of Christian fiction though, I am a fan! Though Waters Roar has every element of a good book. Writing Lynn Austin writes really well. I was convinced of this by pages 10-11 where the following sentences won me over: " I was a keen observer, however, absorbing everything that went on around me as I began drawing a map of my life....My map was still just a pencil sketch, to be sure. In later years I would embellish it as each new experience added details to the picture." Plot Development Though Water Roars is not a book that focuses solely on one character. There are a few different characters as the main voice depending on the chapter being read, and a few more people are reflected on in a less intense manner. In some books this can be problematic, but it felt perfectly natural in this volume. The book starts off with the character of Harriet, and through her remembrances we travel through the life of her Grandma Bebe during the Civil War onward, then through her mother's youth at the height of the Victorian Age. Each woman has a common bond of trying to find their purpose in life, though each does it at varying stages and depths. The Christian Perspective Many Christian fiction volumes feature characters who pray openly in the book and talk about God, and I love these books, but sometimes it seems many of them take Christianity no deeper than that. Though Waters Roar does. It is not a book that features strategically placed Bible verses and mentions of Jesus to pass as Christian, it actually focuses on spirituality and being open to receiving God and finding our purpose in life through following him even when it means making tough decisions because they are the right decisions. A Christian storyline like that really makes a book stay with you longer. Since finishing Though Waters Roar I have meditated many times on thoughts that the book spawned. I don't think there is anything better a book can do for a person than entertain them and inspire thoughts, especially thoughts of God and faith, at the same time. I give Though Waters Roar a hearty recommendation as an inspiring and faithful read. Disclosure: I read an ARC copy of this book provided to me by the publisher, Bethany House. Receiving this ARC copy does not influence the opinions above which are my own entirely.

. . . LYNN AUSTIN seems to stand head & shoulders above all living American authors of Christian Fiction today. I do not know if I can extend any greater complement to an author. . . Christian authors have been an uphill struggle for me, because there are so many problematic issues with the genre. There are popular authors and bestselling authors, who are either skirting all the boundaries of the designation "Christian" or who are actually authors attempting to slip New Age or unChristian doctrines into their novels, so as to pass them off on the reading public. The other problem with the genre is unimaginative dialogue, technical errors of all kinds and contrary and inconsistent character development. (Forgive me please if I dwell on the topic, but I have just completed three novels of "Christian Fiction," and rather than review them all in honesty, I prefer to simply skip them, and forget them.) Then I discovered LYNN AUSTIN. From the first pages she is a breath of fresh air. . Her dialogue elicits interest from the first chapter. Her characters are lively, and show a full spectrum of human traits. Austin manages to lift them above the all--too--common Passive Agressive or Shy personalities which, sheep like, get passed off as "Christian". Austin's characters show a broad experience in life, and vibrate with the warmth of living and imperfect human beings. . . . I was actually wondering, when I picked up "Though Waters Roar" if there were any Christians in America who could actually write with intelligence, build lively and interesting characters that did not vacillate between depression, or an untoward shyness, or wallowing in so much Self Pity, that they serve as the very antithesis of the designation "Christian" and whose authors are trying to pawn off to readers as typifying a chaotic variation on the meaning of "spirituality". . . . Austin's characters demonstrate a realism that is at one and the same time, frightening and funny, which is, as one thinks about it, precisely what the experience of Life is all about. It is funny at times, and very frightening at others. As Austin shows her characters, the reader is able to see them as real folks, doing what real folks do. They function with amused indifference, take chances, or show spiritual discernment and intense spritual dedication. They can laugh at themselves, and appear modest only in some contexts, while permitting themselves to speak out on social issues. They do not show so much timidity, as many such characters appear in Christian Fiction, that they appear to be emulating humanoid sheep, moreso than Men and Women. . . . I like a writer with the guts to say something. . . . Furthermore, I like Austin because she isn't just writing a

I have always enjoyed Lynn Austin's books and Though Waters Roar is no exception. I would agree with another reviewer, that the story started out slowly. Yet I feel that Austin was setting the background for the book and showing the strength of the main character, Harriet. Harriet stuck to her marriage althought enduring difficult circumstances. Would a young woman in today's society, show such strenth to stay with her marriage? In doing so, it gave Harriet the strength to deal with another love in her life. The story shares a great relationship with Grandmother, Beatrice and grandmother passes along her strengths and relationships within her life. Yes, it does flop back and forth between generations, but in my opinion, it is not at all confusing. Well worth reading and recommended for church libraries.

Lynn Austin's newest novel, Though Waters Roar, tells the stories of four generations of women and their quests to find meaning and purpose in their lives. Set in Pennsylvania and spanning from 1848 to 1920, this novel captures these four women's struggles and triumphs during several significant events in history, including the Underground Railroad movement, the Civil War, the Woman's Suffrage campaign, War World I, and Prohibition. Within the first few pages of this book, I knew I was reading a novel crafted by a talented, veteran writer. The story's beautiful prose, profound and diverse characters, and rich historical landscape immediately captured my attention and kept my curiosity throughout. With Austin's careful pacing and the twists and turns she sprinkles throughout this novel, I found myself drawn more and more into the story as it developed. What I especially liked about this book was the reflective, spiritual messages Austin weaves in the characters' actions and dialogue, encouraging me to further grow in my walk with Christ. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of reviewing it.

"As I said before, Grandma Bebe never did tell a story in a straight line like the chapters in a book. Following the thread of her sagas was like chasing a startled rabbit through the woods -- you never knew when it was going to turn and head in a new direction." This novel's main character, Harriet, spends the majority of the story reflecting from a jail cell on conversations she's had throughout her life with her mother and grandmother (whom she feels will be particularly disappointed in her reasons for being incarcerated). As she states later in the book, Harriet comes from a long line of heroines that have fought for various causes. She harbors the desire to be a heroine herself, but feels like all the battles have been won by the generations before her. Covering the topics of slavery, the underground railroad, the civil war, alcoholism, depression, prohibition, women's suffrage ... and more, this book spans four generations of women and the struggles they faced in their society and in their marriages. Masterfully woven into their lives is the analogy of water. The beauty of a waterfall reflects the "swept away" feeling of a young couple from two very different lives caught up in love. Unfortunately, the destructive force of water breaking apart a dam - long been beaten against by too much rain ... seems to greatly match the turmoil within the civil war veteran husband. Beautifully done! Along the way, the three generations of women before her have found peace with their circumstances by trusting God to lead them in the right way to help others, and to face their own fears whenever bucking the system became necessary. Harriet has the desire to follow in their footsteps, but does she have the right motivation? And will Tommy O'Reilly help to change her mind about men? (I won't spoil the fun of finding out on your own.) This is a wonderfully written book, and one I would highly recommend to others!