The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold is my first five-star read of 2024!
As in her debut, Ms. Brunsvold uses intergenerational relationships between women as the framework for powerful storytelling. The Divine Proverb of Streusel explores several themes including the power of legacy and finding one's place in their family of origin.
Plot summary: Her father's devastating actions have Nikki questioning many things in life, and she 'runs away' to her late grandmother's farmhouse seeking time and space to think. There she discovers a handwritten notebook filled with German recipes, wise sayings, and quotes from the Biblical book of Proverbs. As she prepares the recipes, she forms connections to her ancestors, living family members, and the small farming community where generations of her paternal family called home.
This book touched my soul in many ways:
- farm life: I lived on our family farm from birth through age 18.
- Lutheran faith: My lifelong denomination (although I'm a different 'type' of Lutheran).
- German heritage: Both of my parents had rich German ancestry.
- Midwestern sensibility: There's a unique sense to life in the Midwest and the author embodies these rich qualities in her writing.
"Stories are the universal heart language. They bring together what is scattered." This quote from Streusel captures the power of books in general and this novel in particular. I'm so thankful for writers who share their stories so we readers can benefit from them.
Many thanks to Revell and NetGalley for the review copy of this beautiful novel. It's going to touch so many hearts as it did mine.
As in her debut, Ms. Brunsvold uses intergenerational relationships between women as the framework for powerful storytelling. The Divine Proverb of Streusel explores several themes including the power of legacy and finding one's place in their family of origin.
Plot summary: Her father's devastating actions have Nikki questioning many things in life, and she 'runs away' to her late grandmother's farmhouse seeking time and space to think. There she discovers a handwritten notebook filled with German recipes, wise sayings, and quotes from the Biblical book of Proverbs. As she prepares the recipes, she forms connections to her ancestors, living family members, and the small farming community where generations of her paternal family called home.
This book touched my soul in many ways:
- farm life: I lived on our family farm from birth through age 18.
- Lutheran faith: My lifelong denomination (although I'm a different 'type' of Lutheran).
- German heritage: Both of my parents had rich German ancestry.
- Midwestern sensibility: There's a unique sense to life in the Midwest and the author embodies these rich qualities in her writing.
"Stories are the universal heart language. They bring together what is scattered." This quote from Streusel captures the power of books in general and this novel in particular. I'm so thankful for writers who share their stories so we readers can benefit from them.
Many thanks to Revell and NetGalley for the review copy of this beautiful novel. It's going to touch so many hearts as it did mine.
