Helpful Score: 1
Liar's Winter
By Cindy K. Sproles
I read the author's first book Mercy's Rain and could not wait to read this one! She is an incredibly talented writer that not only entertains but rivets your heart and mind to the story, bringing home incredible biblical truths.
The Appalachians and the unique people that live there have long fascinated me. Ms. Sproles was raised in the Appalachian mountains so her stories have a realism inherent from understanding the people, their ways, and their traditions.
Lochiel Ogle was born in the Tennessee mountains during the late 1800's. Through no fault of her own, she had a large red birth mark on her face and neck. The superstition of the hills deemed it a âmark of the devil.â Due to the fear associated with this belief she suffered isolation and abuse by her adopted family.
As a young boy, her brother Gerald came upon the cabin where her mother had just given birth to her. The mother, in deep sleep was assumed dead by the boy. He was hoping a baby would ease his mother's grief from the babies she had lost. Of course because of the mark, the infant was rejected and became a young woman filled with anger, hurt and confusion. She truly believed the curse and that the devil controlled her.
When she was 19 years old her brother tried to kill her and left her for dead. A compassionate Christian man named Walton found her and took her to his elderly mother, Edna. There for the first time in her life Lochiel, experienced love, kindness, acceptance and nurturing. While these were all very important needs, the greatest gift Edna gave her was to introduce her to God and His Word. Gently and lovingly she began to teach Lochiel that there was no curse and that she was not evil. Slowly Edna's Christ like ways and teachings began to change Lochiel. It brought home that what we see has a horrible situation is God working to bless us.
This is an incredible story of forgiveness and love beyond what most of us cannot even begin to grasp. I saw God's power working in Lochiel's life in unimaginable ways. Suspense and surprise do not even begin to describe this novel. You will not be able to put it down! If you only read one fiction book this year, this is the one!
I received this book from Kregel Publishing. This is an honest review and the opinions stated are my own.
By Cindy K. Sproles
I read the author's first book Mercy's Rain and could not wait to read this one! She is an incredibly talented writer that not only entertains but rivets your heart and mind to the story, bringing home incredible biblical truths.
The Appalachians and the unique people that live there have long fascinated me. Ms. Sproles was raised in the Appalachian mountains so her stories have a realism inherent from understanding the people, their ways, and their traditions.
Lochiel Ogle was born in the Tennessee mountains during the late 1800's. Through no fault of her own, she had a large red birth mark on her face and neck. The superstition of the hills deemed it a âmark of the devil.â Due to the fear associated with this belief she suffered isolation and abuse by her adopted family.
As a young boy, her brother Gerald came upon the cabin where her mother had just given birth to her. The mother, in deep sleep was assumed dead by the boy. He was hoping a baby would ease his mother's grief from the babies she had lost. Of course because of the mark, the infant was rejected and became a young woman filled with anger, hurt and confusion. She truly believed the curse and that the devil controlled her.
When she was 19 years old her brother tried to kill her and left her for dead. A compassionate Christian man named Walton found her and took her to his elderly mother, Edna. There for the first time in her life Lochiel, experienced love, kindness, acceptance and nurturing. While these were all very important needs, the greatest gift Edna gave her was to introduce her to God and His Word. Gently and lovingly she began to teach Lochiel that there was no curse and that she was not evil. Slowly Edna's Christ like ways and teachings began to change Lochiel. It brought home that what we see has a horrible situation is God working to bless us.
This is an incredible story of forgiveness and love beyond what most of us cannot even begin to grasp. I saw God's power working in Lochiel's life in unimaginable ways. Suspense and surprise do not even begin to describe this novel. You will not be able to put it down! If you only read one fiction book this year, this is the one!
I received this book from Kregel Publishing. This is an honest review and the opinions stated are my own.
Liar's Winter is a powerful story written by an equally powerful storyteller. Cindy K. Sproles writes with a fresh voice in Christian fiction and spins a mesmerizing, character-driven tale as hauntingly beautiful as its Smoky Mountain setting.
From the time in my youth when I read Catherine Marshall's Christy, I've been drawn to Appalachian settings, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's a combination of elements â for instance, the raw beauty of an untamed land â isolated, an area unto itself â and the naiveté, superstition and innocence of its people. The lyrical voice of Sproles captures the essence of late nineteenth-century Appalachia and its people in this story of faith and redemption. The dialect and ungrammatical language of the mountain people is easy to follow, even bringing back memories of my own north Georgia ancestry.
If a character has ever stolen my heart, it's Lochiel. With her horrifying background of abuse, brokenness and abandonment, concepts of love, trust, tenderness and caring are unimaginable to her. Liar's Winter is raw and gritty, just like Lochiel's life. But contrasted with that is Lochiel's moving response to honesty, compassion, and grace.
I'm more of a fan of drama than suspense and adventure; but although those elements are present, they fit the storyline. Strong secondary characters like Walton, Edna and Silas also captured my heart. Liar's Winter is a story of prejudice and choices; it's not a light read, but a compelling and memorable one. Highly recommended.
I was provided a free copy of this book from Kregel Publications. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
From the time in my youth when I read Catherine Marshall's Christy, I've been drawn to Appalachian settings, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's a combination of elements â for instance, the raw beauty of an untamed land â isolated, an area unto itself â and the naiveté, superstition and innocence of its people. The lyrical voice of Sproles captures the essence of late nineteenth-century Appalachia and its people in this story of faith and redemption. The dialect and ungrammatical language of the mountain people is easy to follow, even bringing back memories of my own north Georgia ancestry.
If a character has ever stolen my heart, it's Lochiel. With her horrifying background of abuse, brokenness and abandonment, concepts of love, trust, tenderness and caring are unimaginable to her. Liar's Winter is raw and gritty, just like Lochiel's life. But contrasted with that is Lochiel's moving response to honesty, compassion, and grace.
I'm more of a fan of drama than suspense and adventure; but although those elements are present, they fit the storyline. Strong secondary characters like Walton, Edna and Silas also captured my heart. Liar's Winter is a story of prejudice and choices; it's not a light read, but a compelling and memorable one. Highly recommended.
I was provided a free copy of this book from Kregel Publications. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Carol F. (cactusflowerwomen) reviewed Liar's Winter: An Appalachian Novel on + 628 more book reviews
Excellent historical fiction about Applachia.
