Siri Mitchell - It Doesn't Get Much Better Than That! ~ The Messenger

Revolutionary War. Spies. Quakers. A rogue pub owner. And Siri Mitchell. Put those combinations together and you really can’t get much better than that.

            One of the things I value in a novel by Siri Mitchell is her extreme attention to detail. Her novels are a wonder and treasure trove, not only of the history of the era, but how much it becomes an intricate player in the book. Twining through a novel filled with 18^th century espionage, is a glimpse into a world too often darkened to today’s reader.

            Hannah and Jeremiah are complete opposites. Hannah with her strict adherence to never tell a lie and yet…she has become a colonial spy. And Jeremiah, who must again come into contact with the moral scruples he has lost track of.

            Both of these characters are so strong on the page. Rising from the refuse of their present circumstance, the difference they want to make pulled me into the story. I became a part of their lives, not just in the extreme storytelling, but as a partner in their endeavors.

            Written in first person, as a reader, I was given an intimate glimpse into both characters lives. Their turmoil and victories. And I will say, that was one ending that came right down to the wire, I wasn’t sure just how it would be cleared up peaceably.

            I’d have loved a teensy bit more romance, just because I’m that kinda reader, but overall, a wonderful addition to my SM collection!

            This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review through CFBA.

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More about the novel and author...

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Messenger Bethany House Publishers (March 1, 2012) by Siri Mitchell


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.


But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a speaker and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.


Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Hannah Sunderland felt content in her embrace of the Quaker faith


...until her twin brother ran off and joined the army and ended up captured and in jail. Suddenly Hannah's world turns on end. She longs to bring her brother some measure of comfort in the squalid, frigid prison where he remains. But the Quakers believe they are not to take sides, not to take up arms. Can she sit by and do nothing while he suffers?


Jeremiah Jones has an enormous task before him. Responsibility for a spy ring is now his, and he desperately needs access to the men in prison, whom they are seeking to free. A possible solution is to garner a pass for Hannah. But while she is fine to the eye, she holds only disdain for him--and agreeing would mean disobeying those she loves and abandoning a bedrock of her faith.


With skill and sensitivity, Mitchell tells a story of two unlikely heroes seeking God's voice, finding the courage to act, and discovering the powerful embrace of love.


If you would like to read the first chapter of The Messenger, go HERE.