Review: Many Sparrows by Lori Benton
Many Sparrows by Lori Benton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Just amazing. Few books leave me walking away this flabbergasted, but this book was stunning.
Characters: Okay. Clare was so strong, so realistic, and so very heart-breakingly raw. She was no one-sided, shallow character that didn’t seem like an actual person, but she could’ve been one of the brave souls who had to travel across the wilds of America. Her desire and her passion to find her son was so beautiful and painful, and all she endured for him was such a lovely picture of a mother’s love. The relationship with Philip (first husband) was also well-presented – it’s hard to have another romance in the rest of the book when the tragedy has happened so close by. And now I have to talk about dear Jeremiah. What a brave man. Now, I would’ve wanted a little bit more of his story, given Clare’s side of things was presented more than his, but he was such a supportive and likable character. Through thick and thin, he was there for Clare, but he also wasn’t always conveniently there to do something for her. He wasn’t the fake boyfriend who always rescues the helpless woman – he acted like a real guy and showed up the the times and ways normal humans do. Excellent writing. And then all of the side characters … wow. I had some favorites, to be certain, and that cliffhanger at the end made me a little bit sad. That is, until I got the wonderful new that another book is about two of the characters!
Setting/Writing Style/Plot: I could probably talk about Lori Benton’s writing for a good half-hour, but she is the master of historical fiction. From all of the research to her absolutely beautiful prose, it’s an experience to read her books. The honesty and openness with which she writes as well as maintaining such beautiful descriptions, phrases, and words is just stunning throughout the entire book. And the setting … well, she can just take a reader and transport them all the way back to the 1700s and the wilderness. And for the plot – I had no idea how she was going to turn this plot into a long book, but she did it with perfect aplomb, and the story meandered through the forest through all sorts of twists and turns I did not expect. Absolutely wonderful.
Theme: Wow. Just wow. I haven’t read a book for quite a while that hit me as hard as this one, and it was beautiful. Throughout the book, Clare suffers so much and is always there to fight for what she thinks is rightfully hers (and is.) But there comes a point when she – and all of us – cannot do anything, and we have to sit back and let the Lord fight our battles. We have to know that He suffered far more than any of us when He died for us on the Cross, and He will work all things out for our good – and He will fight for us. He will win our battles, and when we rest in Him, all is right. The books says all of this and more much better than I did. This was no “mention God a couple of times and pray once” type of book – Benton brought the theme full circle, pointing the readers back to the Gospel in the face of suffering and fear.
Overall, such a stunning book, and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:13-14
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