Far Side of the Sea

In Search of Freedom #3

by Janice L. Dick

Bound by a secret and a promise, Danny and Rachel Martens immigrate to America from China via Germany in 1952. They settle into life in Oregon, and Danny's business flourishes. But memories and flashbacks from the Korean War plague his dreams.Their daughter, Diana, grows up restless and willful. The undeniable love of family and friends eases her troubles, but she is unwilling to give in to God's persistent tug on her life. Diana's unquenchable curiosity aggravates an already challenging journey. She travels to Austria for Bible college in 1970 and searches for her roots in her birth city of Berlin, where she discovers more than she bargained for. Why have her parents lied about her true identity all these years? Will this new revelation change the course of her life and alienate her from those she loves? And when does a promise become a curse?

Genres: Historical Fiction

338 pages, Paperback

Published July 22, 2019

About the author

Janice writes both historical fiction and contemporary cozies. Her two historical trilogies are The Storm Series and In Search of Freedom Series. The contemporary books, three so far, are the Happenstance Chronicles.

Besides writing, Janice loves to teach and mentor, sharing with others in a mutually beneficial manner.

In 2016, she received the first Janette Oke Award, presented by Inscribe Christian Writers Fellowship.

Janice lives on a farm on the Canadian prairies with her husband. They have three married children, their spouses, and eleven amazing grandkids.

Reviews

[Hope Slade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational tale of a family's journey to .freedom

I love historical fiction,especially when it revolves around spiritual journeys. This series of books is a wondrous story of a Mennonite family who lives in Russian and experiences the changes there as communism rose to power and how they changed and adjusted to their circumstances in their journey to freedom!! I highly recommend all 3 books in this series . All good elements of a story plot are used in each of the books, setting, strong characters, romance, good vs evil, etc. Also, I have always been fascinated by Russian history but this was a part I knew little about. Awesome story, lots of plot twists, emotional ups and downs, etc.. Read these books!!

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel and Danny get married and before they leave for America they are forced to make a promise that Rachel was reluctant to keep. However in regards to her husband's wishes she went along with the plan. Years later, their teenage daughter, Diana returned to Europe for a visit. While she was there she discovered the secret that her parents were keeping from her all these years. It was a very painful discovery and the only source for healing was found in Jesus. Life continued for the Martens family. One day, Danny brought Diana and her brothers to China and Russia to show them where he grew up. While they were in Russia they made a marvelous discovery that blessed the entire family. This was a heartwarming conclusion to an inspiring series.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the final book in the trilogy In Search of Freedom. It came to a satisfactory conclusion. There were times when I found it challenging to read because of some of the tragic circumstances mentioned in the book. However, those circumstances were handled sensitively. This trilogy is well worth adding to your goodreads list.

[Janet Sketchley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danny Martens, now a man, was an infant when his Mennonite parents fled the USSR to China in the 1930s. The refugees became farmers, then refugees again. At long last, they’re in a refugee camp in Germany—far from their promised destination in Oregon

Far Side of the Sea is book 3 in the In Search of Freedom trilogy, beginning in 1951 and spanning 40 years to bring this multi-generational family saga to a satisfying conclusion.

I appreciate the characters, especially Rachel and Luise. Despite their many hardships, these two women live a sincere faith. They don’t deny the pain, but they choose to let it press them closer to their Saviour. Danny carries trauma he won’t share with them, and in his anger at God he bears it alone.

With this novel, we move from a foreign setting to the western US, and from the 1950s (which are still in the historical genre) to 1990, which is recent enough for me to remember. Readers with longer memories will enjoy recognizing nods to their past.

While you could enjoy this novel as a stand-alone, I recommend beginning with book 1, Other Side of the River. Take time to savour the Martens family’s full experience. As difficult as parts of their journey are, there are also moments of laughter. And some well-turned phrases.

Some of my favourite lines from this book:

As Rachel watched Luise from day to day, the older woman grew more tired, more worn. But then, they all felt weary after years of homelessness, persecution and fear, as though their souls were getting thin.

He didn’t even say amen, because now that he’d begun a conversation with God, he didn’t think the dialogue was over. [Danny, after a brief, desperate prayer for help.]

“A broken heart does not heal quickly, but it does mend enough to allow us to live again.” [Brigette, another favourite character, who doesn’t appear often.]

Historical novelist Janice L. Dick has also written Calm Before the Storm, Eye of the Storm, and Out of the Storm, a Mennonite historical series set during the Russian Revolution. For more about the author and her work, visit janicedick.wordpress.com.

[Note: I received an advance review copy from the author. My opinions are my own.]

[Janice Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third and final book in my In Search of Freedom series, Far Side of the Sea brings the story to completion in the United States. Although emigration is successful, a family member returns to Europe to retrace her history and discovers secrets that change not only her life, but that of all the others in her family group. When does a promise become a curse?