The Looking Glass

The Locket Trilogy #2

by Richard Paul Evans

"It is silent now, the blizzard has paused and left the moment still. I think about them both at such times -- roaming the shadowlands of remembrance amidst the shards of my broken heart.""--Exerpt from Hunter Bell's diary

The winter storms of the wide-open frontier reflect the anguish raging in Hunter Bell, a minister who heads to Utah's gold-mining towns after his wife dies in childbirth. A man with nothing left ot loose, he plays the card tables for money to care for his youngs daughter back home. But in the heart of a driving blizzard, Hunter makes a shocking discovery --and begins to see that a life tested by unthinkable cruelty can still be rich with faith, love, and hope for a better tomorrow...

#1 bestselling author Richard Paul Evans steps back to the American Old West with this powerful novel of love and redemption, part of a trilogy that includes "The Locket" and "The Carousel.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Adult Fiction, Inspirational, Adult

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

When Richard Paul Evans wrote the #1 best-seller, The Christmas Box, he never intended on becoming an internationally known author. His quiet story of parental love and the true meaning of Christmas made history when it became simultaneously the #1 hardcover and paperback book in the nation. Since then, more than eight million copies of The Christmas Box have been printed. He has since written eleven consecutive New York Times bestsellers. He is one the few authors in history to have hit both the fiction and non-fiction bestseller lists. He has won several awards for his books including the 1998 American Mothers Book Award, two first place Storytelling World Awards, and the 2005 Romantic Times Best Women Novel of the Year Award. His books have been translated into more than 22 languages and several have been international best sellers.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

very complex and emotional..a story about surviving the Old West..(paperback!)

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The winter storms of the wide-open frontier reflect the anguish raging in Hunter Bell, a minister who heads to Utah's gold-mining towns after his wife dies in childbirth. A man with nothing left to lose, he plays the card tables for money to care for his young daughter back home. But in the heart of a driving blizzard, Hunter makes a shocking discovery --and begins to see that a life tested by unthinkable cruelty can still be rich with faith, love, and hope for a better tomorrow...

Richard Paul Evans' books rarely fail to impress, fill the reader with emotions, and inspire. Be sure to have a kleenex near when reading this one. This book touched my heart both spiritually and romantically. Both the main characters, Hunter and Quaye, are broken due to their pasts. Neither one feels there is any hope for the future and have lost the deep faith they held prior to their hurts. God brings them together to heal one another in the strangest of ways allowing them both second chances and a return to their faith. Evans is so insightful and portrays depth of emotions that many authors never come close to revealing. The excerpts from Hunter's diary at the beginning of each chapter let me know exactly what he was thinking and feeling. Evans' research into the entrance of Chinese and Irish immigrants during the growth of the West and the Irish potato famine displayed the history and racism of this time period expertly. I also loved the role the looking glass played in the storyline and how we see ourselves. My only minor complaint was that I felt Evans wrapped it up rather quickly in the epilogue. Wanted to hear more of what happened to Quaye after her move to Boston. I can't wait to read the last book in this trilogy.

FAVORITE QUOTES: (Way too many to include all the ones I loved!)
"Our false beliefs can be a chain to our souls. Only if we hold on to who we truly are can we be free. The danger is in the forgetting."

"It is not the looking glass that lies. Nowhere does man err more greatly than when he looks to see the relating of who he is.....We are worthy...Worth of life. Worthy of love. Worthy of kindness and gentleness. We are not some mistake of God or nature."

"...it occurred to him that with all his schooling in theology he had perhaps, missed the entire point of his studies, the very crux of the gospel he had professed to believe. That the measure of a person's heart, the barometer of good or evil, was nothing more than the extent of their willingness to choose life over death. That the path of God was, simply, the path of life, abundent and eternal."

"For what was true for Hunter and Quaye is true for all: that the salvation of man is only in and through love. And where there is love, there God resides."

[Nandi Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to read a story about a woman in historical times who survived the odds somehow in spite of the limitations, then this is the book for you. It's about a wayward preacher who hurt by the death of his wife after giving birth to their child, leaves his home in Pennsylvania and heads west becoming a gambler and handy with the gun. One night outside his home just by chance, he hears what he thought was an animal but was actually a woman in distress. Piqued and shocked that this could be, he takes her, gets her well and falls in love with her. Sadly at the same time, she has a husband who is a sorry piece of work and though attracted to this man, feels honor bound to her husband. A real sweet and lovely novel that remains one of my favorites. U am a fan of Richard Paul Evan's works. They are wholesome, tasteful and you cannot help but feel for the characters involved.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hunter Bell, a minister turned gambler, finds a woman left for dead in the snow outside his cabin, he takes her in to rescue her.

Favorite Quote:

"If Jak can convince you that your existence was worthless to the one who gave you life, he will win the battle in subjecting you to his whim. Our false beliefs can be a chain to our souls. Only if we hold on to who we truly are can we be free. The danger is in the forgetting."
Quaye looked shaken. 'Those were my father's last words to me. If I would remember who I am...'
'I can't know what went through your father's mind as he gave you up. Maybe your father knew what kind of man Jak was, maybe he didn't, but it is likely that he knew that there was no other way to help you. So he did what he had to do to give you a chance at life.'
Hunter looked out into the starry night. 'We do not see things in this life as they really are---only as we believe they are. It is as written in the Bible, we see through a glass darkly---but no glass is so dark, I think, as the looking glass in which we view ourselves.'
'A looking glass cannot lie,' Quaye said. 'It is just polished glass.'
'It is not the looking glass that lies. Nowhere does man err more greatly than when he looks to see the reality of who he is.'
'And who are we?'
Hunter looked into her soft eyes. "We are worthy, Quaye. Worthy of life. Worthy of love. Worthy of kindness and gentleness. We are not some mistake of God or nature.'
'Until you can see yourself worthy of love, you will forever be chained. Not by Jak, or any man, but by your own perception.'
p 212-213

[Cheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book both pleased and dismayed me. I adore Rick as an author; his most recent works touch my heart in ways no other written words ever have. But this book is nowhere near the quality of his later works.

In its way, this gives me hope. We ALL grow as authors. Rick grew, too. I understand that 7 years ago the rules were different. But the only reason I got to the heart of the story was because I skimmed the first third of the book. There's so much exposition, so much tell rather than show, it wasn't until the primary characters began to interact that the book got interesting.

And then he took the two star crossed lovers, once they'd finally found one another, and tore them apart forever! Grrr. That's not really happily ever after to me.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked this book. could hardly put it down. Very well-written.
**Spoilers**
HOWEVER, I read this a week or so ago & STILL cannot get over that Hunter dies in the end. Especially right after all the promises he made to Quaye. I RE-wrote the ending in my head & he recovers after all & they both move and then get his daughter & have another daughter & son as well. And they lived Happy Ever After. THE END. So there.

[Sonia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been enjoying Richard Paul Evans' books. I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn't for me. It was slow and not a book I could get into. His others have held my interest and I've stayed up late trying to finish, but not this one.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good

[Christine Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was really good, combining both historical facts but romance and conflicts

[Amanda Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Looking Glass is the sequel to The Locket. Being the second book in this trilogy, it is very different from the first and honestly would make a wonderful stand-alone novel. You do not have to read the first book in order to understand the second.

Set in the wild west - 1857 Utah, the main characters you meet in this lovely tale are ex-Preacher Hunter Bell - a man haunted by tremendous loss in his life, leading to a deterioration of faith and leaving his ministry behind. As well as an Irish woman named Quaye McGandley, who was given away in marriage to a ruthless and abusive American man by her father, as an attempt to save his daughter's life during the years of the potato famine. The way Hunter and Quaye's two very different worlds collide is a heart-wrenching but oh-so-beautiful tale.

I was worried at certain points in the story that there may be some loose ends in the relationships between characters that would be problematic (for obvious Christian reasons), as was I also concerned that there wouldn't be a inspirational redemption story for our main man Hunter Bell. However, this book exceeded my expectations and quickly quelled my fears as I realized all loose ends had been tied and the redemption Richard Paul Evans set in play for not just Hunter but for Quaye as well, left me fully satisfied and very teary-eyed. The ending was very unexpected and I love that it wasn't just your "run of the mill" love-story.

Also, who else really loves the journal entries of our main characters in this series? Because here's a really beautiful example of one entry before chapter fifteen:

"There are those who deny the existence of God and there are those who have witnessed too much to deny the unseen world, and deny themselves of the love of God. In this I am the most hopeless of men. For there is not much hope to be found in hating God, if you believe in Him. And there is not much future in it." pg. 158

So please, pick up this book because I really loved it! One of my favorites this year!

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite an extremely sad and unexpected ending, I loved this book. (ummmm hello….you see who the Author is….of course I loved it) Set in a a town called Bethel, a small gold camp in western Utah in 1857 (50 years prior to the arrival of Esther Huish from The Locket). It's a love story, as well as a story of redemption, between a minister turned gambler and a young Irish woman sold into slavery as a teenager. It's a story of two completely broken people who find each other and in so doing become whole.

[Cinderella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different from book one The Locket. This story is the wild and wooly west one hundred years before.

[Katie W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all of Richard Paul Evans books that I've read so far, this one taught me a lot, contained important truths and life lessons, and certain parts touched me deeply. Words are powerful things. I realized that often it's easier to believe/see the truth about others than it is to see the truth about yourself (we are often our own worst critic or worst enemy) and to stay true to who you are takes a lot of courage. We are all worthy of love. God loves everyone of us and gives us life. Lies in general and about yourself will hold you captive but the truth will set you free.

Especially in the midst of evil, challenging, hard, and tragic circumstances, it's important to remember and cling to what is true, right, loving, beautiful, and good in this life. And for those who have believe in God and accept Christ's sacrifice, heaven waits and the best is yet to come.

[Gerri · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of this book was very slow and boring. Once you hit the half way point it picked up steam and the story began.

I have a hard time reading anything regarding abuse and or discrimination no matter what time frame it took place so this was tough for me to read.

I was also disappointed in the ending. After reading this whole book I want the happily ever after which doesn't happen.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book about the gold rush, but this one was a lot better than Daughter of Fortune. It has a sweet love story. I really liked it.

[Jana · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book rally depressed me. I thought the whole idea of getting married on her death bed was sad and pointless. Plus, I don't think a preacher can perform his own wedding.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazing book! I didn't want it to end. heartwrenching story of loss, faith, and true love. I couldnt put it down.

[Barbara Frayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good author

[Neil Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard Paul Evans is one of my favorite authors. He is very good at descriptions that make you feel like you are right in the middle of whatever story he is weaving. In this case, you really got a feel for what it was like to live in a gold rush town in the wild west. The characters of Hunter and Quay were well developed, and you really got inside their heads. Hunter was a flawed character, who, nevertheless, was noble and good, for the most part, and who we could relate to. Their romance was handled a little awkwardly and felt a bit rushed, but you were definitely rooting for them to get together. Evans certainly doesn't shy away from some harsh, brutal content in his novels, and his descriptions in this novel of such things as domestic violence, xenophobia and vigilante justice certainly gave you less than a romanticized view of the old west. But it certainly made the novel feel realistic. One thing I found very hard to accept was the ending, where Hunter senselessly dies. Was Evans trying to copy Nicholas Sparks at that point in his career? Developing a a beautiful relationship through the whole book between the main characters and making you care about them, only to slam you with a tearjerker ending where one of the characters gets killed off? Thankfully, most of Evans' later romantic novels have happier endings. I don't necessarily need every book I read to have a happy ending. But in this case, there was no reason for Hunter to die. If he had died defending Quay or his Chinese friends, then his death would at least have had some meaning. But he just died at the hands of a lynch mob, being shot by Quay's loathsome husband Jack, without even the opportunity to defend himself. If you're going to have your main character die, causing 90% of your readers to hurl your book across the room in frustration, at least have his death mean something! Otherwise, this was an engaging novel that kept you on the edge of your seat throughout.

[Jessika Hoover · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved Richard Paul Evans' The Christmas Box, so when I saw that my mom had a copy of this, I figured I'd give it a try. I've been in the mood for heartwarming, cheesy, Hallmark-ish books. I was really hoping that this would leave me with one of those dopey smiles on my face, but for me this book was just okay, so I was pretty disappointed.

This story just never really grabbed me. On a positive note, it really does have a unique storyline, so Evans gets points in my book for originality. It just fell flat for me because I never really felt any connection to the characters. I did truly despise Jak, and Evans does a good job at making him horrific, but at the same time, well-written villains are those you can also sympathize with.

Also, the story took F-O-R-E-V-E-R to get anywhere. Our main characters don't meet each other until almost halfway through the book. I understand that an author has to build up a sort of background to his story, but seriously, the first half was boring.

I admit that I was bummed that this story fell flat for me, but I could have put all of that aside. The one thing that really drove me nuts and took off some points was the feeling that Evans wrote this with his thesaurus in hand. Now, don't get me wrong. I am all for expanding my vocabulary and using words besides "good" and "nice" to describe things. But when it feels like an author is taking too much time to go out of his way to pick a word, it really detracts from the story.

This is a nice, quick read--perfect for an afternoon of casual reading. I can't say that I completely disliked this because there were redeeming qualities. I never felt like I wanted to put this book down and forget about it. I thought the ending was sweet, and I'm glad how Quaye's story turned out. I just wish there was more that I enjoyed about this one.

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book from the Locket trilogy. It really doesn't seem to have much to do with the first book besides the Bethel, Utah connection but you never know with Evans.

This is the story of Hunter Bell and Quaye. They both have a storied past with things that bring them into each other's lives which I view as a God thing. They help each other deal with problems they face in their current situation. They leave each other, come back to each other, and then face what we all face, the end of this life much too quickly in some cases.

This story takes place in the 1850s with the search for gold, in this case in Utah. Hunter has come to Utah as a former preacher after his wife died in childbirth. He is disillusioned with God. He heads West to search for gold, gamble at cards, and drink.

Quaye is from Ireland. She is sold to Jak who takes her to the United States and abuses her. She escapes in a snowstorm after one of the many abusive episodes. Hunter finds her barely alive and nurses her back to health. Jak isn't gone though.

Good story. I am waiting for the third book to connect the story.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised to discover that this book is part of a trilogy. I assumed all of Evan's books were stand alone stories. To be honest, this book could easily be read on its own as the only thing it really shares is the location and a small connection that is revealed only toward the end.

I enjoy historical fiction and admit that I rather enjoy living in today's time period than in the hurly-burly days of the prospector/adventurer in Utah in the mid 1800s. The story is interesting and has a few nice twists and turns. I really enjoyed the incorporation of the Chinese immigrants into the story and how much they added to the story, showing that each part of this unusual partnership turned out to yield great benefits and friendship.

[Dréya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly should read the books descriptions before starting them but its RPE! This book started off differently and you must focus on the title of the chapters as it introduces you to the characters or storyline change. This book is set in the 1850's gold rush era and tells a love story that you didn't see coming. You have a pastor that is running from something, stubbles upon gold and creates a city. You have a woman that was "sold" to a man who treated her like property that he could care less about. Some kind of way the Lord brings these two together but there is a lot of hurt and apprehension they are both suffering from. Allow this storyline to capture you and make you hate to set the book down. It's a great read!

[Sally Mander · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars, Love finds you anywhere

THE LOOKING GLASS (THE LOCKET #2)
by Richard Paul Evans

A wonderfully detailed novel of the gold rush in Bethel, Utah, with complex characters who live there.

Hunter Bell is a disillusioned former pastor whose only desire is to be left alone.

Quaye is a severely abused and helpless young Irish woman with no prospects.

These two join together and become an unstoppable force.

Highly recommend. I read a hardcover, withdrawn library copy, and I love it.

#thelookingglass #thelocketseries #historicalfiction #favoritebooks #coverlove #triggerwarning #Ireland #Utah #Pennsylvania #claddaghring #richardpaulevans

[Kelli Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read...but a good one!

I loved the story taking place in the gold rush period but also involving a girl who was a victim of horrible economic times in Ireland.

This was not a fairy tale where everything goes well for everyone, but that allowed a simple story to have more depth, more reality. The story looked at several different groups of people and issues of the time that can also apply today....racism, children without homes, religion, etc.

I enjoyed the characters, the topography, the historical value.

I definitely recommend this book.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Richard Paul Evans writes a simple story, one that always includes faith. In this book, Preacher Hunter Bell has had heartache. His wife died as did his faith in God. So Hunter leaves his infant daughter in others' care and makes his way west by playing cards. He makes enemies yet no friends for he keeps a solitary life. He finds gold and stakes a claim in Utah. In that little town he finds friendship, love and his faith restored. The ending is somewhat surprising but the book reads more like a script to a tv show than a thought-filled novel.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me want to share it with my husband and son. It centered on the story of a man, Hunter. Very “masculine” reading taking place in the mid to late 1800’s: saloon brawls, guns and rifles, abusive husband, revenge, Irish girl sold to American man in order to give her a better chance for a better life, etc. It also has a great love story in it and as is usual for Richard Paul Evans, it has plenty of inspiring quotes the reader might want to write down, so keep a notebook nearby.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not embarrassed (maybe a smidge) to say that I enjoyed this wayyyyyy more than I ever though I would if could. I always thought I hated Hallmark movies, and this year I'm beginning to realize I might be wrong about myself. This is both a Hallmark movie and a Western (which I didn't think I liked) taking place during the gold rush all rolled into one page turning tale with a sparkly cover if you find the hardcover like I did from an old shop. Sigh. Now I must find more. Dang it, RPE!!!

[Ginger Davenport · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story from my very favorite author! Set in the late 1800s in a gold mining camp, the book tells the story of two souls whose difficult pasts muddy their views of themselves and God. It is a story of redemption—a picture of the healing power of sacrificial love…a story of learning to lean into grace by viewing ourselves from the looking glass of God, and how in realizing how much He loves us we can be transformed.

[Cindy Feigert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book held my interest from the very beginning. The two main characters, Hunter and Quaye, were well defined and sympathetic. It was not the ending I would have picked for them, but considering the time period it was probably realistic. I felt I learned a little more about the period in our country when gold fever over took its citizens. A quick and satisfying read.