Where We Belong

     BOOK REVIEW:   In the city of Chicago in 1892, the rules and expectations for Victorian women are strict, their roles in life limited. But sisters Rebecca and Flora Hawes are not typical Victorian ladies. Their love of adventures and their desire to use their God-given talents have taken them out of society ballrooms and delivered them to the Sinai Desert---and into the teeth of a sandstorm.
     Accompanied by Soren Peterson, their somber young butler, and Kate Rafferty, a plucky street urchin learning to be their lady's maid, the two women are on a quest across the desert, chasing rumors of an important biblical manuscript.
     As the expedition becomes ever more dangerous and uncertain, all four travelers sift through memories and adventures of their past, recalling the events that shaped them and the journeys and providence that brought them to this very time and place.

     MY REVIEW:  The caption of this book really caught my attention---two Victorian ladies traveling through the Sinai Desert to an isolated monastery in search of ancient Bible manuscripts. Not to mention they are traveling with no husbands, fathers, brothers, or even trusted friends; just their young and unconventional butler and lady's maid who can't even get along with each other. Yup, definitely a book that promises to be interesting.
     Lynn did a lovely job of switching between past and present, keeping it easy to follow yet not over-simplified. The flashbacks were more of the story than the actual present, but I really liked that she kept it chronological. She gives us the background of the two ladies, yet this allows her to jump between events without feeling like that's what she's doing. She covers a lot of years, only landing on the bigger events. It's also more interesting than just reading through their lives.
     I didn't really like Rebecca's character very well at first. She felt adventurous to a fault, being more interested in satisfying her craving for travel while Flora was the one who actually did something to help the poor people they met. But as the story progressed and Rebecca matured a little, she started to grow on me.
     I liked Flora's character though. She was more caring, and started many missions, including Sunday School classes for the poor, and an orphanage. She and Rebecca were quite wealthy, and gave substantially to the poor. (If you'll notice, however, being a story, they never ran out or low of money, and were always living in a lovely mansion. :) You gotta love story life.
     Lynn Austin has authored several books, some of which I liked and others I didn't. I've read her REFINER'S FIRE series (A Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, and A Light to my Path) and some of All She Ever Wanted. Other of her books are Waves of Mercy, On This Foundation which is Biblical Fiction, and While We're Apart. You can find the rest of her books either by Googling her or searching her website: http://lynnaustin.org/books/.

  I received a copy of this book from BETHANY HOUSE per their blogger program, and was only asked to write an honest review.