All Manner of Things

     BOOK REVIEW:   After Annie Jacobson's brother Mike enlists as a medic in the Army in 1967, he mails her the address of their long-estranged father. If anything should happen to him in Vietnam, Mike says, Annie must let their father know. 

In Mike's absence, their father returns to face tragedy at home, adding an extra measure of complication to an already tense time. Letter by letter, the Jacobsons must find a way to pull together as a family, regardless of past hurts. In the tumult of this time, Annie and her family grapple with the tension of holding both hope and grief in the same hand, even as they learn to turn to the One who binds the wounds of the brokenhearted.

     MY REVIEW:   This is the first book by Susie Finkbeiner that I have read so I can't compare it to her others. But I liked it, and will probably read more of her books. The story had a hometown feel to it, and the characters were all close and special to each other (except of course the estranged father). A good portion of the story is told through letters written mostly between Mike and Annie, and a few between others. It gave a deeper look at their lives and emotions. 

     One thing I especially remember from this book is a quote used to offer hope and encouragement to Annie. "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well'' by Julian of Norwich.  A message much more hopeful when repeated so many times. 

     Annie did a lot of growing in this book, much of it required by the war and Mike's involvement in it. I enjoyed seeing what she learned and how she grew from it. I really liked the security she had in her uncle, even before she realized it. He may have been a brusque employer, but he cared for her. 

     So much hurt occurs in this book: Mike's leaving, a grandfather dying, and various neighborhood sons lost in the war. But in the end, they find a way to keep on going, to accept what's happened, and look forward to seeing them again someday. 
     I enjoyed this book. It wouldn't say it's a terribly deep one, but it does have substance to it.

  I received a copy of this book from REVELL, and was not required to write a positive review.