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Loading... All for a Song (edition 2013)by Allison Pittman
Work InformationAll for a Song by Allison Pittman
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. What a pleasant surprise! This is the first Allison Pittman book I've read, and I really didn't know what to expect. I picked it up because I was interested in reading some 1920s comparative fiction, and I'd started a few other novels recently that didn't really grab and hold me. This one did. First, it's just nice to read an historical that's set in an era that isn't so overflowing with great Christian fiction. Second, it touched on some aspects of big city life like many "roaring twenties" novels do, but it also was set in about as backwoods kind of country you can get. That was refreshing! I thought the story unfolded in a lovely way that kept compelling me to turn the page, and I was intrigued with the juxtaposition of the story between young Dorothy Lynn and 107 year old "Lynnie". Ms. Pittman kept me wondering just how the story was going to turn out for young Dorothy, because frankly, I think many of us have felt like her at some point in our young lives, and it could have gone either way for her, and it might have turned out well either way too, depending on the lessons learned. I thought her characterization of the men in Dorothy Lynn's life were exceptionally well-crafted. The two men she is most drawn to both have good and bad character traits. I won't tell which one I found most intriguing, you'll probably do the same. The lessons Dorothy Lynn learns about what's most important in life and what real love looks like is revealed on multiple levels, in a heart-grabbing way. And for a clean-read, Ms. Pittman sure can write a romance scene! ( ) I HATE giving Allison Pittman less than 5 stars. I loved her prior series' [b:Forsaking All Others|11038485|Forsaking All Others (Sister Wife #2)|Allison K. Pittman|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348433306s/11038485.jpg|15958621](Sister Wife series) and [b:Ten Thousand Charms|49594|Ten Thousand Charms (Crossroads of Grace #1)|Allison K. Pittman|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320413928s/49594.jpg|48509](Crossroads series) I was expecting so much more from her compared to the masterpieces she had previously penned. I have found Christan stories to be very preachy and light, but her books were always deeper and gave the word of God without constantly reciting scripture or writing the characters battle in their brain to fight the sin. This book bored me silly. I did enjoy the parts in the current date and some sections I found very entertaining. Overall tho I was dissapointed. On it's own it may be slow but it is a good story and the characters are strong and beleiveable. I was not dissapointed in her characterizations as they are easy to connect too and be concerned for. I was hoping for more like the past series. But this book will not dissapoint reguar Christian readers and may even win an award or two. Alas, it was not for me. Review also published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com Book received from publisher for review. All for a Song is a story told on two levels: it opens with the 107th birthday of "Miss Lynnie", in a nursing home, and the story of her day and experience is interspersed throughout the novel, weaving in and out of Miss Lynnie's past. The life of Dorothy Lynn, a young woman coming of age in the 1920s, comprises the majority of the novel, and what a story it is. Dorothy is a preacher's daughter, destined to marry her late father's replacement, and settle in "for keeps" in her quiet hometown of Heron's Nest. But Dorothy has a secret yearning, an itch, a bit of wanderlust -- and when a chance encounter with handsome Ronald Lundi, manager of Aimee Semple McPherson's crusade, offers her the chance to scratch that itch and spread her wings, she takes flight. Traveling with Sister Aimee and her crusading caravan, Dorothy is exposed to whole new ways of life, both in terms of 'secular' and religious experiences. As she struggles to reconcile her new experiences - and desires - with her background and beliefs, Dorothy stretches and grows. And discovers that what she really wants in life has been right in front of her all along. The cross-country, boundary-stretching journey just helped clarify her vision. So how does the story of Dorothy Lynn interweave with that of Miss Lynnie? Better than you'd expect, and together they form a beautifully complete portrait of growing up, living life, and discovering all the "Love" really means. To think, a whole life shaped and molded, for a song. Rich - but not overwhelming - in historical detail, All for a Song is both the story of one young woman, and a glimpse of a part of church history I was unfamiliar with. Seeing the struggle to balance culture and society with an expanding sense of Christianity was a read that I think will also resonate with today's environment. Beautifully written, and featuring a cast of colorful characters, All for a Song is a must-read. no reviews | add a review
Fiction.
Literature.
Historical Fiction.
HTML: Dorothy Lynn Dunbar has everything she ever wanted: her family, her church, her community, and plans to marry the young pastor who took over her late father's pulpit. Time spent in the woods, lifting her heart and voice in worship accompanied by her brother's old guitar, makes her life complete . . . and yet she longs for something more. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.6Literature English (North America) American fiction 21st CenturyLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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