Nancy Moser

This was the first book of Nancy Moser's I read, and it's definitely made me a fan. I feel a little sheepish admitting this, but the cover threw me off at first. In fact I almost passed on the chance to review it, because I expected a simplistic romance without much historical detail or character growth. But I picked it up anyway and I'm so glad I did! (Yes, I should've remembered that trustworthy saying about not judging books by their covers!)

What struck me at first was Lottie's show more fascination with Sense and Sensibility, Little Women, and Wuthering Heights, and her opinion about Charles Dickens. It felt surreal to see what a girl from 150 years ago might have said about the same classic books and authors that I've read and enjoyed. This raised my hopes that the rest of Masquerade would have more of 19th century culture and social issues woven into it, which it did. I truly love historical fiction that pulls back romanticized visions of history and sets its characters right into the heart of the gritty, multi-layered, paradoxical reality of their time period, which Nancy's book does so well. It helps me, as a Christian reader, reflect on my own complicated times where the 'right' answers and decisions are rarely as straightforward as I wish they were.

I found myself emotionally connected to Lottie and Dora, whether I was cheering for them or upset with them for making particularly immature choices, as inexperienced and idealistic young people often do. The struggles Nancy brought Lottie and Dora through, in a way, are also not very different from the struggles young women face in our time. This is another huge strength I appreciate about Masquerade. The characters were three-dimensional from the start because their challenges didn't only force them to survive in the world, but also to survive inner conflict. Painstakingly they struggled with God, with social norms and pressures, with their dreams, their consciences, their baggage, and their calling. I could relate! And through it all they changed and were sharpened and became more nuanced, wiser, more grounded, and deeply beautiful grown-up young women.

I was especially impressed that Nancy chose to focus on two young people who were born into a familiarity with religion yet lacking a dynamic personal relationship with God, as so many Christian young people are today. Lottie accompanied her parents to church all her life, yet she was still in a spiritual wilderness of sorts. Her personal encounter with God probably mirrors that of many churched kids today. It's a gradual, almost snail-paced, but also very intentional splicing of our identity from our parents', realizing we've been riding their spiritual coattails, so to speak, and have to decide if we want to plant our own two feet on our own journey of faith. It's a different kind of spiritual story to find in Christian fiction, and it's definitely one that needs to be told because of how many of us can relate.

In a way I wish the end of the book hadn't been wrapped up as quickly as it was, because I wanted to know what both women, and all the men in their lives, were thinking and feeling when the last events unfolded and final decisions were made. But overall the story kept me glued to the book, and I loved it. As I wrote above, I'm a fan and I'll be keeping an eye out for Nancy Moser's work from now on! show less

It's often hard for me to find a Christian fiction book that isn't ridiculous. It's also often hard for me to find a Jane Austen fan fiction that isn't ridiculous. I was pleasantly surprised that this Jane Austen fan fiction, written and published from a faith-based source, is refreshingly good! Just Jane is a lovely biographical fiction story that follows Jane Austen from her first few lines of Pride and Prejudice, written in Steventon in early days, through to her beginnings of Emma, begun show more in Chawton, just a short time before she passes away in Winchester. For the most part, the story follows her life well and the imagined bits are quite believable. Other than a couple distractions, (like her using the term "eggplant" when the British say, "aubergine", or her literary-minded line about semi-colons when Austen was known for dashes and actually had to be heavily edited to correct her bad punctuation) I felt the story flowed smoothly and enjoyably. I love reading about places that are familiar to me, so once the Austens left Steventon, I enjoyed imagining their dwellings in Bath and Chawton---both places I've visited on many occasions. I also learned a couple neat things---like the "three dips" the ladies took in the ocean, aided by a "dipper". How funny and strange! There truly can never be enough WELL WRITTEN Austen adaptations! show less

I bought this book a long time ago, tried to read it and gave up. This time I was determined to read it in its entirety. The book is written in the voice of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's sister, Nannerl, and was an interesting portrayal of her life. As a young girl, she was a talented musician who toured Europe with her brother making money for her family by playing along side him. She was left behind as she grew older (of "marriageable age") and he began to compose operas and other music. Her show more place was in the home and, sadly, she had a difficult life although not atypical for women in that era. This was an excellent historical novel but told in such a gloomy voice that it is difficult to say I really enjoyed the book. On the other hand, it is very educational regarding the perspective on women and the severe dangers of childbirth for both children and mothers during that era. The writing is excellent and it is definitely a story worth knowing. show less

Reading Nancy Moser’s “The Fashion Designer” was stepping into foreign territory for me in several ways. Fashion has definitely never been an interest of mine, and the only sewing I ever do is to patch up a small tear here or there or to reattach a button. The fact that I enjoyed this book so much is a testament to Moser’s writing skills. Beyond the Titanic—which does, by the way, get a mention and play briefly into this story—I am not very familiar with the era; however, my show more grandmother would have been a young child at the time so it was fun to get a glimpse into that world.

Indeed, this was a seminal period in American history, and Moser injects the zeitgeist of 1912 into her novel from the first page. Annie Culver, the main character, represents the American dream and is a rags-to-riches story of a sort. She and her friends decide to take a risk and embark on a journey to opening their own dress shop, although their efforts are often frustrated and they must learn to rely on God and to seek and trust His plans above their own. The story explores the issues of women’s rights and women in the workforce and also delves into more somber subjects such as domestic abuse and rape. Moreover, in writing a Christian novel, Moser does not shy away from the hard questions that we all face at one time or another, and the applicability of these topics remains just as germane today, making “The Fashion Designer” a fantastic, inspirational read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. show less