Somewhere to Belong

Set in 1847, this novel features two very different young women. One has lived all her life in the closed Amana community (similar to Amish). The other has arrived from Chicago with her parents, but does not want to be there at all.

The two women work together, and their attitudes and personalities are contrasted as they slowly get to know each other. The writing is quite interesting, and the setting felt real, although one of the women felt rather too good to be true, and the other so materialistic and selfish that it was hard to have any sympathy for her.

However, themes such as honesty and integrity shine through, and it encourages the reader to think about what is really important in life. Unsurprisingly there's a lot of Christian show more conversation and principles, but it wasn't too preachy. The ending is a bit contrived, but mostly encouraging.

I was able to download mine free, some years ago, and as a light book to read while travelling it made a pleasant diversion.

Full review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2020/02/somewhere-to-belong-by-judith-mille... show less

As an avid reader of Amish fiction, I wasn't sure how I'd like this book and put off getting it for quite a while. I enjoyed it and hope to read more. The communal living reminded me some of the Shakers, but although it's discouraged, people are allowed to get married. Since it was historical (pre-electricity) their rural lifestyle may have not been that different than the Amish, but there was definitely a difference between the city girl and the girl who grew up Amana.

Johanna has lived in the Amana Colonies in Iowa all of her life. Berta is newly arrived in the colonies and is used to the good life in Chicago, and is not at all happy about her new life. Johanna is tasked with showing Berta what is expected, and welcoming her into the community. Neither is happy with the situation, but Johanna does her best to help Berta understand not only her job in the kitchen, but how their life reflects their belief. Through love, betrayal, secrets, and hard work, the two become friends. They each learn what is important in life, and how to forgive.
Miller does an excellent job of capturing the feeling and essence of the Amana Colonies. They are somber people, but not without their enjoyments. They were not show more perfect, but they were devoted to their lifestyle and their belief in God. The characters are realistic, and behave as if they were real. It really doesn’t have a lot of action, but the book is moved along by Berta’s impulsive decisions and Johanna’s desire to help keep things running smoothly. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. show less

This is a story of 2 young women who live in the Amana colony in Iowa in 1877. Johanna Ilg has grown up at Amana, but has always had a longing to see Chicago, where her brother Wilhelm lives, after he left the Amana community. Berta Schumacher finds herself coming to the Amana colony with her parents at the beginning of the book, and not knowing it was to stay there. Berta is not a "happy camper" and gets herself into trouble quite often. Johanna has been given the task of taking Berta under her wing and helping her get acquainted with how things are done in their community, which is not an easy task.
I liked the insight this story gave of how the Amana colonies were run. I also liked getting to know both girls and seeing how each of show more them struggled with issues in their life, one just did it more openly than the other. At the end of the story both girls end up facing major issues in their life. To me this book showed the importance of honesty in a family and the importance of not keeping secrets. It was a entertaining and enlightening book and I will look forward to reading the other stories in this series.
I would like to thank Bethany House for giving me a free copy to review. show less

Don’t confuse the residents of the Amana village with the Amish; they are not the same. Though they share some similar beliefs and habits, there are also distinct differences. In this work of historical fiction, author Judith Miller gives us some background into understanding the workings of the people of Amana. Johanna has grown up at Amana, but Berta has been thrust into the community as a teenager. Johanna has been assigned to help acclimate Berta to life there. But in the midst of both their struggles with this task, Johanna discovers a life-changing secret. The first in a trilogy, the author has set up a thought-provoking story with engaging characters. She has also achieved a good balance between presenting a good story while show more maintaining a Christian overview. show less

A lovely story with very realistic characters

A lovely story with very realistic characters

I wanted to read this book to be able to see life from within Amish communities. I was pleased by how lovable the two main characters are and even more, I found their faith charming to see. I have found that many Christian fiction books push their faith upon the reader but Ms. Miller manages to make it an essential part of the character development without it feeling forced. I will gladly keep my eyes open for the other books in this series.

An engaging, historical fiction tale of two very different girls in the Amana Colonies. In a world of super-sizing our food, houses, cars, and material possessions, Somewhere to Belong inspires a simpler, more peaceful life, while at the same time, shows families of all walks of life must handle adversity in communication. It took me a few chapters to get into the book, but soon, I reached the point where I could not put it down. While the message is on finding your true place in the world, for me, the book provided a lesson on taking joy in the pleasures of faith, family, and service to God. I look forward to more in the series.