“An Absence So Great” – Review and Giveaway!

I don’t think it’s any secret that I like {ok love} to read. I’m one of those weird people who would rather pick up a book than turn on the TV. I enjoy all kinds of books, including non-fiction, but when I’m looking to relax there’s nothing I love more than to cozy up on the couch with a good novel.

So when WaterBrook Multnomah contacted me to review my first ever fiction book, I was thrilled!

About the Book:

Despite growing in confidence as a photographer, eighteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele’s personal life is still at a crossroads. Hoping she’s put an unfortunate romantic longing behind her as “water under the bridge,” she exiles herself to Milwaukee to operate photographic studios for those ill with mercury poisoning. 

Jessie gains footing on her dream to one day own her own studio and soon finds herself in other Midwest towns, pursuing her profession. But even a job she loves can’t keep those painful memories from seeping into her heart, and the shadows of a forbidden love threaten to darken the portrait of her life.

 

About the Author:

Jane Kirkpatrick is an award-winning author of sixteen historical novels, including A Flickering Light, the first part of Jessie Gaebale’s story, and three nonfiction titles. Known for her unique insights into the exploration of community, family and faith of actual historical women, the Wisconsin native and her husband have called their ranch in Oregon home for the past 25 years.

 

What I Thought:

I’m a little bit on the fence about this book. There were things I liked and things I didn’t – I’ll start with the negative.

What I Didn’t Like: I had a difficult time getting into the story. In the beginning, it felt like I was just wading through the pages of the book, not turning them eagerly trying to find out what was going to happen next. To be fair, this is actually the second book in a series and I hadn’t read the first book. Maybe if I had, it wouldn’t have taken me quite as long to figure out who the characters were and what the main conflict of the story was. I also wasn’t crazy about the way the story ended. I won’t spoil it for you, but I found myself wishing it had been resolved differently. However, she couldn’t very well change the plot of the story because…

What I Liked: This book was based on a true story – but not just ANY story. It was written based on the life of Jane’s own grandmother. I found this aspect fascinating. Maybe it’s just because I’m kind of a history buff but the thought that this was a real story about a real person absolutely intrigued me. Throughout the book Jane sprinkles actual pictures taken by her grandmother and speculates about the stories behind them. Some of the story is obviously the creation of Jane’s imagination as she had to fill in some of the gaps about what actually happened. But the bones that form the story’s structure are all true facts about her grandma’s life.

I also found it interesting to read some of the bits of American culture that the author weaved in – like, for example, how people were wary of having their picture taken when the technology first emerged. It’s so commonplace now! Or how it was difficult for a woman to gain respect without the help of a man in some way {in that day}. Things have definitely changed since the late 1800’s!

Overall, I’d say this is worth the read, but it’s probably best to read the first book, then this one. I’m interested to find out if the author has written any other historical fiction books – those are some of my favorites.

And if you’re interested in giving this book a read, I can help! WaterBrook Multnomah has graciously provided a copy for me to giveaway! To enter, simply leave a comment on this post anytime between now and next Tuesday, April 6th. I will choose and post the winner Wednesday morning.

An Absence So Great is also available for purchase at the Random House website.

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This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.