Review by Booklist Review
Being in prison gives 20-year-old Harriet Sherwood lots of time to reflect on her own life, as well as those of her female forebears, including her great-grandmother, a farm woman who was on the Underground Railroad, and her spoiled, socialite mother, who's only concerned about appearances. But most of Harriet's reminiscences are about her Grandma Bebe, whose aggressive fight supporting Prohibition landed her in jail years ago. With Austin's emphasis on strong women of faith fighting for social causes, it isn't a coincidence that her novel covers 1848 (the year of the first Women's Conference at Seneca Falls, New York) to 1920 (the year American women won the right to vote). Some of the values espoused such as Bebe's mother telling her to follow biblical mandates, even if it means returning to a severely alcoholic husband may not sit well with readers, but ever-popular Austin remains true to the times and the morals of the period.--Mosley, Shelley Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Austin can't seem to write a bad novel, and this one is no exception. She is winner of five Christy Awards and numerous accolades for her novels, one of which, Hidden Places, was made into a Hallmark Channel movie. Her newest follows her typical trajectory of fine writing, an engaging story and interesting history. Harriet Sherwood longs to follow in her grandmother's footsteps as a champion for social justice, but Harriet didn't plan on ending up incarcerated. She spends her jail time recalling the histories of her great-grandmother Hannah, Grandma Bebe and her mother, Lucy, each of whom faced struggles and spiritual questions as they found ways to fight: Hannah participated in the Underground Railroad, Bebe fought demon rum, and Lucy fought for a woman's right to vote. Austin weaves their stories through Harriet's memories, creating well-honed characters before finally bringing Harriet to a place of understanding. This is an entertaining and engaging faith-based tale sure to hit bestseller lists and the awards circuit. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
