This was my second Christian Fiction Book. The first one was Halos by Kristen Heitzmann. There is so much to say about Her Mother’s Hope by Francine Rivers. I took quite some time (a month) reading the whole book. It’s quite big but also very interesting.
Her Mother’s Hope traces the life of Marta from her childhood all the way to her adulthood where she now has grandchildren. It tells the story of strength and determination despite obstacles. Marta struggled from childhood to have a good life. She was described as being intelligent but then again being a girl; she didn’t get much support to pursue her education. She was also described as being unattractive and this also impacted on her life and on how other people related with her. The first section of the book is narrated abour Marta and it details her life from childhood to her marriage.
The second section of the book is narrated by Hildemara, Marta’s daughter. The relationship dynamics between mother and daughter become more evident in this section. However, there is an obvious conflict between Marta’s hopes for her daughter and the interpretation of her actions by Hildemara. This conflict is heartbreaking and confusing. Like Hildemara, I found myself confused by Marta’s actions most of the time.
The third section is narrated by Marta and it sort of explains the second section. Marta’s actions become clearer. It was more heartbreaking reading this section especially keeping in mind Hidemara’s thoughts in section 2. My heart ached for the two just thinking about the misunderstanding and how it had shaped their thoughts about each other.
I cried buckets while reading this book. Each time I thought the storm had passed, another one came and so did the tears. It was an emotional but beautiful book. The aspect of Christianity and faith was the background of the whole story. Prayers, Bible and belief all featured in one way or the other although this was all in the background. Apart from religion, the book is also set against a historical background covering the two world wars. There is also an aspect of immigrants to America and how they were perceived due to the various roles that their countries played in the war.
I have the second book in the series, Her Daughter’s Dreams and I can’t wait to read it. I am already bracing myself for the emotional roller coaster which I know will definitely come. Francine Rivers is an amazing writer. At the end of Her Mother’s Hope she explains that the book was inspired by some events that took place in her own life.
I recommend this book to everyone interested in reading about love, family, hopes and dreams. It is an amazing book and although I hardly rate books, this I gladly give 5 stars.
A Haven for Book Lovers 