Reviews

All Things New by Lynn Austin

kltageson's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

steffski's review against another edition

3.0

Another post civil war book where it seems like only one person had a conscience...but an overall good light read.

monica4782's review against another edition

1.0

Meh!

It wasn't good or bad. The part I enjoyed most was all the spiritual dilemmas the characters encounter after the war. I felt I could relate with my questions about God and the feeling He had abandoned them. It took months for me to finish this book because it was just alright. I bought it so I had to finish it but I won't be reading from this author again.

debstubb's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

debs4jc's review against another edition

3.0

I liked the story. I just thought, especially at the end, that it was unbelievable for the time period and setting. It alternates points of view between the daughter of a white plantation owner and a woman who was formerly enslaved on that plantation. Josephine is the daughter and the events of the civil war have caused her to question how she was raised. Her mother, Eugenia, also gets to chime in and she is very much rooted in the past. So while Josephine wants to help their one remaining servant - Lizzie, their former enslaved field hand - her mother wants her to resume calling on neighbors and looking for a husband. I definitely sympathized a lot with Josephine, who seem to see the realities of their new life and who was willing to change so that they could survive. Her mother just kept thinking about the past and whining about what she didn't have anymore, which was annoying. Their lives all change yet again when a Yankee named Alexander sets up an office of the Freedman's bureau. Lizzie is excited about the prospect of her children going to school. Eugenia is horrified. And Josephine is intrigued by Alexander and his strange new ideas. The resulting twists and turns are pleasant enough to follow, and the themes of embracing the changes that move us toward God was pleasant. However I thought the ending was very contrived and implausible for the time period. My final verdict I guess would be that this historical romance was kind of a mixed bag for me - some good parts and characters that I enjoyed, but I did not find it very believable.

janetll's review against another edition

3.0

I would have avoided this book if I had known it was "Christian," but I borrowed it from the library over the Kindle, and I didn't realize. I'm very interested in the subject, post Civil War. The way the book dealt with the time immediately before and after the end of the war was very, very interesting.

As for the Christian message, it wasn't terrible to me, someone who would automatically assume I would hate that kind of thing. Everything didn't turn out OK in the end, nor was everything OK throughout. It was actually a Christian message I can live with, if not embrace.

beckygomezmd's review against another edition

4.0

Lynn Austin is probably my favorite historical fiction author. This was not my favorite book of hers, but it was still really good if you are a historical fiction fan!

sarah_reading_party's review against another edition

5.0

charming! one of the best by lynn austin.

haleybeck's review against another edition

2.0

Well written and I liked the history. But wouldn’t recommend

melissadegraffbooks's review against another edition

4.0

So far I am really enjoying everything I read by Lynn Austen. Another clean, interesting historical fiction read.