Her Daughter's Dream

Her Daughter's Dream

by Francine Rivers

I started Her Daughter's Dream almost immediately after finishing Her Mother's Hope. The first book ends with Marta, "Oma," going to her daughter Hildemara's house to take care of Carolyn, her granddaughter, while Hildemara recovered from tuberculosis. This serves to further drive a wedge in Hildemara and Marta's relationship, as jealousy crops up over who will care for Carolyn.

I was quickly swept up into the book as Carolyn's story started to unfold. One tragedy after another seems to define her life, and she runs away to the counter-culture of San Francisco in the 1960s. When she returns home, she finds out she is expecting a baby, who she names May Flower Dawn.

I think I liked this book even more than the first. I loved reading about how God redeemed the lives of the characters, and "restored the years that the locust had eaten." My favorite books always have a theme of redemption, and Francine Rivers never fails to disappoint. I especially enjoyed reading the afterword, where Francine talked a little bit about her family's history, and how it correllated with the story in this series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about God's redeeming mercy in the lives of characters that seem like they could live next door.

Her Mother's Hope

Her Mother's Hope

by Francine Rivers

Marta Schneider's father is determined that she won't be smarter than her brother, so he takes her out of school when she's 12 years old and sends her out to work to help support the family. Marta finds the work a relief to get away from her abusive father, and learns valuable skills in the process. She eventually opens her own boarding house in France, and meets her husband, Niclas Waltert. The two move to Canada and experience the struggles of farming. Soon they have 4 children, one of whom is Hildemara Rose, who becomes the main character in the middle of the book. Hildemara feels she can never do enough to please her mother, while Marta only wants her to be able to stand on her own two feet. Will Marta's and Hildemara's relationship eventually change? Will Hildemara be able to spread her wings and prove her strength?

I really enjoyed this book. Starting in turn of the century Switzerland and ending in post-World War II California, I had a hard time putting it down. I have to admit I struggled with Marta's character. I was sympathetic towards her in the beginning as she was escaping her father's abuse and forging her own way, but I had a difficult time sympathizing when she fought with her husband for dominance of the household, and treated Hildemara so cruelly. By the end of the book I understood her a bit more, but I am looking forward to reading the second and concluding book, Her Daughter's Dream, to find out if the two can repair their relationship.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good historical fiction with a bit of romance.