Lucie's Review:
There is so much to love about this historical novel!
The heroine Carrie Lang, has a compassionate heart, and a desire to keep children from working their lives away in dangerous factories. Carrie takes a job in a candy factory so she can investigate their labor practices.
Ollie Moore is undercover as a janitor in the factory, he has always believed that his family is helping the poorer families by giving their children work in the factory. But as he works alongside Carrie, and the children of the factory it begins to open his eyes to the lives of those around him and their plights.
This book explores life in Sinclair, Kansas 1907, from various perspectives, weaving together a colorful story that intrigued me from the very start. Ollie and Carrie meet early in the book and their friendship grows throughout, and though there is romance this book is mainly a historical novel that captures a snapshot of what life was like in the first few years after the turn of the century and the heroes and heroines that took it upon themselves to fight for a change.
The title points to one of the main themes of the book, and how one act of kindness caused ripples that intersected into multiple lives. Carrie also was able to challenge Ollie in his beliefs, and make him really think about every aspect of his life. Even helping to guide towards faith.
This book is well plotted, paced, and written though the format that the author chose to use sometimes makes the flow a bit choppy because you have to watch the headings so you know who's perspective the story is from.
The story is marked with sparks of humor, especially from Kesia Durham who runs the local café. And I loved Lettie, Lank, and Leslie, they really brought life and a face to the story.
Overall this is a heartwarming tale of mercy and how it can spread, causing ripples and touches many lives.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."
Author's Website
I am so glad I'm not the only one who caught the significance of the title. Great review!
ReplyDelete