Customer Reviews

The Brethren (Annie's People Series #3)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Sometimes it's difficult to come into a series on the last installment without feeling lost. Luckily, finding the subject matter and people to be so interesting with lovely characterizations and references to previous events, I quickly picked up with where the story was at that particular moment.

It appears that Annie Zook, the Amish preacher's daughter was a bit of a handful being somewhat willful for a young Amish woman. Evidently she had committed two very grave things that went against doctrine of the Amish people. One was secretly following her heart and pursuing a friendship with Ben an Englisher or `fancy' person, and the other was her love and joy of painting, something very much forbidden within the Amish community. Having been found out, Annie had obeyed her father and terminated the relationship with Ben, as well as promising to not touch her painting for at least six months.

Along with Annie's issues of adherence to the People's doctrine, there were several secondary stories going on. Prominent among them were after a child's bones had been plowed up, Annie's friend Zeke had admitted to slaying his younger brother Isaac; Zeke's wife Esther is being `shunned' by the People for not fully embracing Amish doctrines; and Annie's `fancy' friend Lou who had come to visit embraced the Amish life then went back to her world and now faced questions of faith. More importantly, Ben had returned to Paradise, Pennsylvania with a surprising truth about himself that could change many people's lives, including his own.

Lewis embarked on a tremendous amount of storylines and as far as I was concerned solved all the mysteries, bringing most to satisfying conclusions. She gave an abundance of information which, not having read the previous books, were all answered in this final installment. Personally, I loved the fast pace, the sparkling personality, loving concern and respectfulness of the primary characters as Lewis revealed a slice of life in the Amish community few people are exposed to. My one regret is that for all intents and purposes this is supposed to be the end of a series and I would love to see it continued. I can recommend this book to be entertaining, well-written with likeable characters the reader will enjoy.

Marilyn Rondeau - RIO - Reviewers International Organization

I enjoyed the first two books in this series and so, when I sat down to read this one, I had all these expectations of what should happen. Well, some of those expectations were met, but when I finished the story, I wasn't completely satisfied. I don't want to get too in detail with the characters so I won't spoil it for other readers, but for me, there were still some loose ends that weren't wrapped up or satisfactorily explained. I don't suppose Ms. Lewis plans another series to continue the story, but it'd be great if she did.

I was disappointed in this book, the pace moved along too quickly for my taste and it was so incredibly predictable. This series lacks the depth and complexities that the Abram's Daughters books had. I was very puzzled by the way this book ended. It left me wanting more and seriously questioning the decisions of the characters. They were just not as three dimensional as the characters in the other Lewis books have been.

Annie is nearing the six month restriction her father bestowed and she can hardly wait to start her painting and drawing again. Her fancy friend, Lou, still in Colorado-is about to restart dating the man she walked away from nearly 2 years ago, Annie's brother is "on the fence, does he jump or not?" but the main character is Ben.

We have followed the story of the peach pit and the missing child from book one. Bones have now been discovered. A man confesses to killing Isaac. Essie who is shunned, is left alone with four children and her husband is about to be found out (he violated his church orders)...she is pregnant.

Sorry to say, this book had just too much information in too little space to be up to Beverly Lewis' caliber. It was interesting, intriguing, but if she had taken the time and pages to write two books instead of one, the reader could have had more time to wonder, guess and hope of the outcomes. Instead, Beverly pretty much laid out the plots, one, two, three. I felt like I was reading a Reader's Digest version.

The people were very interesting, their lives are tremendously different, and two books could have really made for two excellent reads...instead of a fast paced, multiple stories condensed--- and the ending was not terribly believable, especially for the Amish.

In The Brethren, the third and final book in the Annie's People series, Beverly Lewis continues to give her readers what they have found irresistible in her previous best-selling books. Set amongst the Amish in Paradise, Pennsylvania , the book opens with main character Annie Zook at odds with her strict father, preacher Jesse Zook, and living away from home. The fact that she has chosen to stay with her banned friend Essie (Esther Hochstetler) to help look after Essie and Zeke's four children while Zeke is being held in jail after confessing to a murder makes the rift all the more galling to the elder Zook.

As is typical in Lewis's books, more than one serpent has found its way into the Amish paradise. Under the settlement's idyllic surface are misunderstandings, grudges, and secrets that even strict rules and authoritarian leaders can't keep hidden forever. The result is a twisty plot that raises questions like did Zeke actually commit that murder, who is Ben Martin really, and will Annie make peace with her father and remain a plain woman or follow her heart to pursue her beloved art and become the fancy wife of her English beau?

Characters play an important part in this story. (As someone who hasn't read the first two books in the series, I must admit the large cast of them, many of whom were introduced in earlier volumes, had me a little confused, though with close attention I got them all straight.) Main character Annie is a vital young woman who doesn't always understand herself, is impulsive and strong willed yet hard-working, thoughtful, and kind. Zeke, in his mentally disturbed state is an interesting study. Preacher Jesse Zook seems the most complex character. While unyielding in his rigid stance toward Annie, he is demonstrably tender with his wife and shows a largeness of character at the end of the book that took me by surprise. Off-site characters Lou and Ben provide an interesting non-Amish viewpoint of Paradise.

The setting is also integral to these books about the Amish. Lewis, obviously familiar with their home and farm routines, describes these in satisfying detail, giving readers a sense of living in this picturesque and simple place. Yet even here progress is making inroads - though the juxtaposition of cell phones and automobiles with Amish life did feel a little bizarre. Lewis introduces just enough Amish-isms into the conversation of her Paradise characters ("Wonderful gut," "purty," "Ain't so" etc) to keep them feeling authentic throughout.

Romance is woven through this book, as is the exploration of other relationships - parent-child and husband-wife. The ability and willingness of the Amish to forgive is a theme that plays a big part in the resolution of several of the story's threads. As is typical in Lewis's books, the Christian faith and its outworking is also a theme that remains front and center. In The Brethren there is a clash of the Amish belief system versus beliefs more in sync with a personal and literal interpretation of the Bible. Various characters risk being misunderstood and even banned by turning to evangelical ways. In the end, Lewis seems to come down on the side of having both - the outward simple lifestyle plus a personal though secret faith, as expressed by Annie and her beau: "They'd made a secret pact, vowing to live out their days with their eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus."

If you've read the other two book in this series, The Preacher's Daughter and The Englisher, you'll not want to miss this conclusion to the story. If you haven't read any Beverly Lewis before, this book is certainly representative of her popular storytelling style - a style that has seen previous books in this series, and this one, achieve a place on such prestigious bestseller lists as The New York Times and USA Today.

Violet Nesdoly
http://vnesdoly.blogspot.com/

In this third book of the series, Annie Zook is now living with Esther who is banned for taking the Lord Jesus as her personal savior and friend. After Preacher Zook found Annie in the front seat with her boyfriend Ben's car, it was too unbearable living at home. Moving in with Esther was a good choice, and besides Annie was there to help with the children.

Ben Martin after having left in the last book back to Kentucky, discovers a horrible secret that he is adopted and his parents never told him. He discovers he was kidnapped at age 4, and left unattended until someone found him alone. This is devastating to Ben, and he wants to know the whole story of what really happened. So he travels back to Annie and Pennsylvania, trying to find his memories from way back then.

Zeke, Esther's husband, is very unwell mentally. He has a breakdown over his brother Isaac of whom he never did know what happened 16 years ago. Zeke is convinced that he himself killed him. So he calls the police to turn himself in when they come to arrest him. That is only until they find out the real story here. Surprisingly, the body of the person that was dug up from the last book was not Isaac's but those of a little girl. After a lot of searching, it looks as though Isaac is not dead, but very much alive someplace. And when this story line draws to a climax, it is a REAL shocker.

Louisa went back to modern life in Colorado, but she still misses the Amish terribly and being with Annie-and Sam her newfound love there. While going back to her art students is nice at home, she still dreams of Sam. Michael, her rich former fiance wants to start over again, and is just begging Louisa to come back into his life. But Louisa can't quite do that-and knows in her heart she doesn't want Michael and longs for Sam.

When Ben tries to get Annie to commit to their relationship in the book, Annie longs to do that. But the problem there is that Annie against her father's wishes again, wants to turn modern, and Ben wants to turn plain. Not only that, but Annie longs to return to her art, and she won't be able to do that living Amish, and if she marries Ben who wants to turn plain and join her father's church.

Annie and her father have a real time. Preacher Zook actually seems like he hates his daughter and won't hear of anything she has to say. Not only that, but Rev. Jeese seems to favor his sons so much more.

The whole story is the best one yet and all life issues within this community of Amish and Modern alike resolve in one way or another.

The final book in the trilogy Annie's People, The Brethren picks up with Annie beginning her six month agreement with her preacher father to not paint anything. Annie has also moved into the home of her friend, Essie, who is a shunned member of the Amish community for having come to believe in a religious thought different than their own. Also back is Ben, the Englisher of the previous novel, who is trying to grapple with his own identity and his love for Annie.

Lewis is an excellent storyteller and this novel brings the Amish community to life vividly. I could sympathize with Annie and her torn heart, and I could appreciate the mysteries surrounding the appearance of Ben. However, a couple of things really bothered me while reading this one. Lou's role is definitely reduced in this novel and after becoming so emotionally vested in her troubles, I would have liked to have seen more closely how she faced her return to the modern world. Also, things seemed tied up a little too neatly at the end; I needed to know more about Isaac's kidnapping and how he felt about giving up his former identity. The ending to this one seemed particularly rushed and I agree that Lewis should have spread this story out over the course of two books. Finally, Lewis does tend to become preachy at times, but that is a hallmark of her stories and should not bother anyone who enjoys inspirational fiction. Overall this is a well-done book and another fine example of Lewis's ability to share the Amish life and create characters who will live in your heart for a long time to come. Recommended!

I have been a Beverly Lewis fan for over 5 years now and her "Annie's People" series was up to par with her previous writings. This final book was a good read, yet so predictable. I felt there were too many clues given early in the book so that by the time I was halfway through the book, I could conclude what was going to happen. I hope that Ms. Lewis writes new series soon and keeps some of the information about the characters a little more subtle so that one can look forward to reading every single page without knowing how the book will end.

I was wondering is Mrs.Lewis would be able to conclude the series in this book but she did and I feel she did it well. She has such a way of drawing you into her stories that they almost seem real, like they are a part of your extended family. Mrs. Lewis is in my top 10 list of novelists and I look forward to more books from her.

I loved the fast paced and intriguing story line of this series. Unlike some of her other series, this book had my attention from the very beginning. It was on it's way to being one of my favorite Beverly Lewis series (other than Abram's Daughters, which I loved), until I got to the end.

I was very disappointed with how this book ended. *SPOILER ALERT* I couldn't believe that Annie and Ben became Amish. It bothers me that, as a Christian, she would choose to go back to a life defined by rules and regulations that forbid her to fellowship with other believers (Essie and Zeke, etc.) and forbid her to be open about her faith. Annie's reasoning in becoming Amish is that she is choosing "God's ways - the way of the people." Since when is God's ways hiding your faith and shunning fellow believers for believing the same thing you do? I think a better ending would have been for them to become Mennonite and for her father to get over his bitterness in the end and see that Annie and Ben were making the right decisions for themselves.