Customer Reviews

Nan's Journey

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nan's Journey follows the story of two orphaned children who suffer horrible abuse at the hands of the people who are supposed to love them. Desperate to save her brother's life, Nan plans their escape undercover of night. They head out into an uncertain world with no knowledge of what to do or where to go. Elmer is comforted by the his belief that God is watching over them but Nan, whose heart has been hardened by their circumstances, finds that possibility much harder to accept.

Nan's Journey is action packed and Elaine Littau has done an excellent job of skillfully weaving God's message of forgiveness and redemption throughout. Her novel brims with hope, stressing that no matter what circumstances we encounter, God's forgiveness is abundant and available.

Anne Kimberly, author of Dark Well of Decision

Nan's Journey, by Elaine Littau is an apt title. In her first published work, Mrs. Littau deals with difficult issues such as abuse, neglect, and loss in a manner that quite often stuns the reader. We travel with our heroine, Nan, as she faces a lifetime of tragedy in just a few short months. However, in the midst of pain and suffering she finds hope, healing, and love.

This historical novel transports the reader back in time 150 years with its descriptive imagery and dialogue. The author writes as if she herself were living during the age of "Monday wash days", daily farm chores, Native American tribe issues, and travel by horseback. Although written in simple language, the tragedies faced and the truths found within the pages of Nan's Journey are as relevant today as they would have been during the time the story takes place.

--Karina Harris, author of "Second Chance"

The story opens on a young girl faced with a difficult decision. She has confronted minimal food, back-breaking labor and painful beatings, and now she sees her tormenter's eyes straying to her younger brother. Their escape and subsiquent adventures kept me turning the pages well into the night! I prize any novel that can keep me thinking about the characters after I close the book and this one delivers. Mrs. Littau's understanding of the human heart's desire for God is well-worded and well-delivered.

As a librarian and avid reader, I highly recommend this book.

Nan's Journey is an awesome book....it tells the story of a young brother and teenage sister who plan their escape from an abusive home. It shows the power of God's love and forgiveness in the worst situations.

I was not really sure what to expect when I began reading Nan's Journey -- but from the first word to the very last word I was totally and completely drawn in. I could not stop reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen to Nan and Elmer. They were faced with much adversity in their young lives that I was captivated.

Through this book I laughed, I cried, I was horrified, and I actually cringed (the tooth part got to me!!!). But ... in the end I was very happy for Nan and her brother.

Elaine has a beautiful writing style and makes it easy to visualize exactly what the characters are seeing and one can feel what the characters are going through. I'm looking forward to reading all the books in this series. Nan's Journey would make a wonderful summer read for teens or a great book for discussion groups. Laura Eckroat - Author/Teacher

Nan's Journey is an inspirational story about a young girl who, along with her little brother, suffered from abusive step-parents until one night she builds up the courage to flee. Nan is forced to grow up quickly as she struggles with her toughest obstacle: finding the heart to forgive those who had caused her pain.

The reader enters the story in the moments following a severe beating that impacted Nan more than any of the past experiences with her abusive stepmother, Mary. The story moves quickly into an exodus for both Nan and her little brother Elmer from the home in which they grew up, now only inhabited by their step-parents, the Deweys.

With such an immediate turn of events, with so little background concerning the Deweys who were left behind, I was quick to assume that their story ended in the beginning chapters, and that we'd follow Nan and Elmer as they trek through Colorado in search for a place to stay--not unlike the Boxcar Children series I read as a child.

I was pleasantly surprised, as this was far from true. Nan learns that no matter how far you run from your past, without resolution it will follow you anywhere you go.

I was immediately taken in by Elaine Littau's adept descriptive ability, and the imagery she creates with her words--even in the scenes of abuse--were a graphic but tasteful balance. She combined a compelling story with a powerful scriptural message, and she achieved that masterfully. I was impressed to learn it was her debut work, and I'm looking forward to reading the follow-up, Elk's Resolve.

I just finished reading "Nan's Journey" by Elaine Littau. This story has an original plot, definitely not a predictable story line. Before I began reading the book I assumed that I would be reading a young-adult adventure about two kids finding a home in the mountains. However, the story developed into a much more complex, true-to-life situation where the young sister and brother meet the injustices of life head on. As in real life, it's often the most helpless who suffer one indignation after another. After such suffering, to be called upon to forgive the perpetrators of cruelty hardly seems fair - but it is Godlike. Mrs. Littau does a commendable job of describing Nan's struggle with this concept.

The setting in 1800's Colorado takes one back to a time of which we would like to idealize as a purer, simpler, happier era. Yet, we are reminded that human suffering and depravity have always been with us. "Nan's Journey," confirms that God places his servants along our paths to help us on our individual journeys. I understood the reason that all conflicts were not resolved in this book since the story is continued in Mrs. Littau's second book, "Elk's Resolve."

Grace Lundmark, author of "Chloe May, Daughter of the Dust Bowl"

Nan's Journey is one of those rare books I have ever found that was just simply the most easiest book to read. I was immediately placed into Nan's character, feelings and heartache. I understood her pain and her concern for her brother. The pain she has and is going through from the past and in the present. Each chapter was quick to read. I was not bogged down with lots of background information to just to keep the story going. Most of all it was a story of knowing that God does not promise nothing bad will ever happen to us. But knowing that God is always with us. All we have to do is call on him and accept him. It is a story of learning how to forgive, even in the worst circumstances.

I can't wait until the sequel to this book. Most of all you may need to know, I don't read books that often. Other than my Bible and to my 5 year old daughter. My husband, a power reader, is thrilled I have found an author, especially a Christian author, I can love to read.

I can hardly believe that the book "Nan's Journey" is Elaine's first book. It is very well written and the story is weaved together so well, it keeps you wondering what will happen next. It is the story of a young, orphan girl and her little brother, who are badly mistreated. They run away, and every time you think things can't get any worse for them, they do. Nan feels she will never be able to trust or open her heart to love again. It is a story of God's unconditional love and forgiveness, and I highly recommend it. The book holds your interest; I found myself getting up in the middle of the night to read more. Get it!!

Elaine Littau's "Nan's Journey" is the touching story of two children escaping the violence of an abusive home. Nan and her younger brother, Elmer, brave the elements and harsh wilderness in search of a better life.

This novel deserved a better editor. Elaine Littau tells a beautiful story with characters that invest the reader emotionally in the book. But, instead of being able to really savor the tale, I found myself mentally correcting grammar and typos. Thankfully, I recognized the author's talent and persisted. Re-reading passages, I was able to really fall for these leading characters, making their enemies my enemies and their friends my friends. This would make a good book club read as well as an entertaining film!