Customer Reviews

The Oak Leaves (The Oak Leaves Series #1)

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Talie and Luke Ingram have everything they want in life--a good marriage, a wonderful baby boy, and financial stability. When Talie discovers a journal that belonged to an ancestor from Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century, she is intrigued. But when the journal reveals some frightening things about a family "curse," Talie hides it away, refusing to deal with the past. But could the past be affecting the present--her baby boy?

Born and raised in Ireland, though she is half English, Cosima Escott is affected by the curse and has sworn she'll never marry. When a proposal is made by Reginald, an Englishman, Cosima's parents believe the future of the family is redeemed. Cosima travels to England with Reginald, though she refrains from giving an answer to his proposal. Here she meets Lord Peter Hamilton and his family. Although she begins to fall in love with Peter, because he is in line to receive his father's title, Cosima knows she could never marry him and possibly bring the "curse" upon his family for future generations.

Will Talie and Luke be strong enough to face the truth about their son? Will Cosima be able to overcome the fears about her curse and accept Peter's love? How can God bring good through circumstances that seem so bad?

Maureen Lang has created a powerful and poignant story that deals with the fears and hurts of having a Fragile X child. This book could have been written by someone else, but would have lacked the emotion that Lang put into it. Through Lang's own experience with a Fragile X child, she has been able to share the joys of living with this genetic disorder.

Both stories, past and present, are woven carefully between chapters, and it really works well. It is obvious by the historical details in this novel that Lang put long hours of research into making it true to the period. The dialogue and actions between characters was used effectively to portray the strong emotion that this book pours from each page.

Armchair Interviews says: This was a wonderful inspirational read--highly recommended.

Every parent dreams of a bright future for their child. When a child is diagnosed with a profound developmental disability, it can be devastating. So it is for Talie Ingram. When she reads of an ancestral "curse" that seemed to cause feeblemindedness in boys, Talie is put to the test of her life.

Talie's little boy is far behind "average" toddlers in development. She's been able to deny any significance, but reading the journal left by her ancestor, Cosima Escott, forces her to see the truth.

Cosima grew up in Ireland on a family estate. She believes her family is cursed with feeblemindedness, as her brothers, uncle, and male cousins were afflicted. A terrible tragedy in the past year seems to have cemented a lonely future... Until a proposition of marriage unexpectedly arrives from London. She soon learns all is not what it seems.

In reading Cosima's story, Talie will be offered insights she may have never received otherwise. Will Talie retain her faith in God's love, or will this ordeal shatter her world?

In her third novel of inspirational fiction, Maureen Lang combines a contemporary and historical approach to not only weave a story of hope, but also to present a fair and loving light on Fragile X, a genetic disorder that can cause mild to profound developmental disabilities. Mother to a son with Fragile X, Lang has clearly written a novel from the heart, suffusing it with a well of emotion and faith.

Have tissues at hand, clear your schedule, and be ready to smile. This novel is a winner, pure and simple.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
04/23/2007

Also by Maureen Lang: Pieces of Silver: A Novel & Remember Me: A Novel

The book has been summarized so eloquently by others here, so I won't do it again.

I loved the Historical/Contemporary setting of this book. Regency England happens to be one of my favorite historical time periods.

The fact that the author has pulled from her own personal struggles with a child with Fragile X syndrome makes it a richer book. We can feel the hurt and disappointment in the characters when they discover their child will not live a "normal" life.

The book raises the question of whether to have children if you knew there was a small liklihood that they could possibly have a medical condition.

I highly recommend the book, especially to parents of children with disorders.

I wanted to read The Oak Leaves because I am extremely interested in genealogy and family history. As it turned out, I got far more than I expected. I got not only the history story of a past generation, but I got a comtemporary story of modern people dealing with the same kind of problem in today's world.

Maureen Lang did a masterful job of weaving the two stories into and out of each other, all the while keeping them clearly separate. As a reader, I was never confused about whose story I was in. Clever use of the ancestor's journal as bridges to direct and on-stage presentations of her story were skillfully handled.

If you enjoy family history, you're in for a unusual treat here.

I finished the book today, but I've been writing a conflicted review in my head since about the middle of the book.

The author spins a good tale, and the book is enhanced by her experience with fragile X syndrome. I have difficulty with the female protagonists at times being naive in their thoughts and actions. I realize this is often a common feature in certain fiction genres where it somehow enhances the suspense and/or romance factor, but it didn't work for me here. It felt contrived. I agree with another reviewer that the portrayal of Reginald as the evil heathen was a bit obvious given the driving Christian tone of the book.

In my opinion, Christian fiction should contain an up-front statement of such, not a minor mention of God buried in the review/recommendation, if at all. If I had realized how endlessly "Oh, look! There's a muffin on my plate! God is so wonderful to provide!" this book was, I'd have never invested the hours in reading it. (Please excuse the snark, but that's how woo-woo the book felt at times.) If I'd paid for it I'd be especially peeved. Uber-devout, over-the-top wowzaGod! talk makes me cringe, and I realize that my reaction is more my problem than the author's.

I suspect formerly secular authors are aware that they are going to lose a portion of their audience by making Christian rhetoric a focus of their work. Please allow potential readers make an informed decision up front if at all possible. (This might be an issue that needs to be addressed with the publishers/reviewers/Amazon; I don't know how much control an author has over how their work is presented to a potential audience.)

But, back to the good part. The premise of the book was great. How fragile X affected families before there was a diagnosis and at the present time was thoughtfully portrayed. I will certainly look into the secular works that preceded this novel.

Had a hard time getting into the book. The book has 2 settings: present day and long ago. The present day story felt a little forced. After about 1/2 way through, I got more interested, but still not my favorite by this author.

The Oak Leaves by Maureen Lang was a very good read. It dealt with the issue of genetic birth defects across multiple generations of a family--dealing with the shock, denial, and trauma of discovering there is something wrong with a much beloved child, and society's reaction. Although there were a couple of plot twists that required the temporary suspension of disbelief, overall I found the book very rewarding. Rewarding enough that I plan to purchase the sequel!

I loved this book. It was just terrific! It definitely provides a window into dealing with a shocking diagnosis, conjoined with a tale of romance in spite of a terrible "curse." Maureen Lang wove together a beautiful story that is part mystery, romance, historical detail and family drama. I cannot imagine that this was an easy book for her to write since she herself has a son who has Fragile X.

I downloaded this book based on positive reviews from other readers and I wasn't disappointed. It's also my first book by Maureen Lang. I loved the historical/contemporary story and how well both are woven together. The characters are vivid and memorable and I fell in love with Cosim. This is definitely a great read.

You know how you sometimes find a rare gem of a book that you love and wish you could erase it from your memory so you could read it again for the first time? That's how I feel about this book. It's the perfect read for women who are looking for more than the typical books out there. This book has a hint of romance, mystery, suspense, and is very original. The story is great, and it's written well. I'll be purchasing some other books from this author.