Customer Reviews

The Outsider: A Novel

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

The Outsider is a beautiful historical novel - by Kentuckian Ann Gabhart - set in the 1800's in a Shaker community - Pleasant Hill - located near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Just this alone made me want to read this novel. I live less than 10 miles from the restored Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill and have spent many hours roaming the surrounding hillsides.

In this book, the main character is a young Shaker woman - Gabrielle - who is completely happy living with her Shaker brothers and sisters , living the life of purity and hardwork. That is until an outsider - Dr. Brice Scott - intrudes on their lives and makes his way into her thoughts, and eventually her heart. The Shaker culture and society are so realistic I felt like I was there, like I knew these people. Living so near a restored Shaker village, I have grown up reading and researching the Shaker culture, so this book is very true to the life these religious people lead.

Because the entire story doesn't happen just on the grounds of the Shaker village, readers are given a realistic view of war during this time and historical medical information, in addition to the treatment of strangers to the Shaker village. There are also other glimpses into this disciplined lifestyle, from the demanding hard work to the fanatical religious servies.

This book was a fascinating read and Mrs. Gabhart's flowing prose seemed to leap off the pages and jump straight into your heart. Gabrielle's transformation from the quiet, shy girl into the beautiful young woman is presented with sobering details and fleeting views from the past.

I recommend this book, not only as a work of historical fiction surrounding the lives of the Shakers, but as a delightful work of pure unadultered literature. The Outsider is a worthy find among the multitude of fiction and genre books being released today.

I thought overall this book was a good value and well worth the read. I read pretty much every genre, so I'm not really picky, and the fact that this FREE kindle book had almost no errors was amazing. The quality of the writing was excellent, and I enjoyed the novel setting and characters (I'd never heard of the Shakers before). The reason I marked the title down to three stars is because about halfway through the book the storyline changes from an emphasis on the main character, the Shaker girl with the gift of sight, to her love interest, including many many pages about the graphic nature of war. The many scenes of people being scalped, shot, tomahawked, and otherwise bleeding all over the snow were unexpected and quite unwelcome. I personally stay away from this kind of violence in books, and would have never read it had I known. So for me personally this was not the best choice, but if you have the stomach for that sort of stuff, then I think overall you will enjoy the unique storyline because it is well written.

This is a seamless story meticulously told by an author noted for her careful research. Without giving any of the plot away, I found this glimpse of Shaker life fascinating. The author does an admirable job of balancing the good (the Shaker's work ethic and their faithful adherence to their beliefs)with the strange, fanatical aspects (think Mother Ann and balls of love). I particularly enjoyed the character of Dr. Scott - he added just the right amount of spice to Gabrielle's more sedate personality. The descriptions of frontier army life were excellent and all the other minor characters added authenticity. Gabrielle's own innocence and her feelings for the doctor are refreshingly related. I look forward to her next Shaker novel!

I thought The Outsider by Ann H. Gabhart was fantastic. It was a page turner. You never knew from one chapter to the next what was coming, and the ending was a real surprise! The book delved into the history of the Shaker society which made the book very interesting because each page, almost, had something to share about a society that has long since past away but it is still a part of our country's early history. Gabhart did a fantastic job of portraying the society as they really were complete with the good and bad about the society. The story is about a forbidden love because the Shakers, as other societies of its sort, did not believe in marriage so you never really knew all the way through the book how it would end. Each page, of course, you wanted her to choose romance with the handsome doctor, but she was a devote Shaker and one that was greatly respected in that society as one of their visionaries. The book takes you into the inside of the Shaker community and shows you how it really was to live, belong and devote your life to the community instead of to self. I have read lots of Amish books, for the same reason because I want to see into a community that existed a long time ago, and was different from normal society. There are many Amish books, so this book was really refreshing in that you can learn about the Shaker society. Enjoy!

In 1812 twenty-year-old Shaker Sister Gabrielle Hope has visions that enable her to see the future. Still she is steadfast to her commitment she and mom made in 1807 when they moved to Harmony Hill and adheres to her religious beliefs.

However, a kiss from visiting widower Dr. Brice Scott makes her wonder if the Shaker life of celibacy that she and her mother have vowed to follow is for her. As Brice's kind gentle words stir a passion of forbidden love inside her, she begins to reconsider her vows especially since the community separates moms and daughters leaving her no one to consult with about her feelings.

Using a potential taboo romance more as a mechanism than as the prime plot theme, Ann H. Gabhart provides a deep look at the Shaker Movement during the War of 1812. Well written, historical fans learn about the impact of celibacy on the Shakers including some who fail to adapt and commit suicide. Although none of the characters including Gabrielle display any deep passion about anything even death, which in fairness fits in some ways the Shaker society expectations of the flock, fans will enjoy this interesting War of 1812 tale.

Harriet Klausner

A historical novel set in Kentucky in the early 1800's introducing me to the Shaker Lifestyle and a romance between a "Believer" and a "Wordly" man from a distance, I found this book to be more interesting then I ever expected. I enjoyed this book so much that I found it hard to put down and finished it in just a few days. I thought the writing was excellent and look forward to reading more of this author's books. I also learned a lot about the Shakers having only heard the name before but never really knowing what their lifesytles were like. It was, in my opinion, a very good and interesting read.

Life in the Shaker community of Harmony Hill had seemed so settled for Gabrielle Hope - she had embraced the community's love and their beliefs, making them part of the very fabric of her life. However, when a fire burns her good friend Nathan Bates, she meets Doctor Brice Scott, and begins to feel things forbidden to the Shakers...feelings that she can neither embrace nor deny.

Well, I have always been interested in American religious communistic societies, and so I jumped when I saw this book. I think that the author, Ann H. Gabhart, did a great job of capturing the feel of the Shakers. She paints them as human - many of them are ardent believers, compassionate and loving, and yet firm in their faith. And, I think she did a great job of shedding light on the experience of those who joined the Shakers, and yet could never really embrace the community.

But don't think that this is in anyway an anti-religious book. In fact, the author weaves faith throughout the book, making it a part of the entire story.

And, the romance? I found it to be very well done, very moving, very compelling. I really enjoyed this book, it really reached down into my soul. I don't hesitate to give this book my highest recommendations!

I loved this book for the details it provides into the life of the Shakers. The plot was very predictable from the onset, and so disappointing from that aspect. But I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning about these people and the way they lived.

Gabhart's book isn't bad. There's much worse Christian fiction out there. But it isn't great, either.

The main character's name is Gabrielle. Was that a name really in use in 1812 in the United States? I find that hard to believe. But a lot of Christian historical fiction writers give their characters names better suited to a contemporary soap opera.

Did the Shakers really call their dining room the "biting room"? I've read a great deal of nonfiction about the Shakers and have never heard of a "biting room" before. Even if it is accurate, it sounds awkward.

Finally, the Kentucky militia shows up to fight the War of 1812 wearing "Kentucky jeans"? I don't think so, as jeans were invented in 1873, and weren't even called jeans then.

The book isn't terrible, but it may make you a little crazy as you read.

I found myself just skipping pages as some of the chapters went on forever. Much too boring to even continue with, so I have no idea how it ends. I deleted it from my Kindle after getting about half way through. Honestly, there was nothing interesting about this book in the least.