Customer Reviews

The Sacrifice (Abram's Daughters #3)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a huge fan of Beverly Lewis's books, but was just about to lay this one aside when it FINALLY started to get interesting and then - wow!

Leah is the main character and her value and worth are never questioned, especially with the decisions she is called to make. The twins Hannah and Mary Ruth are young ladies now, but their hearts pull them in different directions. Sadie, the shunned oldest daughter is ever in the background until the last few pages. Somehow I feel we have not heard the last of her first, huge sinful encounter which resulted in her banning. I was pleased to see the doctor's family more fully integrated into this book.

Abram and his wife have raised some different children with sharp minds and this book shows the reader the apparent differences and outcomes. The Amish community is beginning to lose some of their young people to the more liberal Mennonites, much to the chagrin of Dat and the bishop. Speaking of Dat, he is portrayed as stubborn, spiteful, and finally softening.

Leah has my admiration and is definitely the star of this book. Her life and relationship to some special little people will pull at your heartstrings.

This book is chock full of surprises and intrigue and Beverly Lewis has plenty to draw from when she releases book 4, "The Prodigal" in October, 2004. I am very excited to order it in advance.

If the whole book had been like the last fourth of the book then it would have been 5+ stars. If just half the book had been, it would have gotten 4. However, this time Lewis took entirely too long to get to the meat and heart of the book, hence, 3 stars.

THE SACRIFICE is the third story in the saga of Abram's Daughters.

I approached this book with great anticipation since I enjoyed THE COVENANT and THE BETRAYAL, the first and second books in this series. I wasn't disappointed. The author, Beverly Lewis, continued her saga of drama and wrote another terrific story about the Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Life for the Ebersol family of Gobbler's Knob, continues as they adjust to the shunning of their oldest daughter Sadie. Leah, the second daughter, misses her sister, but still feels angry because she lost her boyfriend to Sadie. Eventually, Leah becomes involved with Gid Peachey and tries to love him, but in her heart no one can replace Jonas Mast, the love of her life. The twins Mary Ruth and Hannah start their own rumschpringe and begin dating.

Leah continues working on the farm, helping both her mother and father. When her mother becomes pregnant, Leah takes on the extra duty of caring for Lydiann, her youngest sister. Her mother's pregnancy is a tough one and Leah tries to do as much work as she can so that her mother can rest. The family of five daughters, are all hoping for a baby boy.

This author always has something unexpected waiting for the reader and like life itself, we never can guess what's going to happen next.

I've read the first 2 in the series so far, and finally found this one as well.
The story of the Ebersol family continues in The Sacrifice. Leah is still angry and hurt at losing the love of her life to her banned sister, Sadie. She's patiently trying to cope with the loss of her mother, raise the 2 young children her mother left behind, court a man that has been in love with her from her childhood, put up with a hard-to-deal-with, grief-stricken father, and still manage to have some fun at the same time.
I have to say, there is a small, but very good twist in the book at the very end and I did not see it coming at all. It totally took on a new meaning for me then.
It's a must read, but I must say, if you haven't first read The Covenant and The Betrayal (in that order), then you won't really catch what's going on.

I for one wasn't all that frustrated with the lack of "meat" in the story. That might be your impression if you are focused on the Jonas-Sadie-Leah love triangle, because that was a central plot in the previous two books. This book focuses more on the Schwartz family, Abram, Ida, and their twin daughters; as well as Leah's coping in the absence of her sister and old beau. Only toward the end does it return to focus on the original plot. This is a detour from the previous books, but it was a welcome detour for me, because I found the other members of Abram's family to be just as fascinating. The focus on different characters allows for new insights into the world of Lancaster County. "Sacrifice" (more than "Covenant" of "Betrayal") touches on several issues that make the Amish controversial: excessive legalism, the "hex doctors", and the question of salvation. Lewis handles these issues honestly, without getting either overly defensive or judgmental of the Amish people. I'm not giving this book 5 stars because it doesn't really stand on its own as a story. It is a collection of different, related stories that could have used an overriding theme to tie them all together. I don't even know exactly what "The Sacrifice" refers to, but it is still a worthy addition to the series. October will be a long wait, but if the next installment is anything like the previous ones, it will be worth it. I think I could predict what will happen to Leah in the next book (once you get to the end, you'll know what I'm talking about) but the cast of characters is so endearing and true-to-life, I would enjoy it even if it did turn out to be predictable. Anyway, Beverly Lewis has surprised me already, and I wouldn't put it past her to do it again.

This book is full of more suprises than you can count! The third book of "Abram's daughters" is yet another well researched, well written book. The great tragedy they refer to in the synopsis is actually the second great tragedy to occur within it's pages, and both are so heart-wrenching it's advisable to keep a box of tissues nearby. I finished it in about 18 hours, and that includes a good nights sleep in there. I just couldn't wait to find out what happens next!
I wonder which sacrifice the title refers to--it could be argued between two of them, one stemming from each tragedy mentioned before. I don't want to give away the plot, it is well worth reading, and far too good to be summed up in a few sentances.
I am waiting on the edge of my seat for #4 The Prodigal to come out in October. Even its very title fills me with hope for a happy ending at long last for our "ever faithful Leah."

When reading "The Sacrifice" I was struck by how easy it was to rekindle my relationship with the Ebersol family. Ms. Lewis presents her charaters fully and truthfully. Leah's love of family and sense of duty,inspite of personal feelings, inspire. Sadie's journey holds a life lesson. The twins show that even in the Plain community there is teen-age angst, peer pressure and realization that the furtue is not always so cut and dry. The struggle of Abram and Ida to hold together their family, despie the adult pressures of their life in the Plain community, will touch any parent. Remove the guies of the plain lifestyle, and you will see your own family and take comfort that there is a plan, even if we are not aware of what it is. This is a great read that anyone of any age or background will enjoy. I am looking forward to Ms. Lewis's next novel, "The Prodigal" due out in October 2004.

This book truly is entitled properly "Sacrifice," as that is exactly what it is for Leah most of all.

At the beginning though, the twins Mary Ruth and Hannah are both of courting age now and are dating the Stolzfus boys, Elias with Mary Ruth, and Ezra with Hannah. Mary Ruth especially is so much in love with Elias, and when the doctor's son Robert comes to town, a tragedy occurs. On one very dark night after the singings, Robert doesn't see the horse and buggy and runs them down in his car causing a deadly accident. Elias dies at the hospital, and Mary Ruth completely goes to pieces. Robert is studying to be a minister and he is simply sick all over about this, even though pardoned by the People.

It is a long time before Mary Ruth comes around, and when she gets back into living again, wants to attend high school against her Dat's wishes naturally. Mary Ruth is so hurt and everything though, she doesn't care what her Dat thinks, and goes ahead anyway to live with the Englishers she babysits for, and begin her high school career. Abram is furious over his daughter doing this, and bans her from the rest of the family. Ida the mother, has a secret fit, but must abide by her husband's wishes.

Leah is becoming in love with Gideon, the smithy's son. They have plans to marry later, but all that will change when Ida is pregnant with their fifth child, hoping for a boy this time around, and another tragedy befalls the family.

On Christmas Eve, Ida is having severe pains and getting ready to deliver the baby. Leah and Hannah were out during most of this time, and stopped on the way back from church services to see Mary Ruth at the Nolt's. When they finally get back, they discover their mother in dire pain, and as the birth progresses, Hannah has to seek immediate help for their mom with the midwife as she is bleeding quite profusely. Sadly, Ida is beyond help and dies right after getting to hold her son Abe only one time. The whole thing falls on dear Leah's shoulders now, as she feels responsible for her 2 year old sister Lydiann, and Abe now.


Leah knows she cannot possibly marry Gideon at this time or maybe never, is she is now responsible for mothering two kids. She is very committed to both children and like her aunt Lizzie, will be a maidel for a very long time.

Interestingly enough, Ezra, Hannah's love, has gone into the English ways, and the two have grown further apart. Gideon though has taken an interest in Hannah, and the two fall in love and will marry in this book, having their own children.

Abram has serious regrets and begins to soften more in this book as time goes along. He welcomes Mary Ruth back into the fold again, and his other oldest and long lost daughter Sadie comes back into the picture again. Leah is not ready to welcome Sadie back with open arms from all the hurt and betrayals in the past. There is a lot of pain between those two, so it seems it will take awhile to truly make amends.

#3 in a series of 5....... and this one keeps you coming back for more!! More twists and turns as expected from Beverly Lewis; fantastic series!

The author continues to write a thoughtful " hold your interest " diary of Abrams daughters who live in an Amish extended family in Lancaster, Pa. Beverly Lewis began with Volume 1 "The Covenant" and continued with Volume 2 " The Betrayal ". We follow many hours of ups and downs in the lives of the close family and their relationships as they strive to follow the strict tenets of their Amish Faith as best they can .Beverly Lewis enables the reader to understand the Amish culture and inserts Pennsylvania Dutch phrases with the translations.Rarely have I been so caught up unable to put the book down in anticipation of the next events and their outcomes.

The Sacrifice was my favorite so far in the series. There was a lot of emotion to be felt and the author did a great job of keeping up suspense. I am looking forward to reading the final book in the series, The Prodigal.