Customer Reviews

Searching for Eternity

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Searching for Eternity
I have just finished reading this book. In it I learned a lot about the French Resistance movement of WW II. The characters are well fleshed out. The subjects of fear, grief, betrayal,faith struggle, and growing up are handled realistically -- no easy solutions.
I will buy more of Elizabeth Musser's work!

I've read four other books by Elizabeth Musser, but in my humble opinion, this is by far the best. There were so many things going on at so many levels that I couldn't wait to keep turning the pages. First of all, the mystery of Emile's father's disappearance runs through the entire book. There's the spiritual story of people suffering abuses in different times, places, and cultures--from Emile's suffering at the hands of racist bullies, to Eternity's abuse from her mother and men, to victims of the Holocaust and war. Such different levels and kinds of suffering, and yet they share similar struggles over leaving the past behind and starting life again.


And then there's the love story between Emile and Eternity. They meet when they're thirteen and form a deep, lasting bond. Both are outcasts at Northside High School in Atlanta--Emile because of his heavy French accent and European ways, and Eternity because of her paradoxical love of culture and "trailer trash" family. A tragedy tears them apart while they're still young, but circumstances keep drawing them together over the years. They're never able to break away from one another, but terrible events in Eternity's past won't let them be together, either. I couldn't wait to get to the end and see what finally happened between the two of them, although I was almost afraid to.


On a more trivial note, I enjoyed reading about familiar places in the Atlanta area. The story continues from 1964 up until the early nineties, and I was in Atlanta during some of those times. Characters ate at my favorite restaurants and attended churches I've gone to. It felt like a trip through my past as well.

In the 1960s born and raised in France, Emile de Bonnery, accompanied by his mother, leaves for Atlanta to live with his maternal grandmother. He is upset with the change failing to adapt to his new home. Instead he is angry with his father who be believes deserted his mother and abandoned him for another woman; although at mellower moments Emile romanticizes that his dad is a spy.

However, Emile's attitude abruptly changes when he meets Eternity Jones as he learns how good he has it with the love of maternal relatives. Instead he finds her world is filled with poverty and racism accentuated by alcoholism. As his open minded grandmother shows him by her actions the way to welcome people regardless of race, religion, or economics, Emile learns faith in the Lord's plan keeps Eternity being stronger than he is as he only has material superiority.

This is a deep look at a changing Atlanta through four decades of the life of French immigrant Emile de Bonnery as he sees how much his adopted city changes from segregation to integration ultimately with black political control. The use of newspaper clippings enhance the feel for the metamorphosis, but also slow the narrative. Still this character driven tale provides a puissant relevant glimpse of how Atlanta became the jewel of the south thanks in part to people like Emile's grandmother who proved with her actions that all people matter and Eternity who affirmed the belief that everyone is someone important.

Harriet Klausner

There are some books that you read and enjoy, there are others you read and are relaxed, and then there are the books that become part of your life. When I finished "Searching for Eternity" by Elizabeth Musser I felt like I lost a friend.

French born Emile de Bonnery is dragged to America by his Mother. His French Father has suddenly disappeared, and Emile finds himself in Atlanta trying to adjust to cultural shock. The only welcome face Emile and his Mother had was his Maternal Grandmother, who he has never met until that day, at the age of 14.

Emile is faced with unfriendly kids at school and is left to fend for himself until he meets Eternity. Emile is trying to solve the mystery of his Father's disappearance and Eternity is trying to deal with her own secrets. They strike up friendship and help each other face their past.

This book faces racism and the civil rights movement, but also scars that were left over from World War II. The common theme of this book is standing up for what is right, even when no one else will. Choices in life are not always solved in a years times period, change happens slowly over a lifetime. This is a book of great depth and of God's faithfulness. It is not light reading material, but a book I highly recommend.

Musser does a credible job of this male POV, bringing him from childhood to adulthood emotions without crossing the line of believability. History and mystery are woven throughout this tale of love, of loss, and hard-won forgiveness.

The 60s were a turbulent time in the south, in our nation and the world. Only fifteen to twenty years had passed since the Great War. Musser's pen evokes an ambiance that wraps itself around the reader, drawing them deep into the story and the era. Searching for Eternity receives this reviewer's highest recommendation.

This book was a wonderful personal journey for me, living in the village of St. Romain, Emile's hometown. Elizabeth Musser paints a touching, yet realistic description of a young man finding his way through insecurity, culture shock, and faith. My daughters and I loved the different characters, and more than a few tears were shed as we read the book. Once again, Elizabeth, you've touched our hearts!

I have read most of your books and have a hard time putting them down until I finish reading them and everyone I pass them on to says the same thing. Your books are just the best. I would love to email you and tell you but do not know your email address-----do you have one that your readers can contact you? My address is wepraisehimnow@aol.com I would love to hear back from you.

I enjoy this author very much so selected the title listed.

The book has an entertaining and informative view of living during WW II under occupation of the invading Nazi army in France. The descriptions of the French resistance were thoughtful and gave insight in how the people attempted tactics that would provide defiance and change. The consequences were horrific but described so well that a young adult could read and appreciate these partisan heroes. The main character had to learn and appreciate his two cultural heritages provided by parents from different countries. France was his first choice but as he acclimated the southern style of the United States, he was able to delve meaning and strength from both countries positive attributes.

The author also tries to develop her characters with full and complete personalities. Reading the story gives the personal growth of these main characters in a satisfactory and Christian way.

"Searching for Eternity" is actually two interconnected novels, the first a coming-of-age story in Atlanta in the 1960s and the second a story of the French Resistance in World War II. The two are linked by the father of Emile de Bonnery, the 13-year-old boy plucked from his beloved home in Lyon with no explanation who finds himself in Atlanta in the mid-1960s, dealing with racism, civil rights, school bullies, a friend's sexual abuse -- and the redemptive power of faith. Partially based on real events (the trial of Klaus Barbie, the Nazi war criminal known as the Butcher of Lyon), Musser's novel occasionally pushes at the boundaries of credulity (the silence maintained about the father's disappearance for 25 years requires some suspension of belief by the reader) but ultimately tells a wonderful story of love and eternity.

This is another engaging book by Ms. Musser on a young adult's journey to find his faith. She did a good job of switiching between the story of the son and the father. The book is well-researched - both about life in Atlanta in the 1960s and the French Resistance during World War II. The only drawback I found with the book were the author's negative comments about the Catholic Church. At times it seemed like she was attempting to argue why the Protestant religions are better than Catholicism. Unfortunately, this could turn off some readers who could benefit from hearing her beautiful insights into a faith journey.