Customer Reviews

The Strength of Saints

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LaFaye continues with Nissa's story of self-discovery and independence in The Strength of Saints. Here, Nissa is in the process of discovering the fact that she is indeed her own person. As Heirah points out, Nissa is neither like her, Ivar, or Nissa's new step-mother, Lara--she is a unique and truly wonderful individual. Her mother's free spirit, Ivar's strength, and their combined belief that all human beings are created equal are forces which have helped give Nissa the freedom to be who she is--the founder and librarian of the East and West Harper Libraries, where everyone is welcome. Lara's presence has heped Nissa to understand that it is her own family who is "out of the ordinary." Through this understanding, Nissa is able to come to terms with the beliefs and actions of Lara and other members of the community and view them with a new perspective. Nissa's narative takes us deep into the turmoil that is created when the Yampells, who come from the north, build a cannery and hire blacks and whites alike, expecting them to work side by side. This causes the powerful members of Harper, angry over the idea of blacks being treated as equals, to stir up Klan tensions, which eventually leads to the sparking of both a literal and metaphorical fire. This fire turns the cannery into ashes, leaving the townspeople without the jobs they so desperately needed, and leaving behind a heavy smoke of hatred and mistrust. Nissa's thoughtful examination of these events and how they affect both herself and those around her are focused through the decisions that she must make concerning her libraries, and how these decisions will effect not only herself and her family but the entire town of Harper. In this novel, Nissa, hoping that she will have the strength of saints--the strength to do the right thing no matter what the consequences--forges forward into young womanhood with strength, character, individuality, and purpose. Despite all of the turmoil, Nissa manages to be mindful of angels and stay on course, leaving behind a story that no doubt makes Ivar, Heirah, and Lara proud, and will keep many a reader--young and old alike--turning the pages.

Nissa's story keeps getting better. From The Year of the Sawdust Man to Nissa's Place to this book, Nissa has grown quite a bit, learning to accept her family's odd makeup. She still holds out the little-girl hope that her bohemian mother and more conservative father will find a way to get back together again, but with Papa and new wife Lara having a baby, the hope seems slimmer. Nissa's mother is more present in this book and she has grown quite a bit as well. I was struck by how well the adults are described in this book--from a child's eye view and yet I think Nissa understands them--and so does the reader. Nissa's industrious projects (so reminiscent of her mother) result in the East and West Harper libraries, a terrific analogy for the racial divide in the South of this time period. A. LaFaye is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers--her books are filled with humor, serious subjects, and a main character who walked off the page and into my heart. I heartily recommend this book.