Customer Reviews

When the Heart Cries (Sisters of the Quilt, Book 1)

5 star:		(97)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Cindy Woodsmall's past and present ties to the Plain Mennonite and Amish community are evident throughout the novel. She presents a lifestyle beautiful and sweet in its simplicity, but sometimes legalistic to the point of lacking compassion. So when Hannah Lapp, a young Amish woman, falls in love with a young Mennonite man and the problems begin, I was convinced.

Hannah's youthful exuberance, impulsiveness and rebellion against the rather stifling lifestyle lead to a few innocent indiscretions. These cause further problems later, when "the unthinkable" happens, an event hardly mentionable for those that follow the Old Ways. Her parents love and support her, but they are too loyal to the traditions of men, to the letter of their law without the spirit.

They allow their daughter, a victim, to be villified.

With excellent prose and occasional Pennsylvania Dutch terms for flavor, Cindy Woodsmall has given us a charming and powerful coming-of-age novel filled with humor and pathos. After watching the heroine's loves and losses, we are left not with a happy, contrived ending, but a realistic one of hope for the future for the courageous young woman--and for an excellent sequel to this sterling debut novel.

Move over, Beverly Lewis and Wanda Brunstetter. Cindy Woodsmall's debut novel, WHEN THE HEART CRIES, gets the Sisters of the Quilt series off to a promising start, with plenty of Amish intrigue, romance and tragedy.

Hannah Lapp is the 17-year-old daughter of an Old Order Amish family who is in love with the older and more worldly Paul Waddell. She lives on a farm in Owl's Perch in Perry County, Pennsylvania, where life is lived in old-fashioned ways. Paul is Mennonite and, even worse, a college student, which is anathema to Hannah's strict Amish parents. Loving and enjoying time with Paul has shown Hannah the welcome conveniences of electricity and cars, as well as the value of an education (many Amish girls' educations end at eighth grade). Hannah longs for modern accouterments like personal computers and the Internet. Despite her parents' misgivings and the upheaval in her life that loving Paul will bring about, Hannah accepts Paul's marriage proposal.

Then, tragedy strikes when Hannah's stroll along a deserted road leads to a disastrous assault. Her family and Amish community --- rather than consoling and helping her as a victim --- casts her in the role of a promiscuous sinner. They demand she repent of her wrongdoing. Hannah's younger, envious and troubled sister Sarah adds fuel to the fire by misrepresenting Hannah's activities. Worse yet for Hannah, her fiancé is slow to understand the truth, and only a few friends stand by her. Heartbroken and disillusioned, Hannah flees the community to find a long-lost relative, leaving plenty of loose ends dangling to be picked up in the sequel, WHEN THE MORNING COMES.

Some nice subplots abound, leaving room for fleshing them out in future installments in the series. Hannah's brother Luke is in love with Mary Yoder, one of Hannah's best friends, and marriage seems certain. A terrible buggy accident jeopardizes their future together. Hannah's desire to help Mary recover from her injuries by assisting with her physical therapy leads to a newfound fascination with medical knowledge that causes her to yearn for more. Yet another subplot: Matthew Esh, a good friend of Hannnah's who sticks by her in her troubles, is in love with Elle Leggett, an Englischer who was brought up in the Amish tradition. But Elle is concerned that Matthew and Hannah are much more than friends. Can this romance be saved?

At the end of WHEN THE HEART CRIES is a helpful glossary that acquaints the reader with the Pennsylvania Dutch terminology used throughout. Woodsmall includes some nice details in her story. Hannah and Mary work on a "Past and Future" quilt, whose composition will interest quilters and readers of Amish literature. ("Past and Future" quilts in Woodsmall's story integrate materials used in childhood clothing with fabric currently in use. Members of the community contribute material that ties into the engaged couple's life in a meaningful way to be used in the quilt.)

Woodsmall also incorporates some good spiritual lessons throughout her novel, particularly the ugly power of gossip, the reminder that appearances may be misleading, and the value of true friendship. The resolution of Hannah's biggest problem may seem too easy for some readers, but it sets the stage for WHEN THE MORNING COMES. However, the ending will leave the reader longing to know what's next for Hannah, her friends and her Amish community.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby.

Having grown up in neighboring Berks County in Pa, I was very familiar with the Amish and Mennonites. I enjoy reading stories about them and agree with other reviewers that this "new" author has done much research. She is very accurate with the traditions, the faith as well as Pa.Dutch which my family also spoke. It was an enjoyable story in spite of the trauma which happened to Hannah, the main character. I also look forward to the sequel and will be eager to read about Hannah's future (or not) with Paul and will enjoy watching her grow and mature in her new life.

This is a wonderful new author who definitely will be added to my list of "must read" authors. Her story is easy to read, keeps you interested throughout the entire book and makes you want more----all great elements in a good book. She's a contender-----and will be enjoyed in the future, I am sure.

I hope she write the sequel soon----------I'm ready to read it.

this was a really great book....it's the first time in awhile when I literly could not put it down...it took me about a day to read. Amazing book captiving until the very end and leaves you waiting and wanting more!! I highly suggest this book to anyone who is interested in romance and or the amish genre!!

What a gut-wrenching and provacotive tale. The ending holds realism, yet hope. I appreciate Woodsmall's handling of delicate subjects, but I would not recommend this for young readers.

Hannah has a secret that would shock her Old Order Amish family; she is in love with a Mennonite boy, and is considering leaving the Amish faith to marry him. But when she is attacked by an English man, her world, her faith, and her family are rocked. Her parents choose to not report the attack, but the consequences prove to be devastating to Hannah.

Call me a sap, but I typically prefer Amish novels to be a tiny bit lighter, and have a happier ending than this one. I was actually a bit depressed reading this book. I have read other Amish books that deal with heavy, serious topics, but still have a peaceful feeling to them. I found no peace at all within this book.

From a character and plot standpoint, the book is solid and leaves me no room to criticize. The characters are very well developed, particularly Hannah, and the scenes are written quite well. Hannah's pain is palpable throughout the progression of the story. And I like that the story touches on the differences between the Amish and Mennonite communities. So, from a writing standpoint the book is excellent. I personally just did not care for the story.

This series was the best series I have ever read! I have read many, many amish books and this is by far the best! What a wonderful writter and compelling stories. These are wonderful books! They are well worth the time invested to read them.

When The Heart Cries is a powerfully emotional story that I could not tear myself away from until I was finished. I have always enjoyed Amish fiction, and Cindy Woodsmall has brought a new and amazingly wonderful touch to it. I hope to be reading many more books by this author in the years to come!

I got so wrapped up in this story, at one point I found myself literally sobbing! This is definetly not your average Amish romance story! The depth of the characters and the style of writing in this novel are far superior. I hope Ms. Woodsmall delights us with many many more novels of this quality.

A very touching book that will take you through a series of emotions. All I can say is WOW - great book - can't wait to get my hands on the sequel to it.