ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. She has published twelve novels. Three of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, and Fire by Night have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, and 2004 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005.
Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.
Among her lastest books are A Proper Pursuit and A Woman's Place
ABOUT THE BOOK
Life in Sweden seems like an endless winter for three sisters after their mother's and father's suicide. Ellin feels the weight of responsibility for her sisters' welfare and when it circumstances become unbearable, she writes to her relatives in Chicago, pleading for help.
Joining sixteen million other immigrants who left their homelands for America between 1890 and 1920, Ellin, Kirsten, and Sophia begin the long, difficult journey. Enduring the ocean voyage in steerage and detention on Ellis Island, their story is America's story. And in a journey fraught with hardships, each woman will come to understand her secret longings and the meaning of home.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Until We Reach Home, go HERE
My Review: I loved this engaging story of three sisters who travel from Sweden to the USA for a new life. I was captivated from beginning to end. It is not heavy on historical facts which I was relieved to read. Instead you are drawn into the story of Ellin, Kirsten, and Sophia's lives. Ellin is the oldest and has a secret she does not want the others especially her sisters to ever find out about. Their mother died when they were younger and then their father died. Their older brother deserted them after their Uncle and Aunt plus children move into the small house on the farm with them. Ellin feels the pressure to escape and take care of her sisters. One of her mother's brothers lives in the States and arranges for them to come here. They face many challenges along the way. Sophia is the youngest and least mature and very much scared and depressed to be leaving Sweden. Ellin has her secret which has been destroying her from the inside out. Kirsten leaves a boy she thinks she loves in Sweden so she has an attitude until she reads Ellin's diary and then she understands why they had to leave a little better. I loved watching their characters mature and change. I do not want to say anything else for risk of giving too much away. Whenever family is together home is found. This is one of the themes that ended up staying in my mind. I highly recommend this book. I look forward to reading more books by this author. :)
Read Kim at Window to My World's great review:
http://berlysue.blogspot.com/2008/11/until-we-reach-home-by-lynn-austin.html
1 comment:
That sounds wonderful. I don't believe I've read anything by Lynn Austin, yet. I have a lot of catching up to do, when I finish that crazy stack of ARCs. Great review, Brittanie! :)
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