With their eldest son about to be drafted into military service, Reinhardt and Lillian Vogt decide to immigrate to America with their three sons and Reinhardt's adopted brother, Eli. But when tragedy strikes during the voyage, their hopeful dreams turn to dust. Can they maintain the faith of their fathers in a new land?
Positioned as a gentle historical romance for lovers of Amish and Mennonite stories, this tale by inspirational Christian novelist Vogel Sawyer (My Heart Remembers) fits this description in too tidy a fashion. Set in 1872, married couple Reinhardt and Lillian Vogt decide to leave their Mennonite village of Gnadenfeld, Russia, for America rather than see their eldest son, Henrik, drafted into the military. The Vogts begin their ocean voyage along with their three sons and Reinhardt’s foster brother Eli Bornholdt when the unthinkable occurs. Faced with sudden tragedy and a future in Kansas now made even more uncertain, Lillian must act quickly and decisively, and does so, but not without drawing the ire of her oldest son. With little to go on but grit, faith and loyalty to each other, these immigrants forge a new life despite obstacles both internal and external. Fans of this type of formulaic fiction won’t be put off by its conclusion or its lightweight treatment of true loss and the grief that follows. Others who prefer more realism in their reads won’t be as easily satisfied. (Sept.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars(4.5 out of 5 stars)
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5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Crystal (San Diego), February 09, 2010
The book was great! Through our trials there is always a field of Grace to keep us going!
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by CKendall (Burlington, NC), December 28, 2009
Reinhardt and Lillian Vogt are living a peaceful life in their Mennonite village in Russia, but their oldest son is soon to be of age to be drafted into the military. War goes against the Mennonite faith, so Reinhardt and Lillian do the only thing they can do to protect their family. They leave everything they know and love and head to America to start over to keep their family safe. Reinhardt’s adopted brother Eli accompanies the family with hopes of working his own land.
When the unthinkable happens on the voyage across the ocean, Lillian and Eli join together in a marriage of convenience so Eli can accompany Lillian and her family to Kansas and help them get settled. This new family faces many trials and amid the trials, love blooms between Eli and Lillian.
One of the most interesting aspects of this story is the Mennonite history that is involved. The concept of this story is based on the history of the author’s ancestors, which makes the story much more interesting. Overall, this is an enjoyable love story, although, there was a bit too much of a roller coaster between Eli and Lillian. I really enjoyed the bond that formed between Lillian’s sons and Eli. Those moments were very heartwarming.
There are many nice moments in this story that make it easy to keep reading. The writing is very good and flows well from start to finish. The journey to grace was a long one, but it was well worth it and this book is well worth reading. I found Fields of Grace to be a relaxing book and enjoyed it very much.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Christy Lockstein (Oconto Falls, WIsconsin), December 27, 2009
Fields of Grace by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a gentle love story with Mennonites in 1872 Kansas. Lillian and Reinhardt Vogt must leave their home in the steppes of Russia to protect their son, Henrik, from forced military service. Traveling with them is Reinhardt's foster brother Eli Bornholdt, who will use his farming know-how to help them prosper in their new home in Kansas. But two tragedies aboard their ship forces Lillian to radically change her view of the future and will challenge the faith of the entire family. Sawyer creates a realistic and moving story of facing your worst nightmare and living through it. Her portrayal of pioneer Kansas makes the grassy plains come to life. She keeps the conflict for the most part within the family instead of external. They have to overcome their own struggles and fights while the outside world rarely intrudes, which was probably very true for families who would have been so incredibly isolated during this time in history. A small complaint: the woman on the front cover doesn't look anything like Lillian who is 38, and this young woman is barely twenty. Sometimes the characters seem to change their feelings 180 degrees too quickly, but for the most part Sawyer does an admirable job showing how God works good through all circumstances for those who believe in Him.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Carey Harrison (Horseshoe Bend, ID), December 13, 2009
This is Kim's best novel yet. I absolutely loved it. I felt like I was right there every minute and could feel their grief and happiness. The language barrier, the loss of loved ones due to epidemics, moving to a new country and leaving friends and security, building a new home in a strange land makes one thankful for our present day freedoms.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Janet (Portland, OR), November 11, 2009
Reinhardt and Lillian along with their three boys and Reinhardt’s brother Eli decide to flee Russia to enjoy religious freedom in the U.S. Henrik, their almost 18 year-old son, will be drafted in the military which would violate their Mennonite faith if they stay. The voyage across the ocean is much worse then expected. Without Reinhardt, Eli and Lillian must decide what to do when they arrive. Do they return to Russia or press on with their original plans? When they decide to continue to Kansas to farm, Eli couldn’t be happier, he loves his family and does everything to provide for them. Henrik has his own ideas of the new life he wants for himself that does not include farming in the middle of nowhere. Lillian is heart broken with his decision but must put her feelings aside and truly embrace her new life.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Crystal (Caney, KS), November 04, 2009
Wow! What a great book! This book was so well written that I felt like I knew the characters. Through this book I traveled with them to America, witnessed the pain, heartache, and conditions they faced on that boat. As the characters set up a farm and built sod houses, celebrated birthdays and searched their hearts, I felt like I was there. I also enjoyed the information that was given on building the sod house, and other things the people did daily. I enjoyed learning about the food the characters were used to, and how they adapted to the new environment. If you read this book, make sure you take time to read the note from the author. It was really neat to see how she used inspiration from her family history to create this work of fiction. I was also excited to see that this author has 14 other novels! I look forward to reading more from her and would particularly enjoy a continuation of Fields of Grace, so I can visit these characters again and see how they are doing. I would like to thank Bethany House for providing me the opportunity to review their books and the free copy that I received.
3 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Amanda (Sturgis, MI), November 03, 2009
I wish I would have read the note from the Author at the end of the book before reading the actual book. It would have helped a lot. To be honest, I had a bad attitude about reading this book. I've never been into this "type" of book. Reading the author's note at the end of the book helped put a perspective on the story that I wish I had while reading it. All that aside, I did enjoy the story. I liked how Kim Vogel Sawyer switched between characters to give the reader all sides of the story. I loved the setting of the book. I recommend this book to someone that enjoys historical novels and doesn't mind looking past some of the "religious" traditions that they might not follow. I received this book free to review through Bethany House.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Helen (Kansas), October 28, 2009
When I read this story I felt like I was listening to my mother's stories about her family leaving their home and coming to America for a new start. The characters seem very real and the story kept my attention from the beginning to the end. I read it in two days because I wanted to see what would happen next. I also liked the letter from Mrs. Sawyer at the end of the book. I read a lot and this is one of the best I have read.
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