Beverly Lewis’ The Redemption of Sarah Cain - Book Report - ANALYSIS & PERSONAL REACTION

               

    “The Redemption of Sarah Cain” was my first Amish book to read.

 I admire the author, Beverly Lewis on the way she associated her heritage into her writing. 

  I should say this is one of the best books I’ve read so far on this school year. 

                 The story line is simple, yet portrayed in such a way that I felt the book holds a much deeper meaning: loss of faith, finding faith, growth, and learning from others. The story showed that aside from individual differences and cultural issues, each person can still learn from each other if each one of them is willing to actually listen.  The novel is rich in spiritual understanding, gives depth to commitment, not to compromise in temptation, and shows balance and belief in life.   

            The story had an element of suspense but overall it was a bit predictable.  From the title itself “The Redemption of Sara Cain”, the reader can tell what would likely to happen to the main character.    Although the ending is good but it was so quickly wrapped up. The entire book has a good pace but the story ended in so little pages left. As the story evolves, I could tell that Sarah may have had a change of heart at the end, when she said “No Josiah. Finding her voice, your mamma was a very nice woman, She did not make mistake...”. but all of a sudden it’s the epilogue. Although the author made everything falls into proper place, the

 revelation is so sudden. Yet, I still liked how the end of story went on how Lydia narrates the events in the epilogue.

                  After reading the story, I learned a little about Amish culture and their life. They are the people who could live a simple and uncluttered life.  I can’t believe that there are still people who live that way of life in this cyber age. I think I would like to read more on Amish community. Overall, the book has a good life lesson. It made me think about family, faith, culture, choices, and self-discovery.

          

 * This is my daugthers'  book report in English 101

Molly Mae N. Martinez

Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management

Far East Asia Institute of Tourism Science and Technology

           

Beverly Lewis’ The Redemption of Sarah Cain - Book Report - SUMMARY

       

   The novel “The Redemption of Sarah Cain” is primarily told from the perspective of Sarah’s niece, Lydia Cottrell who is the eldest of the five Amish children. 

            Sarah and Ivy were never close as they grew up. Ivy was the popular during their high school days. She has been voted “Ms. Congeniality”. Sarah was the nervous type and it was until college when she broke out of her shell.  Their lifestyle is way too different from each other.  For some reason, Ivy settled with her husband, they decided to join the Amish. Ivy with her husband preferred living a simple and plain life. Sarah could not understand what caused this change in her sister.  

         When Ivy Cottrell died, Sarah found out that she has been named guardian of Ivy’s five orphaned Amish children.  She hates that she is forced to go to Pennsylvania to deal with the situation. Although, she did not understand Ivy’s choice, she flew out to Lancaster County to see if she can find Amish foster parents for her nieces and nephews. 

             When Ivy Cottrell died, Sarah found out that she has been named guardian of Ivy’s five orphaned Amish children.  She hates that she is forced to go to Pennsylvania to deal with the situation. Although, she did not understand Ivy’s choice, she flew out to Lancaster County to see if she can find Amish foster parents for her nieces and nephews.

            While at the Amish community, Sarah had difficulty adjusting on their way of life. She disliked their early morning rising. She can’t understand how one can live with such a plain household, and how the same day-to-day pattern of life doesn’t get boring. Lydia, the oldest of the Cottrell children did her best to keep the household busy daily tending to their farms. Sarah stayed a little longer than she intended, she began to learn and understand what life is like for her nieces and nephews, and through them to better understand the sister whom she was never close. But Sarah remained aloof while trying to make decisions about their future, especially since the eldest looks and acts so muck like Ivy.

            Lydia feels much the same about Sarah. She cannot understand her odd focus on material possessions. She struggled keeping her promise to her dying mom because it will cost her of losing “ the sweetest, kindest, and most handsome Plain boy in all of Lancaster  County”, Levi King. Although, Lydia didn’t like the decision of leaving the Amish community, she had to be strong for her younger siblings. Lydia and her siblings were forced to leave the Amish community and went with Sara back to Oregon. Sara believed she could make a new life for them in Oregon. However, the situations were not easy for the Amish siblings. The modern world is forcing them to compromise who they are. The Amish siblings had to deal with a lifestyle that is so foreign and opposite to the way they were raised. The situations made Sara decide to bring the Amish siblings back to Lancaster County.

From the start, Sarah is only determined to help find   foster parents for the Amish siblings, but as she does so, she learned through their simple sweetness, to open her heart to love again. At the time that Sarah is deciding to leave her nieces and nephews, Anna Mae grabbed her arm, squeezed, and begged Sarah not to leave them.  All the siblings were crying and Josiah out of sadness blurted out that “Seems to me, Mamma made a mighty big mistake asking you to come here.”  Hearing those words, Sarah flashback on why her mom gave her the name “Sarah” and this served as her moving force to stay with the children. Sarah changed her mind and decided to stay at the community with her nieces and nephews. That night ended Sarah’s loneliness and searching. She started to get connected with her family, her sister’s beautiful children, her own flesh and blood.

After a couple of months, Sara and Bryan got married. Lydia started working as a schoolteacher and later on married Levi.

************NEXT POST WILL BE THE ANALYSIS & PERSONAL REACTION**************

 * This is my daugthers'  book report in English 101

Molly Mae N. Martinez

Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management

Far East Asia Institute of Tourism Science and Technology

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