MY REVIEW:
Perhaps it is just me but I found A Gathering of Finches to be an excruciatingly slow read. The primary characters were so self-absorbed and totally interested in very little other than having a good time or feeling sorry for themselves with almost no regard for others in their lives.Although Cassie did seem to change near the end, it was never totally clear whether she had a true conversion experience.
Although I just could not begin to care about the people in the book, Kirkpatrick’s beautiful description of the countryside tempts me to want to see it myself. One positive thing about A Gathering of Finches was its strong message about how wealth and power does not equate with peace of mind and true happiness.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Based on historical characters and events, A Gathering of Finches tells the story of a turn-of-the-century Oregon coastal couple and the consequences of their choices, as seen through the eyes of the wife, her sister, and her Indian maid. Along the way, the reader will discover reasons to trust that money and possessions can’t buy happiness or forgiveness, nor permit us to escape the consequences of our choices. The story emphasizes the message that real meaning is found in the relationships we nurture and in living our lives in obedience to God.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jane Kirkpatrick is an Oregon author whose work includes the three novels Love to Water My Soul, A Sweetness to the Soul, and Homestead. A Sweetness to the Soul earned the author and publisher the Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center as the “Outstanding Western Novel of 1995.” Her award-winning essays have appeared in over fifty magazines and newspapers across the country. She is a clinical social worker, speaker, and teacher. Jane and her husband, Jerry, live on a remote ranch in Eastern Oregon. A Gathering of Finches is the third book in her compelling historical novel series.
