Patchwork Past
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3.8 • 4 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
When wild child Sophie Deiner--the daughter of an Amish bishop--is forced to return to Nappanee, Indiana, quilt-shop owner Jane Berger is one of only a few who welcome her back. It's the last place she wants to be, but Sophie's recent illness requires that she recover for a while.
As Sophie heals, she befriends a group of migrant workers and is appalled to learn of the wretched living conditions they're forced to endure. Sophie begins advocating on their behalf, but soon finds herself opposed by an ex-boyfriend who is the farm foreman.
Jane begins relating the story of an Amish couple who rescued survivors of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, many of whom were Irish immigrants. And Sophie is more convinced than ever that she needs to fight for the powerless. But when digging deeper makes conditions even worse, has she chosen a fight she can't win?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gould's second installment to her Plain Patterns series (after Piecing It All Together) is a moving tale about the plight of refugees and the value of caring for others. Jane, an elderly spinster, runs a quilt shop in the Amish community of Nappanee, Ind., in addition to writing for the local newspaper. She becomes intrigued with the life of her ancestor, Mary, who aided Irish immigrants during the Chicago Fire of 1871, and recovers Mary's old journal among her grandmother's possessions. She recounts Mary's adventures to Sophie Deiner, a young woman newly back in town to recover from a lupus flare up. As Sophie learns about Mary, she reflects on the similarities between their lives—Sophie has also taken an interest in the welfare of refugees after befriending the Lopez family, immigrants from El Salvador she meets through work at a co-op. When the Lopezes' oldest son is wrongfully detained and threatened with deportation for a crime he didn't commit, Sophie searches out evidence to clear his name. The matter is complicated by Sophie's past relationship with Levi, a farm manager who supports deportation and has a tendency toward violence. Readers will root for Sophie, who finds forgiveness for others and overcomes family strife from previous installments. Gould's excellent drama will appeal to fans of Cindy Woodsmall.
