The Shunning (Heritage of Lancaster County Series #1)

Simple & Sweet

The Shunning is the story of a young Amish girl and her struggle between her faith in the established rules of her people versus the desires of her heart. I chose this book because I was interested in learning about Amish customs and the strain they put on developing Amish children. The story, written in third person, tells the story of Katie Lapp, a girl who is not satisfied with her Amish life. She feels like there is something missing. At first Katie believes that she is not satisfied because being Amish does not allow her to experience the technology and the beauty of a normal life. She longs for pretty dresses and a life where she is free to sing all kinds of music. As the story progresses, questions arise when Katie finds a satin, infant gown in her attic with the name Katherine Mayfield sown on it. As Katie begins her quest to find out who she really is she discovers that what is missing in her heart is not an easier or a prettier way of life, it is Jesus Christ. On the day of Katie¿s wedding to Bishop John, Katie has mixed emotions. Unable to go through with it, she runs away leaving the Bishop at the altar. Furious, the Bishop rules that Katie must confess her sins in front of the community or be shunned from it. Unable to bring herself to apologize for something she does not feel sorry for, Katie is shunned. The first 6 weeks of the shunning entail a period where she is to have no communication with anyone in the village. The period is supposed to initiate a confession from her or she would face being banned and sent away from Hickory Hollow forever. The six weeks prove to be a trying time for Katie Lapp. Without her friends and family she feels completely alone. She often finds herself thinking about the boy she loved who drowned in a storm, while on his boat. Daniel Fisher had shown her a different way, a better way. She remembers the days they used to spend their afternoons together making music on his guitar. Though she had never truly understood what Dan was talking about, his words become clearer and clearer to her each day. She comes to realize that being Christian is not about following man made rules it is about accepting Jesus as your savior. The climax of the story comes when Katie must decide between the outside world and the world she¿s always called home. The plot of this story takes place in a small community called Hickory Hollow in Pennsylvania. The writer uses a rural dialect, which is very simplistic in order to mirror the Amish lifestyle. The book is a simple, but sweet targeting primarily a female audience. Though the story turned out to be quite predictable, I enjoyed it because it not only showed me a life different from my own, it showed me that sometimes you have to question your belief system in order to change it.

6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

The Shunning

I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. We live in a community with many Amish families, and it no doubt sheds light on their plain style of living---which I admire very much! This book no doubt tells some details about what happens when one of the Amish community breaks the vows they have taken. It's nice to read a book with no violence, profanity, or sex! I highly recommend this book!

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Very interesting read

The author again did her homework on the historical aspects of the book. The charcters are all solid. The families are interesting to get to know. I enjoyed learning about the culural aspects as much as I did about the characters themselves.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Very entertaining book

I enjoyed the book from the moment I picked it up. I generally read Christian Mystery books, but had never read a book by Beverly Lewis before. I was pleasantly surprised to find The Shunning kept my attention through the entire book, I could hardly wait to get back to it and even took it to work to read on my lunch breaks. I enjoyed the characters and the Amish history that I learned. I read the book in just a few days, and am glad that there are two more in the series and I am almost finished with the second book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful depiction of being true to oneself.

What an amazing turn of events. I love the way she struggles with what is in her heart and soul and what is expected of her. It truely shows that your path is predetermined and no matter how you are raised you will if you choose be guided down the path in which you are suppose to go in life.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

best ever!!!!!!!

great books.that explains it all.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This was recommended to me and it was a story that moved quickly and kept my interest. I hope someone can suggest some other good books for my NOOK. I like to read books that move along without the foul language. I would read another of her books if it was as good as this one. With the Amish being in the news media it would probably qualify for a book club discussion.

Loved it!

I absolutely fell in love with this book! I thought it to be a bit predictable, however, I could not put it down! So it wasn't so obvious that I knew exactly how it was going to happen. Beverly Lewis knows her stuff, she definitely does her research. Thank you for a wonderful read.

I would never deny Beverly Lewis' personal knowledge of the Amis

I would never deny Beverly Lewis' personal knowledge of the Amish and Mennonites of Lancaster County, however readers of this series
should be aware that  both are presented very two-dimensionally here.  The Amish are portrayed as rule-bound while the Mennonites are
depicted as free to glory in God's love. This is offensive and simplistic. These books are good for entertainment but not for knowing the heart of
the Amish or the Mennonites.  The faiths (and there are many more than one type of Amish or one type of Mennonite) are complex and highly individual.
Read these for fun but don't think you've learned anything of depth about the Amish, other than the factual information such as not using buttons, or the
Mennonites. Any reader who wishes to learn about either should look into any reputable non-fiction book on the subject.

Interesting start to series

This is s good story. Not a book I would usually read but it was a selection from my book group. Our discussion of the act of shunning led to a great conversation about the impact and fear of rejection in close knit communities and cultures of all kinds. I plan to read the follow books in the series

Amazing

I couldn't put this book down! Best book I've read in a while. Highly recommend it!

Awsome

This is the most
Temteing book ever.I read it every day.

UM......

Ok so in the beginning i absolutely loved this book but the ending was just too sad for me. The movie is a lot better!!

Great and inspiring book!

I loved it! It was an awesome book! I couldnt wait to buy the next ones! :D

Absolutely loved this book, could not put it down!

Absolutely loved this book, could not put it down!

Very enjoyable read!

This was a very enjoyable read. It was a great insight into the author's view of the Amish lifestyle. The characters were very real and I wanted to keep reading to find out how the story developed. Very uplifting content.

Better than the movie

: )

Great for christians!!!

This book is reverent in its strong faith in God, yet manages to add a twist of fantasy and adventure.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Who knew?

Who knew Amish people had so much drama? I really enjoyed this. It's the story of Katie, a young Amish woman. She's preparing to marry the Bishop, though she's still in love with the memory of a man she lost. She learns a deep, dark family secret that changes her entire life and explains why she's always felt and been different.

I really enjoyed this book, and ran out and picked up the other two in the series.

Loved this !!

Looking forward to the rest of the series