In my experience with the world of richly written historical fiction, Lori Benton is a master storyteller. Her stories never cease to leave me speechless for days and touch my spirit with their truths and dynamic characters. Her latest standalone release, Many Sparrows, is another such work of art. Combining cultures and a unique piece of real history (Dunmore’s War), it explores a mother’s heart, her longing for peace, and her journey to forgiveness.
Either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together, or none of them would…
In 1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier pulses with rising tension and brutal conflicts as Colonists push westward and encroach upon Native American territories. The young Inglesby family is making the perilous journey west when an accident sends Philip back to Redstone Fort for help, forcing him to leave his pregnant wife Clare and their four-year old son Jacob on a remote mountain trail.
When Philip does not return and Jacob disappears from the wagon under the cover of darkness, Clare awakens the next morning to find herself utterly alone, in labor and wondering how she can to recover her son…especially when her second child is moments away from being born.
Clare will face the greatest fight of her life, as she struggles to reclaim her son from the Shawnee Indians now holding him captive. But with the battle lines sharply drawn, Jacob’s life might not be the only one at stake. When frontiersman Jeremiah Ring comes to her aid, can the stranger convince Clare that recovering her son will require the very thing her anguished heart is unwilling to do—be still, wait and let God fight this battle for them?
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Many Sparrows is a stunning masterpiece of a story, chronicling the challenge and patience of trust and the importance of forgiveness. The truths and wisdom found between these pages, presented in story, are timeless. With her typical historical research and attention to detail, Lori Benton portrays the contrasts of cultures and tumultuous era in this novel with great care. The Shawnee culture is impactfully presented, touching a personal part of Clare she would rather protect from vulnerability and a growing care for their well being.
Like scars are stronger after healing, so too is Clare by story’s end. Permanently changed, sometimes through pain, but stronger as a result of her trials. The beauty of Clare and Jeremiah’s journey outshines the struggles, pointing to the God who knows all and intends good things for His children, even when circumstances appears as though any resolution will bring pain.
Clare and Jeremiah are exposed at heart-level on the page, emotionally relatable despite their seeming distance in history. I loved seeing their bond of friendship grow as their separate stories entwine and parallel each other in many ways. My heart broke along with Clare’s, and soared with Jeremiah’s words of wisdom and steady support. I was amused by Wildcat and humored by Jacob. Most of all, Rain Crow spurred a response of compassion and emotion that caught me off guard more than once (just like it did Clare) with its depth and desire for healing.
To delve deeper into the themes and twists of this novel would take away from the the way this plot beautifully unfolds, so I will end by saying read it! While it is heart-wrenching at times, its portrayal of a world on the cusp of great change (just before the American Revolution) is touching in its authenticity and relevance.
For fans of: Laura Frantz, Jocelyn Green, Native American culture, late 1700s American frontier stories, adventure, and romance.
Thank you to WaterBrook for providing a complimentary ARC of this novel. This is my honest review.
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