So sometimes I get so excited about things, like FREE books. I saw a little "badge" on the side of my Facebook page saying I could get free books through booksneeze.com. It's real...not spam. So I signed up and ordered my first book The Promise of an Angel by Ruth Reid, Thomas Nelson publishers.
It arrived on my Kindle app and I was excited. The first chapter was interesting, setting up the story of Judith, an Old Order Amish nineteen year old. Judith is in love with Levi. In the opening chapter we find out Judith's parents won't allow their daughters to court until they're nineteen. Now that Judith has reached that milestone, she is watching Levi, looking for opportunities to attract his attention. Levi, meanwhile, seems a lot more interested in Judith's younger sister, Martha. During a barn raising at Judith's parents' home, Judith is charged with the care of the younger children. She entertains them with stories she enjoys telling. While Judith is distracted with watching Levi, her younger brother Samuel climbs to the top of the unfinished barn and falls, becoming paralyzed. While helping Samuel, Judith sees a tall "Englisher" leaving Samuel's side and rushing into an apple orchard nearby. She follows the man who turns out to be an angel with a promise. The initial promise is that Samuel will walk again. The remainder of the story revolves around this event, the effect on Judith of her meetings with the angel, the romance developing between Judith and a young Amish man, and church community's reaction to Judith's revelation of the angel and his promise to her.
It sounds like a great story, but I found the presentation of the story repetitious. Judith runs off to the river in nearly every chapter seeking solace, quiet and hoping to see the angel again. The angel appears and gives her cryptic messages, which sometimes include Scripture or pieces of Scripture. She doesn't understand what the angel is telling her and remains confused during most of the story. Andrew, Levi's cousin, is concerned with the growing ostracism of the community because of their doubt of Judith's story. He follows her to the river several times, despite angering Judith by doing so.
I had a hard time believing in these characters. Judith's continued interest in Levi despite hurtful things he says and does, Andrews persistence in following Judith even after being asked repeatedly to leave her alone, Judith's questioning of her own heart following Levi's hurts just didn't seem to be believable to me.
I anticipated the angel's visitation and promises would cause a spiritual break through for Judith, Andrew and the community. Although there were some areas of her life Judith questioned and prayed about, Judith seemed to receive more spiritual guidance from Andrew than from the angel. The ending of the story was predictable, which isn't always a bad thing, but in this case it seemed rather abrupt. Suddenly all the loose ends were wrapped up, in an ending I was disappointed in.
Sadly, this wasn't the book I expected.
