Books for Christian Girls: "The Tapestry of Grace" by Kim Vogel Sawyer

About this book:

  “When a group of Kansas women start a Frauenverein, a benevolent society devoted to aiding widows and orphans, life changes for more than just the hurting people they seek to help in this heartwarming romance inspired by historical events—from the bestselling author of Freedom’s Song .
    With classes paused for the planting season, Alexandertol’s schoolteacher Augusta Dyck is glad for some meaningful work to occupy her time. She even knows exactly who their town’s benevolence society should help quiet, reserved widower Konrad Rempel and his young twin sons.
   Konrad Rempel, however, is adamant that he doesn’t want help. His boys are mischievous but good-hearted. And though Konrad may be struggling, he doesn’t want anyone else sticking their nose in and telling him what his sons need. Or what he needs.
   For her part, the charity’s founder Martina Krahn is relieved to have a reason to spend time outside her unhappy home. It even occurs to her that she may, through her work, encounter a boy in need of a family and so find a son for her husband since they have no children of their own.
   Augusta, Konrad, and Martina each have deep needs and desires, and each imagines how they should be by reaching out or by being left alone. But God, indeed, knows best. Will the competing agendas of Alexandertol’s residents prevent them from receiving God’s help? Or will the members of this small Mennonite community find the answers to their prayers in the very last place they expect—in one another?”

Series: As of now, no, a stand-alone book.

Spiritual Content- Hebrews 4:16 at the beginning; Scriptures are quoted, mentioned, remembered, & read; Prayers; Church going; Talks about God, Heaven, praying, & sins; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Martina wonders how long God will answer her selfish prayers and if He will stop listening to her because of them (she’s been mad at God for a while, but starts praying later for others); A man thinks that God hasn’t given him a child because he’s weak and God doesn’t trust him; Mentions of God, Jesus, His will, trusting Him, & leaning on Him; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, praising God, thanking God, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, services, worship, hymns, sermons, & a reverend; Mentions of a benevolence society aimed to take care of the widows and orphans; Mentions of Heaven; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; Mentions of sins; A couple mentions of being baptized; A couple mentions of a Christmas program; A couple mentions of miracles; A mention of a Bible study.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: Two ‘dumb’s; Some eye rolling; Martina’s husband is “drowning in his sorrow” (with alcohol, which she feels like it is her fault as she’s been unable to give him a child; she is talked to about this towards the middle that it’s not her fault; *Spoiler* Passed the halfway point, her husband gets rid of all of his wine making equipment *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of deaths & grieving (a wife, a husband, children, parents, & a beau); Mentions of an accident & burns/scars (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of alcohol/wine, drinking, & drunks (Martina’s husband); Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of gossip; A few mentions of stealing & stolen items; A couple mentions of a hunting accident & death (Augusta’s husband); A couple mentions of being bullied & teased (Konrad as a young boy because of his scars); A mention of a frozen solid body; A mention of cigars;
             *Note: Augusta & Konrad are both widowed; Konrad is self-conscious because of his scars.

Sexual Content- A hand kiss, two head kisses (both between married couples), five barely-above-not-detailed kisses (three between married couples), and a semi-detailed kiss (between a married couple); Touches, Embraces, & Hand holding (up to semi-detailed, x2); Blushes; Noticing (including muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kisses, kissing, kissing being intimacy between a married couple, & the needs of a married couple; Mentions of reputations & making sure someone isn’t alone with the opposite gender; Mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of embraces; A couple mentions of blushes; A mention of a husband wanting to spend time with his wife (implied intimacy); A mention of Augusta longing for “a man’s strong presence, tender attention, companionship, and even intimacy”; A mention of Konrad wondering if men and women can be friends as maybe temptations could spring up; A mention of a man’s desires; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
             *Note: Martina and her husband are childless & she wishes she could give him a son (She feels to blame for it and calls her womb “useless”; Trigger Warning: miscarriages *Spoiler* They miscarried six times; He felt guilty because of getting her pregnant due to “his needs” and would drink to forget *End of Spoiler*); Martina doesn’t want the benevolence society to minister to men because it could “lead to impropriety” (but later changes her mind); Augusta was 16 when she married her 30-year-old husband; Mentions of a wife dying in childbirth & the stillborn baby (Konrad’s wife); A mention of a couple conceiving a dozen years into their marriage.

-Augusta Dyck, almost 40
-Konrad Rempel, age 41
-Martina Krahn
                                P.O.V. switches between them
                                            Set in 1897
                                                        305 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

While not my favorite book by this author—it’s hard to top the wonderful book that is “The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow”, after all—it was still a really sweet book. Slower than I would have prefer, but sweet, nonetheless.

I absolutely adored Augusta’s daughter, Juliana. She was such a dear! I would love to see her story in a separate book.

I’ll admit that Martina did annoy me at the beginning. She’s one of those characters—like a real person in this way—that can’t see anything outside of her goals and her wants, not paying attention to how she’s hurting others. I didn’t like her much, but did enjoy seeing the character development.

Because we do see the point of view of a married woman, later in the book there’s a few hints to intimacy. I think they would go over younger readers heads’, though.

Overall, this was a pleasant and calm read. I particularly liked the ending and would honestly be more than happy to see all of these characters again in another book. (wink wink ;) )

See y’all on Friday with a new review!