I've said it before, and I will say it again, and again, and again, and well, you get the point... I LOVE FRANCINE RIVERS' BOOKS!!! She writes stories with "real life grit," with spiritual truths embedded, with pictures of extravagant love, and with a poignancy that is truly nothing short of a gift. I was up till almost 3 a.m. finishing this one, because I simply could NOT put it down!
The story picks right up where the previous book left off. Hildemara Rose's daughter Carolyn is a small child in the early 1950's who is being raised mostly by Marta, her "Oma" due to Hildie's health problems and hectic work schedule. This causes a lot of resentment on Hildie's part because it feels like Marta's taking over. Through the 50's, Carolyn grows up with loving her Oma dearly, while misunderstanding her own mother's feelings and desires.Carolyn graduates high school, and is off to UC Berkley in the mid 1960's.
It's at this point in the book where Carolyn experiences a great loss in her life and throws herself headlong into the turbulent Haight-Ashbury drug-leaden counter-culture hippy movement. She experiences all manners of things from life in a communal house, the summer of love, the loss of her best friend, to living life as a starving homeless woman in golden gate park. It is during her last few desperate days as a homeless woman, that she has an encounter with Jesus Christ, and her life is truly touched. Through a series of events (that you will have to discover on your own as you consume this book...) Carolyn ends up back in her parents' home, pregnant with her daughter.
May Flower Dawn is born in the early 1970's and is primarily raised by Hildemara. (Just as Carolyn was raised by Marta.) Throughout high school, Dawn lives the life of a church-going-Christian, but through her relationship with her first love, Jason she comes to the realization that her relationship with Christ is only skin-deep. Throughout her college years, Dawn delves into knowing God wholeheartedly. After spending her whole lifetime being pulled from both sides by the two women she loves most, (as well as growing us with a misconception of her own mother's sentiments towards her) and experiencing her own life struggles, Dawn seeks to act as a bridge between Carolyn and Hildie and their tempestuous relationship.
There are so many different story lines and plot points throughout this two-book series, it kinda' makes my head spin, but each different story is so well thought out, delicately told, and not to mention, is beautifully woven throughout the fabric of the whole story, it's worth the read. Undoubtedly! Just as in the first book, the delicate subject of the mother-daughter relationship is depicted in a difficult-to-read way. It's hard, as the reader, to know just how each character really feels, but to see them all misconstrue and misinterpret each others' responses and intentions toward one another. I really like the way that Francine was able to use the actual history of the US as part of the context of the novel that helped to shape each of her characters in a very tangible way. It would not have the same depth without it. This saga is an amazing work of art that should be read by women everywhere!
I hope that you are not confused after reading this post! I have to say that is was very difficult for me to not give the heavily layered and detailed story away and still put together a coherent review. My suggestion...read the book for yourself!
Awaiting the next Francine Rivers book with bated breath...
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