Her Mother’s Hope…….{sigh}

Once again, I’m not impressed with Francine River’s latest book, Her Mother’s Hope. I didn’t like Leota’s Garden either. But I LOVED Redeeming Love… it was set in the West in the 1850s…. See!?! Both Leota or Her Mother are from the 1900s. I need to stick to my first love…. dusty log homes, wagon trains, well water, chicken coops, petticoats, homemade everything, treadle sewing machines, quiet nights reading by the fire, fishing in the stream, kitties in the barn, vegetable gardens, country church and mobile library busses. Sweet mercy!

Her Mother’s Hope is frustrating for me to get through because of the hopelessness, the arguing between Mama and Papa and the mistreatment of the children. Sure, sure, life is not all wild roses and ice cream socials…. but I’d rather read about wild roses and ice cream socials. I’m sure Francine’s work is historically accurate with WWI, how the different races were treated, and the sinking of the Titanic, but I need more fluff and nonsense to hold my attention. Surprising since I’m not a fluff and nonsense person in real life.

The two main characters, Marta and her daughter Hildemara, are so not like me…. or like each other. I don’t relate to (or tolerate) being a doormat or an independent married woman who makes huge purchases without talking to her husband. I also don’t prefer books where I don’t know how to pronounce the names of the main characters… Hildemara’s siblings are Rikka, Clotilde and Bernhard. Ok, I get Bernhard. In my mind I keep reading Hildie and Cloe.

And of course, it’s a L…o….n….g book. 483 pages of hardship and suffering. I’m on page 262 and I’m not anticipating a happy ending. I just noticed in the last pages that the sequel, Her Daughter’s Dream, will be available fall 2010. Yippy skippy. I may skippy it all together.

Allison Pittman’s new book, Bridegroom, is on hold for me at the library right now. She is my current favorite author. She adds spice and details that I appreciate. Please keep ‘em coming, Allison!