While I am not Amish fiction's #1 fan, I have read a few Amish titles which I've liked, and most particularly, Levi's Will by Dale Cramer. I've waited a long time to get my hands on a new book by Cramer, and I was not disappointed. The saga of the Daughters of Caleb Bender begins with Paradise Valley, a fascinating introduction to the Bender family in the early 1900s. Knowing that Paradise Valley is based on actual events with added details from the author's own family history made this story especially interesting to me. This book is a heart-tugging look at the life of one Amish family, their faith and unwavering devotion to family, hard work and God. I was drawn into this story and left wanting more.Caleb Bender is a man of faith, steadfast in his beliefs until the law forces him to make a choice that means uprooting his family and beginning again in a strange new land. Though he is undaunted by a world that challenges his beliefs, he finds himself questioning those beliefs when the lives of his loved ones are on the line and he is forced to choose between love and unwavering obedience.
Caleb's daughters each possess strengths, hopes, and fears; all of which are realized as they face many dangers and possibilities that come with starting over in a new place far from familiar friends. Cramer weaves the sisters' stories together in a way that tugs at your heart. In this story, we are introduced to Rachel, Miriam, Emma and others whose disrupted lives will never be the same. Rachel's story is one of coming of age, but more importantly, of coming into her own. These are strong, well-drawn characters who feel like family. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved learning about Amish culture. I can't wait for the second story in the Daughter's of Caleb Bender saga.
Dale Cramer, in the first of his Daughter of Caleb Bender series, relates a powerful 1920s story of Amish families who find themselves at odds with the state of Ohio's education laws. Caleb Bender leaves the farm his father and grandfather cultivated to seek freedom for his family in Mexico. Pioneers in a strange, wonderful land, they meet dangers that challenge their faith and beliefs in ways they never anticipated.
As the series name implies, Caleb is the family patriarch, but much of the action is seen through the viewpoints of his daughters: Rachel, Emma, and Miriam.
Again, I would not have predicted a male author could portray women's thoughts and hearts with such accuracy and vividness, but Paradise Valley accomplishes this--due to Cramer's wife's skillful proofreading of his manuscript, according to his acknowledgements.
Readers seeking adventure, contemplation, pathos, romance, and celebration will find Paradise Valley an excellent experience.
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Dale Cramer is one of my favorite authors, and his book "Bad Ground" was a masterpiece of modern storytelling. Of late, he has turned his knowledge of the Amish into a career-saving move by telling tales set against that well-loved backdrop of Christian fiction. Personally, I'm not a fan of Amish stories, particularly when they provide an escapist mentality, but I knew going into "Paradise Valley" that Cramer would paint life with all its colors, dark and light.The story is set in 1922, and revolves around the Bender family. Their Amish way of life is threatened by local laws requiring they send their children to a government school instead of letting them work and learn on the farm. Soon the Benders are headed south, hoping for peace and freedom in Paradise Valley, a plot of land deep in the Sierra Madre of Mexico. There they will encounter ruthless banditos, rich hacienda owners, poor mestizos, and a culture that challenges their way of thinking. As always, Cramer creates characters that seem believable and nuanced. Dat, the family patriach, is a stern but multi-faceted man, while his daughters are distinct in their personalities. Rachel is the central character, a young woman pining for the man she loves back home in the States. The issues of racism and pacifism are addressed with great skill, and the female aspects of the story show new texture in Cramer's art.
My one caveat--and it's a large one, considering it's my usual complaint about Amish fiction--is that Cramer keeps everything nice and light, never really allowing his characters to face death, violence, or the issues that one would expect. Robert Morgan's "Gap Creek" has some similarities to this book, but did not flinch from the tragedies of life. Here, in "Paradise Valley," everything does end up being a paradise, with even a stolen item returning in the last pages. For me, this undermined the power that was bubbling beneath the surface of this story: the stirring questions of how a Christian should deal with physical threats, and the faith-shaking realities of childbirth and disease in the early 20th century.
I will surely be ready for the next book in Cramer's series, and I am in awe, as always, of the grace and wisdom in his writing. I only wish this Amish story--or perhaps the editors of it--had resisted the one thing I like least about the genre.
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I am not a big Amish fan, but Dale Cramer's book, Paradise Valley, was very interesting and very different than other Amish books I've read. Which was a nice change. I mean, these Amish people came face to face with bandits and several times the girls were nearly abducted! Yep, not a typical docile Amish story, to be sure! And the fact that this is based on real events--that there really was an Amish family who went to Mexico to start a new colony--was awesome!I think maybe my biggest problem with this book was the writing style. It was very different than what I usually like--told more as a narration of Rachel's story then from deep POV "IN" Rachel's head. And the book was rather slow paced for a good majority of it. There are two characters who sleep together, and while there are no details given, I had a slight problem with it. There are never any consequences or recuperations after their sin is found out by the parents. I just wished I could have seen some repenting for their sin.
That aside, Paradise Valley makes for a good story, and I did enjoy reading it--even if I did start skimming a lot. The characters are warm and endearing, and while sometimes the emotions seemed a bit stilted, by the end of the book this Amish family had grown on me. It's amazing how, because they couldn't teach their children their own way, they embarked on an adventure that forever changed the lives of each character. Paradise Valley is a book Amish fans will enjoy.
I reviewed this book for Bethany House Publishers. Thanks to Jim for sending me a review copy. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.
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Dale Cramer is a fantastic author! I read a book by him in the past called Levi's Will, and fell in love with not only his book but also his writing style. He has the skilled ability to create a novel that instantly captures the reader's mind and soul. He takes them on a twister of emotions and sets them down in the midst of friends and love.Paradise Valley is phenomenally written. It's a novel for all Amish lovers, yes, but it's also a novel for those who are looking to strengthen their relationship with God. Because, in this novel, that's exactly what this sweet, simple characters do: trust in God completely and strengthen their bond with Him. It's a strong spiritual message among a book that is meant to entertain the reader with wonderful characters and a fantastic plot.
Caleb Bender, Rachel Bender, Jake Weaver....all of these amazing characters are a perfect fit for this awesome based on actual events plot line. It's set in the 1920's and reading about how the Amish were treated in that time period, was both heart wrenching and enlightening. The simplicity of the Amish mixed with the complexity of the world really made this unique and beautiful story stand out.
This is going to the top of my recommendations list. It's worthy of 5 stars, two thumbs up and highest of praises. This book holds true to it's title and is a valley of paradise for book lovers everywhere. This is book 1 in Cramer's Daughters of Caleb Bender series and the ending has left me hungry for the next awesome installment!
*This review is based on a complimentary copy which was provided for an honest review*
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