To be where you are (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I fell in love with Jan Karon's ‘Mitford’ books more than two decades ago when my father gave me the first, ‘At Home in Mitford’ for Christmas after enjoying it himself. I liked it so much I gradually acquired the rest of the books about the Episcopalian priest in small town America, known as Father Tim. I watched him learn about being diabetic, was pleased when he adopted a huge dog called Barnabas, and rooted for him all the way when he started courting his next-door-neighbour Cynthia.

There were nine Mitford books originally, ending with 'Light from Heaven', when Father Tim, who had officially retired a few books earlier, begins to accept his role and discover new callings. Then Jan Karon wrote one which involved Tim travelling back to his childhood home and discovering some long-held family secrets. That was followed by a book where he and Cynthia followed up more genealogy clues, on a holiday in Ireland. And then, perhaps due to so many requests from her readers, Jan Karon returned to Mitford, and wrote three more books, focussing more on Tim’s adopted son Dooley and his relationship with Lace.

I was given the last of these books, ‘To be where you are’, for Christmas 2018. But I was determined to read the whole series again before embarking on what is, I’m fairly sure, the last foray into Mitford. So I started again with ‘At Home in Mitford’ in November 2000, aiming to read one every month. That didn’t quite happen, but I’ve finally finished the last book.

‘To be where you are’ is set both in Mitford and in Meadowgate, the farm where Dooley and Lace are now living. Alternate sections follow either Father Tim - or some of his former parishioners - or Dooley (with some insights into Lace’s mind too). It’s a tad confusing at times, but each section is headed with the date and place, and it’s mostly obvious who is being referred to. Dooley and Lace have been married for a few months and are hoping to finalised the adoption of the boy they have been fostering. But life isn’t easy - there are expensive problems with the plumbing, and Lace is very torn between her work as an artist and her life in the family.

Meanwhile Father Tim is asked to help in many different ways in Mitford, taking on a new and unexpected job for a while when one of his friends is taken to hospital. He’s 70 now, but still mostly keeping fit and active, wondering how far to ‘let go’ of Dooley and his siblings, and how much to stay involved. There are one or two new characters, and plenty of old friends.

I enjoyed the book, but it’s not my favourite - it felt a bit too spread out between too many people and storylines. .It wouldn’t be a good introduction to the series since it follows the lives of so many characters from earlier books. I found the number of people a bit confusing at times, and I’m quite familiar with the town. However, as a finale it worked extremely well, bringing several threads together, seeing people move forwards with their lives, and also ending with both Tim and Dooley taking their wives away on holiday… we’re not told exactly where, and it doesn’t matter.

I found it relaxing, compulsive reading at times - there are a couple of quite moving scenes - with some light-hearted moments too, mainly involving the ‘Muse’ newspaper. My favourite characters were the two children who came into focus - four-year-old Jack Tyler and six-year-old Grace Murphy. They were very well written, I thought, and quite different from each other.

Definitely recommended if you’ve read the other Mitford books and feel as if the people are your friends; I love catching up with folk like this, and could almost believe that Mitford and its people exist the other side of the world. But don’t start with this one. It’s a series that really needs to be read in order for the later books to make sense.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

Come Rain or Come Shine (by Jan Karon)

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I have very much enjoyed re-reading Jan Karon’s ‘Mitford’ series (including the books set outside Mitford) and have just finished the 13th in the series, ‘Come rain or come shine’. I first read it five-and-a-half years ago, shortly after I was given it, and recalled it as a pleasant read. I knew the story was about Dooley and Lace’s wedding and the run-up to it - but I couldn’t remember any details.

It turns out that there wasn’t much plot; the book is essentially about the wedding, but these are character-based books and having re-read them all within the past year or so, it’s like seeing old friends again each time I pick up another of the books. I like Father Tim and Cynthia so much, and it was good to get to know Lace a bit better in this book, though Dooley somehow remains a bit shadowy - likeable, hard-working, but hard to get to know.

Father Tim and his family are staying in Meadowgate, where the wedding is to take place, and the book begins a few months before the actual wedding. Many of the Mitford folk appear again, with a little more of their stories; some are now installed at Meadowgate, others are mentioned when Tim goes to visit them and it’s pleasant to catch up a little with them. But most of the action revolves around the wedding preparation and those involved.

The book takes place about five years after the end of the previous one. Dooley has now finished his training as a vet, and is going to be taking over the Meadowgate practice where he has volunteered and worked alongside the former owner. He and Lace have waited all this time, Lace working with small children and both of them maturing a little and moving on from their very difficult, neglected childhoods. It’s mentioned in passing that the dog Barnabus and the cat Violet have died; but it’s handled well, Tim mentioning them in passing, with nostalgia, but clearly having come to terms with them.

It’s a bit different from the earlier Mitford books in that there are several viewpoint characters rather than only Father Tim. Lace is a significant one; she’s quite insecure, writing her thoughts in a journal, and beginning to panic as the day draws closer. She and Dooley, despite his inheritance, have opted for a ‘simple’ wedding, just fifty guests, and everyone is bringing food to share. But the grass has to be planted and mowed, the tables have to be set out, they have to think about cutlery and crockery and ordering drinks, about tablecloths and parking… and Lace isn’t sure she’ll ever manage to find a wedding dress that’s attractive enough to look good, and yet simple enough for her tastes.

There’s also the mystery of ‘Jack Tyler’ - the first time I read this, I had no idea who this mysterious person might be, and had forgotten the details this time, too. Suffice it to say it’s a very poignant subplot, one which the author handles extremely well, I thought.

Overall I found this compulsive reading despite there being no real surprises this time. I finished the book in just a couple of days. It’s warm, it’s affirming of life and marriage, and the characters come to life even more than in the earlier books. They’re such a wonderful mix, with their foibles and irritations; yet overall so very likeable.

There’s a Christian theme underlying, as with all Jan Karon’s books, but since the main character is an Anglican priest, it’s not surprising and is so well-written that it doesn’t come across as pushy or cringeworthy at all.

It’s best to have read at least some of the earlier books in the series before embarking on ‘Come rain or come shine’, as the cast of characters is quite large, and it would be quite confusing to anyone who had not become familiar with Mitford and its residents. But with that caveat, I would recommend this highly to anyone who likes gentle character-based fiction - and definitely to fans of Father Tim.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I’m so glad I decided to re-read Jan Karon’s Mitford/Father Tim series, which started with ‘At Home in Mitford’. Reading around one a month means that I haven’t become at all bored of the characters in these novels, but have no problem recalling who is whom when I pick up the next one. I’ve just finished ‘Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good’ which I first read only six years ago, but had entirely forgotten.

In the last few books, Father Tim had been travelling in his early retirement years, but now he’s back in Mitford, a small town in the Eastern part of the United States, trying to keep fit and wondering what his role in life is now. He’s not the kind of person to slow down and relax for long, and he’s certain God has something for him. He’s just not quite sure what.

Tim’s wife Cynthia is a well-known children’s writer and illustrator, and she’s in the throes of a new book. But she’s getting tired, and struggling to see properly. Their adopted son Dooley is in the last year of his bachelor’s degree, planning to study to be a vet. Dooley is very close to his friend Lacey, and Tim and Cynthia hope they’ll get married one day, but neither is quite ready for commitment. Both had very difficult childhoods, and a lot of issues to work through.

Dooley’s younger brother Sammy is the biggest problem in the family; he loves to play pool, and is very talented at it, but he’s an angry teenager, who smokes and swears and cares for nobody but himself. Tim hopes that by offering continual forgiveness and grace, he will eventually emerge from his angry cocoon, but it’s not easy, and Sammy’s behaviour becomes more challenging as the book progresses.

There are plenty of incidents involving much-loved residents of Mitford, and the book is written in its somewhat informal style, mostly from Tim’s viewpoint as he interacts with and prays for the people around him. Having finished it I’m aware that there’s not a whole lot of plot; it’s another few months in Mitford, almost as if it were a soap. And yet it’s such engaging writing, with such excellent insights into the different characters that I kept reading, often several chapters at a time.

I think this is the first book where Coot Hendrick has been more than just a name; I had forgotten that he lived alone with a very elderly mother, so he’s probably in his sixties or even seventies, but has never learned to read. The attempts of some of his friends to teach him, with the help of Dr Seuss’s writing, are both poignant and, at times, amusing in a low-key kind of way.

There is inevitably some Christian input; the author is a believer, and the series focuses on an Anglican priest who is very committed to God. But it doesn’t come across as preachy or pushy; Tim plays his role, living out his beliefs, and when others want to join him, he lets them know how to do so.

While it’s not necessary to have read any of the earlier books - where necessary, background information comes into the story, though not intrusively - a series like this feels so much more rounded when read consecutively. People change, and I like knowing what happened previously when an incident is mentioned.

As a standalone book or introduction to the series, I think the number of characters would be a bit overwhelming, but as a continuation of Father Tim’s ministry and the Mitford series, I would recommend it highly.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

In the Company of Others (by Jan Karon)

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I’m so glad I decided to reread Jan Karon’s delightful series of books about the fictional Anglican priest Father Tim, who lives in the (also fictional) town of Mitford, on the East coast of the United States. I loved rereading my way through the first nine books which were mostly set in Mitford, including his surprising romance in his early sixties, his adoption of a teenage boy, and his acceptance of retirement.

Most recently I read what is technically tenth in the series, although not about Mitford at all: ‘Home to Holly Springs’, which delves into Tim’s childhood, as he explores his roots, meets some long-lost friends, and makes some surprising discoveries. And in the past week I’ve read the eleventh book, ‘In the Company of Others’, which I first read back in 2011.

This book is set in Ireland, where Tim and his wife Cynthia have come for a holiday. They are due to meet with Tim’s cousin Walter and his wife for some hiking and exploration; but they are delayed, and a nasty shock leads to Cynthia spraining her ankle so badly that she has to rest for a while. She is okay with this at first, in a comfortable room, with congenial hosts and a gorgeous view, with lots of books to read. And Tim - as is his wont - gets involved in the lives of the family who live in the place where they’re staying, and their estranged relatives who are not far away.

There feels like a huge cast of characters; I slowly began to distinguish the folk at the hotel: Liam and his wife Anna, their musical daughter Bella, Anna’s elderly father William who used to be a prize-fighter, and Seamus, who works for them and is treated as part of the family. Anna and Liam seem to have a lot of secrets, and Bella is sullen, irritable and clearly not happy to be living there.

Up the hill lives Liam’s mother Evelyn who drinks too much and is very angry with God - she suffered a terrible trauma when she was younger, losing many family members, and she can’t forgive herself, or God, for having survived. Her older son Paddy lives there too but he doesn’t appear all that much; Liam doesn’t like him, and they seem to have little in common.

There’s also a doctor, various other people who work locally, a Catholic priest… it’s a testament to the writing and characterisation that I remember so many of the people after finishing the book, but I never did recall the ins and outs of an old journal that Tim and Cynthia read, in bits and pieces, charting the lives of the folk who previously lived there.

There are mentions of former Kavanaghs - it’s an Irish name, and Tim apparently has some ancestors, but he doesn’t do any research into that; he is far more caught up in the lives and needs of those he gets to know. As such the book somewhat stands alone (although there are phone calls with his son Dooley and emails with his former secretary Emma) and also, I realise, could be missed out entirely if re-reading the series.

So ‘In Company with Others’ doesn’t move the overall storyline forward; it gives Tim and Cynthia a break, and a rest, and is something they have been dreaming about for years. And it’s a pleasant novel, but not one I kept reading at every moment. At times I wanted to skim over the old journals - some of them were quite interesting but they also didn’t add much to the plot (such as it is), other than giving a clue, later in the novel, to a room that turns out to have an unexpected secret…

There’s a bit of a mystery, some drama, much poignancy and a fair bit of low-key preaching. Not that it’s in any way pushy; Tim answers questions as a priest would - or should - about people’s unhappiness, and loneliness, and God is treated as another character in the book - as he is in Tim and Cynthia’s lives. There are a few scathing references to ‘Protestants’ - but he’s called in when he’s the only person available to solve a spiritual issue, or to pray with someone.

The writing is excellent, the ending encouraging, the people believable. There's gentle low-key humour here and there as well as a lot that's deeper and more poignant. However if you don’t like overtly Christian storylines, or slow-moving, thoughtful character-based novels, then this probably wouldn’t be for you. Nor would I suggest this as an introduction to Jan Karon, even though the book could stand by itself.

On the other hand, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed the Mitford series and who likes reading about Father Tim. There’s a richness in reading the rest of the series that comes out in the characters of the main people, particularly Tim and Cynthia. I’m sure I liked this one more for having followed their lives over the previous eight years or so since they first met.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

Home to Holly Springs (by Jan Karon)

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I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading Jan Karon’s nine ‘Mitford’ books last year, culminating in ‘Light from Heaven’. I liked them even more knowing that there are another five books following Father Tim’s continued journey, one of which I haven’t yet read at all. But I’m reading in order, and have just finished ‘Home to Holly Springs’, which I previously read in 2009.

This is mostly Father Tim travelling solo - other than  his enormous dog Barnabas - as his wife Cynthia has a leg injury. He drives from North Carolina to Mississippi - quite a journey - to visit his home town of Holly Springs. He hasn’t been there for thirty-eight years, and has been resisting the idea of digging up memories, some of which are quite painful.

But Tim has been sent a mysterious note, written in an unknown hand, and it’s prompted him to make a five-day visit. He believes it’s the right thing to do, and that God will lead him to the people he’s supposed to see. But he doesn’t really know where to start, as he’s no longer in touch with anyone. He doesn’t even know if any of his old friends are still alive.

He’d particularly like to find his old buddy Willie, who looked after him as a child, and to find out what happened to his closest friend Tommy. There are a few other people he hopes that he might find. Cynthia thinks it’s one of his old girlfriends trying to entice him, but she’s not overly worried.

The writing is excellent, I thought. When I read this the first time, I thought it a bit slow to get going. But this time I found it drew me right in. The present day - with Father Tim exploring his old haunts, visiting some of the shops he remembers, and finding graves - alternates with scenes from his past. We learn so much about him: his loving mother, his harsh father; his mother’s caring,gentle parents and his father’s bullying, angry father. We learn about Peggy, too, the black maid who was his nanny and who suddenly vanished when he was eleven: nobody knew where she had gone.

There are many hints - and some overt passages - demonstrating that while Tim was a lovable, sensitive child, he wasn’t always well-behaved. He learned to tell lies at quite a young age, and there are episodes in his teens that don’t reflect at all well on him. We also learn a bit about his spiritual and emotional side - his conscience, which was strong even as a small boy; his longing to bring peace in his troubled home; his regret and guilt about not loving his father sufficiently.

It’s a moving story - I did find the number of characters a tad overwhelming, as Tim meets one after another and tries to find out more. I couldn’t remember all their names, but it didn’t much matter. The important ones stood out, and I loved the way that, as he learns more - including some quite difficult things - he is gradually able to relinquish some of the pain he has been holding onto for more than fifty years.

I’d forgotten almost everything about this book, other than that Tim goes on a journey, and the totally unexpected discovery in the last chapters. It was so surprising he first time that it stuck in my mind, but that didn’t matter at all: I had forgotten all the details, and the poignant reason for his being summoned.

As with the Mitford books, God plays a significant role in the story, but not in a pushy or preachy way. Tim. as a retired Anglican minister, talks naturally about his relationship with God and prays for some of the people he meets. Others discuss their own spiritual lives, and open up because of his clerical collar, and because of his gentleness and willingness to listen without judging.

‘Home to Holly Springs’ stands alone in a sense; necessary background information is given subtly to people Tim meets on his return. But this is much better read after the earlier books even though most of the Mitford people don’t actually come into it. I’ve learned to care about Father Tim and his family, so delving into his past was intriguing and often moving.

Definitely recommended if you enjoy this kind of gentle Christian fiction, with the warning that there are some minor swear words and repeated use of a very unpleasant racist epithet - probably realistically, given the era of Tim's memories, and with an explanation from his mother about why it's so negative.

Review copyright 2022 Sue's Book Reviews

Light from Heaven (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s just over a year ago when I decided to re-read Jan Karon’s ‘Mitford’ series, gradually, with other favourite authors in between, as well as some new books. I’ve just finished the ninth book in the series, ‘Light from Heaven’, which was officially the last of the series. I've only previously read it once, nearly sixteen years ago, and had entirely forgotten the storyline.

In fact Jan Karon wrote five more books, the first couple of them about Father Tim's travels and delving into his past, and then more about Mitford. I’m very much looking forward to re-reading the first four, and also reading the last one for the first time.

‘Light from Heaven’ is set in the year when Father Tim and his wife Cynthia are living in their friends’ farmhouse, while the friends are travelling. Cynthia has some plans for the year, but Tim really doesn’t know what he’ll be doing. And he’s not very good at being idle, despite approaching his 70th birthday. His bishop keeps hinting at a new role for him, but it’s not until some way in the book that we learn what it is.

As with the previous books in the series, this is very much a character-based book, although it has rather more directly spiritual content. Tim and Cynthia meet a lot of new folk, many of them delightful, some of them emotionally damaged, some of them quite anti-God. They range from children to a lady in her eighties who still works tirelessly for the church.

But the book isn’t just about new relationships; it also involves old friends in Mitford, and we see the sad loss of two of them. Tim gives advice where asked, prays for and with folk as asked - or not - and is continually thankful for the blessing of a wife in his later years. Cynthia is a wonderfully drawn character, frustrated at building work in the house, exhausted by cooking, cleaning and looking after young folk, and inspired to start a new drawing project involving her cat.

We meet the Flower family, a quirky group of sisters who, between them cook, clean, bake and sing - and we get to know Sammy, Dooley’s brother, who has dropped out of high school and is passionate about two things: gardening and playing pool.

While this book is a wonderful finale to the series (and all the better for knowing that in fact there are now more), and in a sense it stands alone, I don’t think it would make a good introduction to Mitford. The number of characters is confusing enough to me, reading the books for the second or third time; some stand out beautifully but others blend into each other, and I always find it hard to keep track. And there’s a lot of back story about - for instance - Dooley, training to be a vet, which is only lightly touched upon in this novel.

But, reading it after the others, I found it moving and inspiring. I loved the way the author tied up so many threads without it feeling forced. Admittedly the very end of the book is just a tad too much coincidence and perfect timing to be easily swallowed; but as the most important character in the series is God, whose plans are perfect, perhaps it’s realistic after all.

There were, in my view, rather too many quotations from hymns, prayers and Scripture in this book. Not that I have anything against them, but they didn’t really add to the story. And as with the others, the bulk of the story is beautifully told, with light-hearted interactions between many of the people, and much that’s poignant too.

Definitely recommended if you’ve read others in the Mitford series - and if not, the best one to start with is the first one, ‘At Home in Mitford’, which is still one of my favourite books.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews

Shepherds Abiding (by Jan Karon)

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I am very much enjoying re-reading Jan Karon’s delightful ‘Mitford’ series about Father Tim and his wife Cynthia. I’ve just finished the eighth book in the series, ‘Shepherds Abiding’, which I last read in 2006, although I recalled the basic outline of the story. I thought it a bit light-weight when I first read it, almost as if it were an excuse for a Christmas book. But reading it this time, I thought it a great addition to the series, even if a tad shorter than most of the others.

The whole book takes place in the few months running up to Christmas. Tim Kavanagh, who retired a couple of years earlier, spots a large and beautiful Nativity scene in an antique shop. It is in need of restoration - the whole thing needs repainting, and some of the pieces are slightly broken. It’s evidently a valuable set, given that he pays more than $500 for it - this is only mentioned in passing, in reference to something else, and I had to go back and check as it seemed like an astonishing amount to pay for an old Nativity set that needs a great deal of repair work.

However Tim is pleased with his purchase, and enlists the help of a couple of local experts as he sets to work to try something he’s never done before. In the gradual restoration of the set, he learns a lot about himself, as he discovers an artistic sense of colour, and the ability to do painstaking manual work, something which he’s never had to do before. He realises that he doesn’t have to rush around being active, and that careful painting is an inspiring and motivating thing to do.

Life in Mitford continues, as in the earlier books. There are forays to The Grill, which is closing at Christmas, and conversations with Tim’s adopted son Dooley about finding his last sibling. Cynthia is as supportive as ever, albeit very curious about why Tim is so secretive, and spending so much time at the antique shop. And there are some flashbacks to Tim’s childhood, as his new activity reminds him of odd incidents, some of them quite positive when he connected with the father he thought of as cold and uncaring.

In one sense this book isn’t necessary to the series; it covers a very short time period, and nothing of great import happens. But at the same time it gives a lot of insight into Tim’s past, something that hasn’t much been explored before, and paves the way for the later books, set in places other than Mitford.

The writing is good, the Christian message presented without being too preachy, and the Christmas spirit pervades the whole book. It would be a good one to read during the festive season, but I prefer to read the books in sequence and it was fine to read it in October.

Definitely recommended as part of the series. In theory it could stand alone, but  the sheer number of characters and backstories would make it very confusing to someone who was not familiar with Mitford.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews

In This Mountain (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I don’t know quite why I enjoy Jan Karon’s Mitford novels so much, but I’m very much liking re-reading them. I’ve just finished ‘In This Mountain’, which is the seventh in the series, both chronologically and in publication order.  It follows on from ‘A New Song’, which I re-read about a month ago and which saw Father Tim and Cynthia supplying for a church on Whitecap Island.

In this book, which I last read in 2006, they are back in Mitford, but planning to go on a mission trip for six months or so, to somewhere out in the wilds, ministering mainly to children. They’re both quite looking forward to it, and the early part of the book sees their preparations, and yet somehow Tim can’t quite believe it’s going to happen. They’re not particularly encouraged by letters arriving regularly from the people already there, describing the dire conditions they’re going to have to experience.

Then a disaster occurs. It had plenty of warnings, both for Tim and for the reader, and they are unable to go. It’s evidently the right decision; yet Tim starts to experience a deep depression of the kind he hasn’t previously known. It’s sensitively handled, as is his gradual recovery. Jan Karon could have made this rather trite; certainly Tim finds solace from the Bible and from prayer, but it takes much more than that, including medication for a while, and some exercise, and it all feels very believable.

There are other threads too, as is always the case for these books: there’s a new and unexpected lead in the search for Dooley’s siblings. There’s a former convict who arrives in Mitford, living a new, redeemed life but still arousing the suspicions of many of the villagers. There’s a book tour for Cynthia, and a gradual, reluctant foray into technology for Father Tim.

There are also conversations over breakfast at The Grill, an unpleasant encounter with Edith Mallory, a serious illness for one of the most-loved people in the stories, and just the beginnings of a friendship, with a possible romance, between Dooley and Lace.

It’s unquestionably a Christian book, with themes of redemption, prayer and forgiveness throughout, but it’s all in the context of a minister and his flock, without any pushing or coercion. The evangelistic content is very low-key, and the Biblical and hymn quotations are all in a context that feels entirely believable. There are humorous incidents too - in typos from the local paper, and the increasingly pushy letters from the mission field - and also in the many jokes told by (or to) Uncle Billy.

It would be difficult to read this as a stand-alone novel; so many of the characters have appeared in earlier books, and it’s an ongoing saga. I loved reading it because the people have got under my skin, and I like the gentle pace, character development, and the powerful grace of God shown so sensitively in these books. But it’s definitely best to read them in order, in my view, beginning with ‘At Home in Mitford’.

But if you like the series and have read the earlier ones, this is an excellent addition to the series. Highly recommended.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews

A New Song (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I am thoroughly enjoying re-reading Jan Karon’s ‘Mitford’ series about Father Tim, an Anglican priest in a small town in the United States. Mitford is fictional, but I gather it’s supposed to be in North Carolina on the East Coast. I last read ‘A New Song’ in 2006, and all I remembered about it was that it was set somewhere other than Mitford.

The book opens as Tim and his wife Cynthia are trying to organise their house and pack for their journey to Whitecap Island, where he’s about to take up an interim post (what we would call an ‘interregnum’ post in the UK). He’s convinced it’s the right thing to do, a few months after retiring from his work in Mitford, but he has mixed feelings about leaving his friends and former parishioners. And he really doesn’t like change.

The first few chapters sees him going around the town spending time with people he cares about, saying his goodbyes, and attending rather more parties than he would want to. And at last they set off, though not before he’s had an unexpected surprise, not an entirely welcome one, from his wife…

The journey goes well but their first impressions of the island are not good. The bridge is unavailable so they have to persuade the ferryman to take them over even though it’s the end of the day, and then when they arrive at what appears to be their new home, there’s nobody to welcome them, and the place is a dump…

Things can only get better, and over the next weeks Tim and Cynthia settle in, along with the dog Barnabas and the cat Violet. They get to know the local folk - I didn’t always remember who was whom, but it didn’t matter too much. There are stresses within the church, including the repercussions of a recent scandal involving two church members, and needy people, including some who have lost their faith, or who won’t set foot in a church.

Father Tim is a very likeable person, flawed and sometimes insecure, but willing to listen to inner promptings from God, and never pushy about his faith. He befriends people easily and is quickly made to feel welcome. He’s even persuaded to go fishing, although he’s prone to seasickness…

A huge tornado takes up a couple of chapters, and since I’d entirely forgotten about it, I could hardly put the book down as I read about Tim trying to make his way back to Whitecap after visiting somewhere else, and then discovering all kinds of problems… and with no idea where his wife might be. I knew it would all work out well, but it still made tense reading. And I’d quite forgotten what happened about the wedding which he was supposed to take in Mitford a couple of days after the tornado struck.

Despite the majority of the book not being set in Mitford, I liked it very much. These books don’t have a great deal of action, although this had a fair bit; they’re character-based primarily, and that’s what I like best about them. Each book stands alone, but they’re all the more enjoyable for reading in order, even if interspersed with other books. There are some poignant moments as well as the tension, and one or two places where I smiled at the turn of phrase, or the low-key humour. There’s a strong Christian element, of course; but it’s not pushy, and the Scripture verses and prayers are all in the context of a priest who naturally uses them when appropriate.

Recommended as part of the series, if you like gentle character-based Christian fiction set in the United States.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews

Out to Canaan (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I’m so enjoying re-reading the ‘Mitford’ series by Jan Karon. Father Tim is a delightful creation; he’s a sixty-something balding priest in an Episcopalian church in the USA. The novels are all told from his point of view, set in the fictional small town of Mitford.

In the first couple of books Father Tim fell in love with his neighbour Cynthia, as well as adopting a teenage boy and a large dog. He interacted with the folk in his town, put up with a difficult (but quite efficient) secretary, and fended off the advances of a rather scary widow. He prayed with the sick, ate meals with many of the folk, and generally showed himself to be a much-loved, tender-hearted and genuine man of God.

Not that Tim is perfect: he’s quite a workaholic, and he has to watch his diet as he was diagnosed with diabetes early in the series.

‘Out of Canaan’, which I last read in 2006, is the fifth book in the series, and is best read after the others as there’s quite a cast of characters. I have to admit I find some of the townsfolk rather too similar: Tim, who has been married to Cynthia for two years now, regularly meets several local guys for breakfast at the local grill. However, I never can remember who is whom. Not that it matters - the exchanges are realistic, and they show Tim able to relate to all kinds of different people, meeting each one at his or her own level.

However there is an underlying thread running through this novel, involving a somewhat slimy local man who is up for election as Mayor of Mitford. It’s a role that has been taken by Esther Cunningham for sixteen years, and many people want her to continue. She’s a big-hearted woman who has a hand in many projects, and fulfils her motto: ‘Mitford takes care of its own’. There are quite a few scenes in this book involving clashes, political campaigns and rather dubious funding, in amongst the other more domestic scenes.

It’s not the most exciting book; a great deal of it is simply conversation between the various people in the book, and church events. However it also involves a hunt for Dooley’s little sister Jessie, the attempt to sell the late Miss Sadie’s huge mansion Fernbank, and a new children’s book being written by Cynthia.

There’s a Christian theme running throughout, which isn’t surprising given Father Tim’s profession. But this isn’t an over-preachy book. There are Scripture verses quoted, and prayers said, but all in the context of the story and without feeling intrusive or uncomfortable.

The only chapter I found dull was one about a baseball game, which didn’t seem to add anything to any of the storylines, and which was so full of jargon that I skimmed - and didn’t seem to have missed anything, story-wise.

I love my forays into Mitford and am already looking forward to re-reading the next one in the series, in about a month’s time.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews

These High Green Hills (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I’m very much liking my re-read of Jan Karon’s delightful ‘Mitford’ series. They’re set in the fictional small town of Mitford, which is apparently set in the hills of North Carolina, on the East coast of the United States. I’m re-reading the books in chronological order, which means that ‘These High Green Hills’ is the fourth of the series. I last read it in 2006 and didn’t remember anything much about it.

Father Tim Kavanagh, the Anglican priest, has been married for a few months to his wife Cynthia when this novel opens - the detail of their engagement and wedding was covered in ‘A Common Life’, which I re-read back in February. Tim still can’t quite believe the incredible change in his life, after over sixty years as a bachelor, but he’s liking it very much.

There are several different threads in this book, some of them quite poignant and emotional. Dooley, Tim’s foster son, is away at a private school where he seems to be thriving - but inevitably he’s starting to grow away from his foster parents. And that hurts. Tim is determined to let Dooley know how much they care for him, which leads to a rather stressful and unexpected journey to the school to hear him singing.

Another thread involves Miss Sadie, the town’s oldest resident. Everyone wants to celebrate her upcoming 90th birthday and plans are made for a feast… but Louella, her devoted maid (and best friend) isn’t sure that Sadie wants a party. And she’s not well. Miss Sadie’s driving has become erratic, and she’s decidedly frail.

Then there’s Lace, a young teenage girl who lives in ‘The Creek’, a place for the homeless, in abandoned hovels and temporary buildings. Lace is cynical and angry, with a drunken abusive father; but she cares for her invalid mother, so is unable to leave.

There’s also a battle in the church office, where the diocese has installed a new computer. Neither Tim nor his secretary Emma know anything about computers, but a helpful young man called Dave is determined to teach them…

These subplots weave gently through the book, which follows the lives of these and other people who were introduced in the earlier book. There are light-hearted scenes, such as discussions about an unexpected burgeoning romance between two rather unromantic people, or the dilemma of where to get a haircut. And there are shocking scenes, for instance involving a woman whose body has been badly - and deliberately - burned.

The author manages to show the contrast between the wealthy - Miss Sadie is a millionaire - and the destitute, with a warmth and compassion that neither condemns nor divides. Money can help to feed the hungry, and provide a home for the elderly… but it can’t fix the negative attitudes or violent tendencies of some of the angriest people in The Creek.

Of course it’s character-based, charting primarily Father Tim’s growth as a person - there’s a quite tense scene where he and Cynthia are lost in a cave, where he starts rethinking his priorities, and realises where some of his hangups have come from.

There’s a very strong Christian ethos underlying the whole series, and many conversations include quotations from the Bible, or short prayers. But they’re all set in realistic conversations, between fallible, ordinary people, and they’re not pushy at all. God’s grace shines through in many ways, but not the kind of cliche that is so common in some other Christian fiction.

I loved re-reading this book, and am already looking forward to the next book, which I expect to read in about a month’s time.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews

A Common Life (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I’m so pleased I decided to re-read my novels by Jan Karon, set in the (fictional) small American town of Mitford. They are warm and often poignant, yet tinged with humour. While some of the minor characters are a bit stereotyped, the main ones - the Episcopalian minister known as Father Tim and his neighbour Cynthia - are entirely three dimensional. They’re big-hearted, kind, and also vulnerable.

I last read ‘A Common Life’ in 2006. It’s the third, chronologically, in the Mitford series. It wasn’t written as the third book, but apparently the author had many requests to write about Tim and Cynthia’s wedding - and this book is the result. It follows on directly from ‘A Light in the Window’, which I re-read just over a month ago, starting when Tim finally plucks up the courage to propose to Cynthia.

It’s not a long book - less than 200 pages - but then it only covers a few months, and the focus is entirely on the engagement, the preparation for the wedding, the ceremony itself, and the honeymoon. Even then the author dips into the lives of the villagers rather than filling in all the details. So we see Esther, the maker of marmalade cakes, worried that she hasn’t been asked to bake the wedding cake. Miss Sadie and Louella wonder what dresses they should wear. Uncle Billy tries to find a good joke to tell at the reception…

It doesn’t all go smoothly, however. Cynthia, who is a highly successful author and illustrator, seems very confident; but we learn in this book a little of the emotional damage she sustained at the hands of her first husband. Dooley, Tim’s foster son, is very worried that marriage might mean the start of shouting matches. And though he likes Cynthia very much, he’s not at all sure whether he wants her living with them. He’s also a bit anxious because he’s been asked to sing a solo…

Tim’s cousins arrive for the wedding, but their luggage doesn’t. And then Cynthia, usually extremely punctual doesn’t appear at the church…

Once I’d started re-reading this book, I could hardly put it down. Of course I knew the basic plot - that the two would get married! - but had entirely forgotten all the details. I hadn’t even remembered the crisis at the start of the wedding, why it happened, or how it was resolved. Nor had I recalled the amusing scene when they finally arrive at their honeymoon destination - or the warm, relaxing ending.

Although technically a stand-alone book, ‘A Common Life’ wouldn’t really make much sense to anyone who has not previously come across the Mitford series. It makes the most sense to read it as the third in the series, since the fourth book begins after the two are married and home from their honeymoon. Each novel builds on characters and subplots that were introduced or expanded in earlier books - and there are so many different people that it’s sometimes confusing enough remembering who was whom even when familiar with the books.

So if this book sounds appealing, please start with ‘At Home at Mitford’, and then read ‘A Light in the Window’ before this one. And note that since it features a minister, there’s some low-key Christian content. Tim and Cynthia pray together in an informal way, and there are Scripture quotations thrown in here and there - all in a very non-preachy, natural way, but if you don’t like anything with ‘religious’ undertones, this series isn’t for you.

With those provisos, I would recommend ‘A Common Life’ very highly if you like warm, gentle village-style fiction. And ignore the fact that it's publicised as book 6 in the Mitford series. It was written sixth, but should be read as the third.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews

A Light in the Window (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I’m so glad I decided to re-read Jan Karon’s ‘Mitford’ series. It’s gentle, heartwarming and inspiring - exactly the kind of thing for this rather depressing time of year. I re-read ‘At Home in Mitford’ in the middle of November, and have just finished the second book in the series. I last read ‘A Light in the Window’ in 2006.

The last time I read this, I had a copy of the book with quite a chunk missing, but I’ve managed to acquire a full edition in the meantime, so have read it for the first time. I don’t know how much it matters - I got rid of the other version, and had forgotten quite a bit of the story anyway.

There’s not a whole lot of plot, but many interesting storylines woven together, as we follow another season in the life of this small town in the United States. Father Timothy is the main character, an Anglican priest in his early sixties. He has been single all his life, but his heart has been stirred by his neighbour Cynthia, who is a writer…

In my view, it’s definitely better to read this books in order, as there’s quite a large cast of characters. I don’t always recall who is whom when reading interludes set in the local cafe, but it doesn’t much matter. However it would be a lot more confusing if I hadn’t read the first book. For one thing, the earlier book explains how Timothy managed to acquire a large dog, Barnabas, and a somewhat rough young teenager, Dooley.

The story of Tim and Cynthia’s budding romance underlies much of the book, with some lovely correspondence, and several misunderstandings. Cynthia sees Timothy with other women in apparently compromising situations. Timothy feels unworthy, and frankly terrified at the thought of giving his heart fully to someone else. They both have hang-ups from their past, and insecurities, and this makes them both delightfully realistic.

Other storylines involve a rather rapacious widow who also rather fancies Timothy, much to his horror, a very rough guy who is running a huge building site, and a rather bizarre Irish cousin who takes up residence in Tim’s house, barely leaves her room, and keeps it locked. She types continually, and eats large amounts…

I’m not entirely sure why these books are so very engaging, as the story meanders gently through the weeks, particularly those between Christmas and Easter. There’s a fair amount of Scriptural wisdom scattered into the conversations, but never in a preachy way. I don’t know of people who talk quite like Timothy and his parishioners do, but I liked the mixture of secular and sacred, of Biblical insights and practical details about everyday life.

It’s quite an easy read, and one that’s oddly difficult to put down, even though I did remember at least the basic conclusion of the very low-key romance thread. I hadn’t recalled any of the other subplots; in addition to those above, there’s one involving a huge rental hike for someone who has to leave his business, and one about a ballroom with stunning paintings on the ceiling. 

It’s quite a mixture, but, as such, reflects life to some extent. And the writing is so good, I felt drawn into Mitford and wanted to read the third book in the series immediately. I won’t - I like spreading my favourite series out rather than reading a whole series at once, but I’m already looking forward to it.

Definitely recommended.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews

At Home in Mitford (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

As I was pondering which favourite author’s books to re-read over the next year or so, an image of Mitford came to my mind. This small-town village is filled with so many warm memories, and I knew it was time to pick up Jan Karon’s series yet again. Having just finished ‘At Home in Mitford’ for the third time, it’s very tempting to go straight on with the series, but I know from experience that I enjoy books all the more if I spread them out, reading others in between. 

I last read this wonderful book in 2006, so I was well overdue for a re-read. It’s possible I would never have come across it, but for a gift from my father, Christmas 1999; he had read the book himself, and thought I would love it. He was right. I don’t know quite why it’s so very appealing; I’m not generally a fan of American Christian fiction. But the Mitford series are uplifting, encouraging, amusing in places, and leave me with a feeling of peace and warmth.

Father Tim is the unlikely protagonist of this book, and indeed the entire series. He’s a 60-year-old Episcopalian priest who works hard, loves God, and deals extremely well with his often difficult congregation. Mitford is a small town from the author’s imagination but it comes alive in my mind every time I embark on this series. It feels old-fashioned, yet in a delightful way that makes me wish I could have lived somewhere like that.

At the start of the book, Timothy is feeling jaded. He doesn’t have as much energy as he used to, and he feels as if his sermons are falling flat. He’s not depressed, exactly, but low in spirit. Into his life comes a large, enthusiastic and rather messy dog. He doesn’t want a dog, but it’s rather hard to resist… and while the dog is a good companion, it’s symptomatic of his life. He can’t say ‘no’. He cares about all his parishioners and other folk in Mitford, and he wants to help as much as he can.

So he visits the sick and the elderly, listening to their stories. He takes the time to chat to people who need to talk, and to pray for those who need help. He studies and prepares sermons, yet his calendar is always full. His phone rings regularly with more questions and needs… He loves what he does, but it’s wearing him out.

It doesn’t sound like the premise for an interesting story, but the characterisation is so good that I find myself transported to to this small town, seeing into Timothy’s mind and heart, feeling his temptations and joys. He has a serious health issue, one of the few things I had remembered clearly from previous reading of the book, but he neglects himself, finding it hard to see how his physical state can have such an impact on his emotional and spiritual needs.

Other main characters in this saga - which is much longer now than it was when I first came across it - include Dooley, a boy of eleven who is often rude and regularly irresponsible - yet has brought up, almost single-handed, his four younger siblings as their mother is not able to look after them. Timothy has no idea how to deal with boys, particularly one from an entirely different stratum of society, but his gentle manner and thoughtful methods are often poignant in their efficacy.

Then there’s Cynthia, a writer who moves in next-door to the Rectory, with her cat Violet.  Cynthia is a writer, a lovable, scatterbrained romantic, who needs a lot of affection. Timothy, a lifelong bachelor, realises that she means a great deal to him, but isn’t sure if he wants to take steps that might change their growing friendship.

There are plenty of other subplots in the book - stolen food, hidden jewels, a couple of romances, a long-hidden love story, and much more. There are a lot of characters; this was evidently always meant to be the start of a long series rather than a one-off, yet it’s an enjoyable novel in its own right.

I am already looking forward to reading the next book in the series in a few weeks time.

Very highly recommended if you like gentle character-based novels, and don’t mind a fair amount of Christian input - most of it included in an entirely non-preachy way.

Review copyright 2020 Sue's Book Reviews

Come Rain or Come Shine (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s about sixteen years since I was first introduced to Jan Karon’s wonderful ‘Mitford’ series about a small town in America, and its elderly Episcopalian priest Father Tim Kavanagh. I started collecting the books, and was quite sad when the author stated that her ninth book was the last in the series; then delighted that she began a slightly different set of books featuring Father Tim himself, now retired.

After two of those books, however, the series reverted to Mitford, and I thoroughly enjoyed the twelfth book, ‘Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good’ which I read about six months ago. When the thirteenth book came out in paperback I put it on my wish-list and was delighted to be given it for Christmas.

‘Come Rain or Come Shine’, as I knew already, was focussed on the wedding of Father Tim’s adopted son Dooley and the doctor’s adopted daughter Lace. The two had rather a cat-and-dog relationship from their early teens, but it became increasingly clear that they were destined for each other, so I was looking forward very much to reading about their wedding.

This isn’t a book for anyone who hasn’t read at least a few of the earlier Mitford books, as it builds on characters and situations from previous books. There’s a large cast of people and I didn’t remember all of them; to someone new to the series it would be overwhelming. However for those who have long-standing affection for Tim and his wife Cynthia and there many friends and acquaintances, this is a wonderful book, pulling together many threads and re-uniting various folk, as is inevitable at a wedding.

The early part of the book focuses on preparations, with a growing sense of urgency as the date comes closer. Dooley and Lace thought they had opted for a simple, small wedding but the number of things to do seems to increase daily. Lace hasn’t yet found a dress, and each day becomes more worried. She’s creating something as a wedding present for Dooley; we don’t know what it is until it’s revealed right before the wedding, but it’s also creating stress.

Dooley, meanwhile, is settling in as the resident vet, after his recent qualification, and there’s a new and potentially dangerous bull called Choo-choo. There are secrets, and surprises, and unexpected guests… and then the ceremony itself, spelled out in a lot of detail, with its own stresses and complications.

I found it a little confusing at first that the story is narrated from several different viewpoints, not just that of Father Tim. We read some sections from Dooley’s point of view, some from Lace’s, and some from other characters; it’s not always obvious who is the viewpoint character, but eventually I realised that it didn’t matter. And I loved the layout of the book, which includes both the wedding invitation and the order of service in the relevant places.

I don’t know what it is about this series that prompts such a feeling of well-being; the scenarios and people are not like anyone or any place I’ve come across before, yet reading or re-reading one of the books feels like coming home myself. Perhaps Heaven is a little like Mitford.

A lot of threads are tied up (although a few are left open) and when I reached the end I wondered if this might be the last Mitford book; if so, I thought, it ended on a strong and positive note. So I was very pleased to read that Jan Karon has already started another book in the series, set a few months after this one.

Definitely recommended to fans of the series. Keep a tissue or two to hand...

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I was introduced to Jan Karon’s books about fifteen years ago, and read my way with delight through the Mitford series featuring the delightful Father Tim and his neighbour - later his wife - Cynthia. After the ninth book, the author wrote a couple of books that delved into Tim’s past, taking him on travels within the US and elsewhere, and I liked them too although I found myself missing the little village of Mitford and its quirky inhabitants.

To my delight, ‘Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good’ sees Tim and Cynthia back in Mitford after their trip to Ireland. Tim is retired and trying to find ways of occupying his time constructively; Cynthia is still writing and illustrating her series of children’s books featuring her cat Violet. Their adopted son Dooley is training as a vet, and clearly very fond of their friends’ adopted daughter Lace, but they’re not making any commitment just yet.

We get to know Sammy, one of Dooley’s brothers, who struggles with any kind of authority and doesn’t really think before taking risks. We meet Coot, too, an uneducated but warm-hearted man who is caring for his very elderly mother. There are scenes in the ‘Happy Endings’ bookshop, and in the various eating places around town; there’s new blood with Shirlene, who has bought an artificial tan machine, and a great deal of stress in Tim’s former church, where the minister is going through a difficult time…

As with the earlier books, this novel is character-based rather than having any single plot. We follow Tim’s life as he volunteers his time in many different ways, tries to meet the needs of those around him, and gently shares God’s love with his former flock. But it’s not preachy or even overly religious; Tim’s faith is part of who he is, his prayers from the heart, his love genuine. He’s flawed and often tired, he sometimes feels low, and he has to limit what he eats due to diabetes.

I think my favourite parts were Coot’s reading lessons and progress, with more than a nod to one of my favourite children’s authors; yet amidst the smiles there’s sadness too, and some very moving moments which the author writes with great sensitivity. Some storylines interested me more than others, and that’s probably inevitable: there’s something in here for anyone who likes this kind of gentle, rambling story.

There were places where I didn’t have the faintest idea what was going on; evidently in my European ignorance I had missed some subtlety of small-town America, but it didn’t matter; I just shrugged and moved on. Sometimes I forgot which Esther was which, or who wanted to make the Orange Marmalade cakes; occasionally I had to flip back and remind myself of some incident, or character, as there’s quite a large cast. But, again, it wasn’t a problem.

It’s quite a long book, and I mostly read it before falling asleep at night, although I found myself dipping into it during the daytime too. It’s not that anything very exciting happens, but once again I felt as if I were part of this realistic and friendly community. It’s been some time since I read the earlier books and I’d planned to re-read them before embarking on this, but then couldn’t resist it: and although I’d forgotten some names and details, I found myself easily caught up again in the lives of the Mitford residents.

While the book stands alone, I think it would be quite confusing to anyone who had not read the earlier books, so I’d recommend strongly reading at least the first few, and ideally all of them. If you like the earlier books in the series, then I recommend this very highly.

It's a wonderful book.

Review copyright 2016 Sue's Book Reviews

In the Company of Others (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

Jan Karon is the US author of the gentle 'Mitford' series, featuring the elderly Anglican minister known as Father Tim, and his writer/illustrator wife Cynthia. She is now writing books that focus on Father Tim elsewhere in the world; the first in this new trilogy was 'Home to Holly Springs', where Tim returned for the first time in many years to his childhood town, and unearthed some family secrets.

The second in the series, 'In the Company of Others' was released in hardback in Autumn 2010. I don't usually get hardback editions of books, but I had a voucher for Amazon.com, and friends travelling to the USA... so as I didn't want to spend half the voucher on postage, and couldn't find much else that I wanted, I thought I might as well treat myself to this new book.

In this book, Tim and Cynthia travel to Ireland for a long-awaited holiday. They stay in a guest lodge and get to know the owners, and something about their family tensions. They also discover a journal, about 150 years old, which is interspersed in some of the narrative. The holiday is unexpectedly extended, and they get involved not just in the lives and stresses of their new friends, but help to solve a crime mystery.

I have slightly mixed feelings about this book. I liked the pace, and the characterisation as ever is good. Tim and Cynthia have a delightful, believable relationship... and the dialogue, some of it in Irish brogue, was a great deal easier for me to read than that of the US South in 'Home to Holly Springs'. It was a gentle story, which I read in twenty-minute bursts at bedtime for almost four weeks, but I didn't have any inclination to read it at other times of the day.

However, taking so long over it meant that I found myself regularly confused about the other characters, of whom there were many - those in the journal as well as in the main story, and eventually I gave up trying to remember, which meant that the later part of the story had less impact than perhaps it should have done.

Fans of the Mitford series will probably enjoy it, so long as they don't mind the action having moved right out of Mitford, and since it stands alone, with mainly new characters, it would probably work as an introduction to Karon's novels too, for anyone who likes a gentle paced character-driven story. There is, as with all her books, a low-key Christian aspect to it, but it's nicely done without being preachy or pushy.

Overall I did like it, and am glad I read it, though I shall think twice before ordering another Jan Karon in hardback... even if I have an Amazon voucher to spend. The links at the top is to the current edition at the UK Amazon site, but it's often available online second-hand at much better prices.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 19th January 2011

Home to Holly Springs (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

Jan Karon is a popular American Christian author. She is best known for her nine-volume 'Mitford' series about Father Tim, an Episcopalian priest in a small town. The series begins with 'At Home in Mitford', where Tim is a sixty-year-old bachelor and ends with 'Light from Heaven', where Tim - now married - has retired.

So I was delighted to learn that Jan Karon has begun a new series, probably three books, about Father Tim's childhood and background. The first of these is 'Return to Holly Springs', where he takes a trip to the place where he grew up. Reviews on Amazon were very mixed, but eventually, when it was out in paperback, I put it on my wishlist and was delighted to receive it for my birthday.

In this book, Father Tim is seventy but still young at heart. He has been sent a cryptic note from Holly Springs, simply asking him to come home. His wife is unable to accompany him, so he takes Barnabas, his elderly dog, and sets off for the town where he has not returned in forty years. He hopes that he might manage to get in contact with some old friends - if they are still alive - and perhaps come to terms with a few of the demons of his past.

I did find the book rather slow moving, in the early chapters. Tim meets a lot of people, most of whom speak in a dialogue that's not familiar to me. It was used by a few people in the Mitford books, but there's a lot more of it in this one, and it rather slowed down my reading. The story changes frequently from past to present, as Tim manages to get in touch with various people, and there's then a flashback where we learn about them in his childhood. There are also ongoing memories of his beloved mother, and his father whom he remembers with some anger and bitterness. I enjoyed the back stories although the sheer volume of characters was a bit confusing at first.

Still, the pace did pick up a bit and by the time I was half way through the book, I found that I was more and more interested in the plot. I suppose if I'm honest there were too many coincidences. It's a small town, admittedly, and most people know each other. But several of the meetings with old friends and acquaintances did seem rather contrived. They were written from the perspective of God co-ordinating them, which made them seem more believable, but I couldn't help feeling that everything fit together slightly too neatly at times.

But it's only a minor criticism. Some people have criticised the book more severely for becoming too psychological, or for involving Tim in a rather murkier past than would have been guessed. There is also criticism about the very minor swear words that were used, although in the UK these words are hardly significant. More disturbing for me was the continual use of 'ma'am' and 'sir' by Tim and others... words which seem sarcastic, almost rude from my perspective, but are of course intended as forms of respect in the Southern states of the USA.

The dramatic discoveries nearer the end of the book included one that I had been expecting for a few chapters; clues were certainly there, so that although there were one or two surprises, the main one was not unexpected - and thus not unrealistic. Everything was nicely wrapped up, with even a very short epilogue/afterword to tie up one last thread. I like to see books end tidily, so I didn't mind at all that there was something of a 'happy ever after' feel.

If you haven't read the Mitford series, you probably wouldn't find this book at all interesting. If you like Mitford only for the small-town niceness, I suppose you might find this one a bit psychologically complex and murky. But for anyone who has enjoyed the series, doesn't mind a rather deeper book, and would like to know more about Father Tim and his background, I'd definitely recommend it.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 10th May 2009

Light from Heaven (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

'Light from Heaven' is the ninth and last of Jan Karon's 'Mitford' series about the American Episcopal priest Father Tim and his delightful wife Cynthia. In this novel, Tim and Cynthia spend a year at their friends' farm, Meadowgate, while their friends are away. It's not far from Mitford, so Tim (and we, the readers!) manage to keep up with news of old friends.

But Tim also gets asked to take on a new job: to re-start a regular service at a small church in the mountains. There he meets the wonderful Agnes - an elderly and robust lady who gave many years of her life to the mission field. Having been acquainted with two such ladies myself, I found her believable and a great asset to the novel.

A few reader reviews on Amazon objected to the new characters who were introduced in this story. I thought it was a great idea to start some new threads; otherwise the book would have been too much like the previous ones. Yes, there were some ongoing plot-lines which were nicely tied up in this book, but if that had been all, it would have felt rather slow and tedious. As it was, Tim's new parish and parishioners provided a nice contrast to his older friends in Mitford.

Of course there's a Christian theme running through the book, mostly low-key although there are a few pages of Scripture explanations and mention of the 'Sinners' prayer'. Although a Christian myself, I often find such things rather cringeworthy in novels, and indeed I did find myself skimming a bit when these cropped up.

But they're mostly well-written and fit well with the story and characters so they don't feel too out-of-place. It would be quite possible to skip those passages although an understanding of what they are about probably adds to the enjoyment of the novel in general.

I enjoyed reading this in its rightful place in the series, directly after reading all the others. But I think it probably could have been read as a novel on its own, since there were the fresh characters. All in all, I thought it an excellent ending to the series.

Definitely recommended.

Shepherds Abiding (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

This is the eighth book in Jan Karon's 'Mitford' series. It's shorter than the majority: less than 300 pages, and print well spaced out, so I read it in less than two days.

It's a bit of a novelty book rather than an important one in the Mitford story; Christmas is approaching, and the retired Episcopal priest Father Tim spots a rather scruffy set of plaster nativity figures in the antique shop. Hoping to surprise his wife, he enlists the help of a couple of friends and sets to work to repair and paint the figures for Christmas.

We meet old friends from Mitford: Uncle Billy, trying to figure out what on earth to give his crotchety wife for Christmas; Percy and Velma, about to give up The Grill and retire, Lew Boyd who has married someone from another state in secret... and many more.

The author cleverly weaves in and out of their lives, also including some of Father Tim's positive reminiscences from his childhood, as he finally comes to terms with some of the problems he carried around, due to his father's apparent harshness and high expectations.

Quite a pleasant book, if a bit 'sappy', but not really one to read on its own. Nor is it a vital part of the Mitford series for someone reading the longer books.