The Carpenter’s Legacy Historical Fiction 5-book Series
follows fictional characters from Cologne, Germany in 1884 to Wisconsin USA in the 1930s.
Themes explored in the books are: Nineteenth century German history, women’s conditions during that time, family resilience, overcoming depression and social limitations.
A wandering carpenter chances upon a distraught woman on the cusp of self-harm. Nicklaus must later choose between his lifetime career goals and the love he has for Maria, a woman caught in a struggle to overcome regret, rejection and social limitations.
Inspired by the heroism of the individuals of the Era of Immigration and the stories of her own immigrant ancestors, Ruby M. Holder weaves reconciliation, forgiveness and emotional healing into accurate historical and cultural details of the late 1880’s, including German language idioms and phrases.
Ruby M Holder has a very easy and enjoyable writing style and Etch of a Promise has an engaging storyline that kept me hooked. I’m not typically a reader of historical fiction, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.
I felt that the book started off a little whimsical and simple, but I was really surprised and captivated by how much emotional depth the book goes into as you keep reading. There is so much detail in the worldbuilding you truly feel like you’re transported back in time. The author’s descriptions are one of the best parts of the book: she has a way with words that is poetic and lyrical without disrupting you from the story flow.
I found the characters to be very well written and compelling. I found myself rooting for so many characters, feeling torn between sides as things happen later, and laughing out loud at the inside jokes.
It’s set in 1880s Germany, and I found it interesting and fascinating to read a book in the time period that is not set in England. Another fun thing is that it has German words woven into the book and I really enjoyed the author did that. It made the atmosphere of the story feel more realistic, and it was easy to follow along and understand what was being said without having to know German words (plus, I even learned a word of two reading this book!)
Ruby has a unique voice, the kind that pulls the reader in and enchants them. I entered the book admiring the vibrant and eye-catching cover and left it with the story consuming my heart and soul.
The way the main characters are articulated is praiseworthy. I particularly loved NIcklaus and his gritty yet innocent personality. Maria was headstrong and brave; an inspiration, if I may.
I finished the book today. I enjoyed it a lot. I praise the book highly. I read a lot of fiction (almost every day), but I have not before had any familiarity with 1880s Germany, so I found that part particularly interesting.
Good job. Way to go.
There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one.
Add your review here