Title: The Scarlet Thread
Author: Francine Rivers
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction
Plot: Sierra Madrid’s husband, Alex has just taken a job in Las Ángeles. He’s already looking for houses in the area when Sierra finds out. Sierra is outraged that he wants to uproot their family on such short notice and didn’t consult her or the kids. Her mother encourages her to make the most of the situation. Sierra reluctantly goes with. She drags her feet the whole way. Once they move to LA, Alex becomes consumed in his work. He starts ignoring her and their kids. The two of them become more and more distant. They fight more often than not. Until Alex wants out and cheats on Sierra. He demands a divorce. Then Sierra’s mom passes away. Sierra hits rock bottom after the funeral. After a cop pulls Sierra over, her life starts to turn around. She finds faith and healing. But will it be enough to help with her and family? Can she find healing for her and Alex? Or is it too late for them?
Before Sierra’s mother passed away, she gave Sierra a journal of one of her ancestors, Mary Katheryn. Mary’s journal is split between the chapters. Mary talks about the sadness of her childhood and challenges of living on a homestead and the journey on the Oregon Trail. Mary Katheryn finds love, forgiveness, and faith along the trail and in her new home.
Rating: 3.4 – a little hard for me to relate to and a little slow to start
Opinion: This book was a good book book. It was probably meant for someone older or married, or a child of divorce. It went deeply into the trials of marriage. But by the end of the book, I found myself hopeful and rooting for Sierra, Alex, and Mary Katheryn. It made me realize how much work marriage is. It can be so easy forget to see how other people see things and how our actions can effect other people. We get so caught up in our own problems and worries that we don’t see how others are affected. While not every marriage will change for the better, some can. I went into the book thinking things would end so differently than they did. There was more reconciliation than I hoped for. There was peace on both sides in each story. While I wasn’t sure about the book in the beginning, I didn’t start this book liking it, I ended up enjoying it the more I read. The stories connecting Sierra and Mary Katheryn made the story more relatable. I like stories that connect the generations. While this wasn’t my favorite Francine Rivers book, it was still a great story or redemption. A great book for those who need a redemption story.
A Bookworm's Book Reviews 