The Memory Weaver

Back Cover

Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847.  Now a mother of two, Eliza faces a new kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her mother’s grave—and returning to the land of her captivity.

Haunted by memories and hounded by struggle, Eliza longs to know how her mother dealt with trauma of their ordeal.  As she searches the pages of her mother’s diary, Eliza is stunned to find that her own recollections tell only part of the story.

Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick’s latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman’s heart.  Get swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.

Review

It always blows me away when I read stories about frontierswomen – they could practically take on anything.  They weren’t worried about whether their Starbucks drink was low-fat, stressed when they broke a nail, or squeamish over doing housework.  These women were strong in every sense of the word, and equally admirable.  They did what they had to in order to survive - many relying on their faith to see them through. 

Eliza Spalding Warren was one of those women.  She survived a horrific tragedy when she was young, but instead of letting it defeat her, she soldiered on.  Eliza grew up fast, marrying a man quite a few years older than her, and soon had her own children to raise.  I found her very courageous as she met each new challenge head on, even while she struggled with reoccurring memories of her captivity, a difficult father, and a restless husband.

This is not a fast-paced novel, but rather asks the readers to take a breath, slow down, and allow yourself to be carried away in a tale of loss, love, struggle, courage, and hope.  Rich in setting, history, and characters, The Memory Weaver is a story sure to stick in the minds of readers days after finishing the final page.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  This is my honest review.