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A Season for Tending

by Jill Straw

September 14, 2012

I really enjoyed reading Cindy Woodsmall’s A Season for Tending. I got to the last page and had to keep re-reading it because I was not ready to put the book down. Her characters are Amish, but there is a certain worldliness to them. When I started the book, I was intrigued by the idea of licorice-root tea and blackberry jelly. Both sounded delicious. But this book is about so much more.

The main characters are in their late teens and early twenties. They have been, or are going through, the Amish tradition of rumuschpringe, that period between childhood and adulthood where the decision can be made to join the faith and to find a mate. Jacob King and Rhoda Byler both experienced loss during this period in their lives. This is where the worldliness came in. Jacob went away during his rumuschpringe and learned how to scuba dive. He also suffered a loss so profound that he has spoken to no one about. Rhoda blames herself for her loss as she feels she should have acted on her instincts.

These characters, while Amish, are not too different from us Englischers. They can be petty, use the wrong words when talking to others, worry about their family members who are exploring their way in the world. Cindy Woodsmall did a wonderful job exploring this in her novel.

The book ends on a cliffhanger with a possible love triangle. That’s perhaps what I like least about this book. Having to wait for the sequel.

I received a copy of this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah in return for reviewing it. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.