The Atlas of Untold Stories

 By: Sara Brunsvold

Jodi's copy paperback 327 pages plus excerpt from The Divine Proverb of Streusel (which I've already read).

Published: 2025

Genre: Christian contemporary fiction

Oh my! We're discussing this at book club in less than an hour and I have an absolute FLURRY of post-it notes! Reading this has made me request The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip to re-read. I remember that I absolutely loved that book by Brunsvold! This one is good, even great (but that one's better).

Moria Mondell was an exacting, unemotional mother to Edie Vance. Edie has done her best in raising Lauren and Chloe, but there is definitely some distance in their relationships (as well as estrangement from Edie's sister Gabriella). When Chloe proposes a literary road trip to make memories, Edie has no idea how she will begin to examine her role as a mother.

Page 51: "Refusal played a big role in her mom's life. It had edged out rationality more than once."

Edie and Lauren are having coffee and maintaining their solid walls of propriety. Rather than accepting advice or help with her late mother's estate, Edie is placing herself in the role of a martyr who has to take care of everything herself. I recognize this role! (My mother did this a lot.)

Page 59: "She bowed her head, closed her eyes, and whispered one more time to the only ears that could hear, 'Take us where we are meant to go.'"

Though Chloe could be impulsive and too starry-eyes, she was also the most positive of the three Vance women and I loved her faithfulness to God. I love that her prayer wasn't for her own plan to work out, but for God to take them where they needed to go.

Page 61: "Thorough plans equaled thorough command. With every item she ticked, her breath steadied."

I have to admit that I didn't like Lauren very much. At times, I could empathize with her, but mostly she was just too tightly wound and controlling. Her exercising, eating disorder, stoicism, etc. got old fast. She is the LAST person I'd want to go with on a road trip!

Page 75: "Younger sisters didn't know the level of protective thinking that took place on their behalf."

Interesting . . . I should ask my older sisters if they felt this way toward me growing up. In our current stage of life, I don't feel as though they "look out" for me. But perhaps I'm just oblivious!

Page 91: "Whatever it was, she couldn't force it before its time. Light always found what was hidden. Eventually."

Here, Chloe is certain that something is deeply wrong with Lauren. But in a bigger sense, this is a powerful truism. Light will shine. The sooner, the better, in my opinion!

Page 104: "Per the ruthless menopausal curse, she had sweat through her single sheet. Even if she had spooned the air-conditioning register, the midlife maven would have brought her to such a state."

Something about the way Brunsvold wrote this just brought a smile to my face. I'm thankful my menopausal temperature issues weren't too horrible, but this made me laugh just the same. If you know, you know.

Page 117: "History was only thoughts until you could look it in the face."

The three women are at the Orphan Train Museum in Kansas. The reality of what those children experienced is powerful and overwhelming, especially for Edie.

Page 151: "Too much freedom was sacrificed on the altar of pride."

This whole scene (and what happens after with Aunt Gab) makes me glad I'm not overly prideful! The loss of relationship between Edie (Edith) and her sister Gab (Gabriella) is hurtful to Chloe, who tries to "fix" things. (The song Where the Spirit of the Lord Is, There Is Freedom is running through my mind right now.)

Page 160: "Her mom may not have realized it as they wound through the clusters of people, but the memories they would make that day would be praises that they would raise the rest of their lives. God would make sure of it. Walking in faith was an adventure like none other."

Yes! Walking in faith is a fantastic place to do life! There were many times in this book where I wondered if / when Edie and / or Lauren would ever understand the source of Chloe's joy.

Page 200: "On a road trip aimed at celebrating perspective-shaping books, her mom and sister staunchly remained the main characters in their own stories. What was the point in relishing books if you didn't allow them to lift you out of your silo? What was the point of a road trip if not discovery?"

Ooh. . . I don't think her mother or sister would have appreciated Chloe's observation had she expressed it aloud. I loved this, though. I know people who have definite "main character" energy . . . 

Page 217: "Splendor always unfolded for those patient and trusting enough to wait for it."

This was when they checked in to their AirBNB, only to find that Olga was scary and they had the cramped garage, not the main house. I love Chloe's spirit of adventure, but I can also understand Edie's and Lauren's frustrations. Traveling together sometimes requires some time and space apart.

Page 239: "Shame reached its pinnacle when laid bare before a parent."

I'm not so sure I agree with this, but perhaps that's because both of my parents have been dead for a long time and I was one of their care-givers the last few years of their lives. I love that Brunsvold did a lot of family and relationship "work" in this novel. Opening the story with Edie's recollections of her mother's emotional neglect really set the tone for a lot of this book.

Page 246: "I have been a mother for thirty-two years, and I am still lost on how to do it with a modicum of wisdom. I am huddled alone on a thin bench in the punishing wake of secrets revealed, and I have no idea how to steer us to the place we need to go. How are we this far in and farther apart from each other than when we started?"

I was glad that Edie started using the journal that her husband Grant had given her at the start of the trip. Her dependence upon him was interesting. Her meditations resonate for me, though I don't really feel distant from my children.

Page 260: "Minutes, hours, days all passed with insensitive swiftness, too fast for any mother to relish them. Why hadn't she relished them while she could have?"

Chloe and Edie are riding the little tram thing to the top of the St. Louis Arch. Chloe set her timer for the duration of the ride to help Edie with her anxiety. Seeing the numbers tick down make her more cognizant of the overall passing of time. The lines above made me reflect on all my impatience and "countdown" mentality when my kids were growing up. I wish I had lived more in the moment and cherished the time I had with them then.

Page 273: "Middle school Lauren was Chloe's favorite version."

I loved that Chloe had some fond memories from their younger years! My sisters felt like different people at different times in the past.

Page 275: "Lord, I don't know what to do with all this. How do you sway stone hearts?"

Poor Chloe! She was trying so hard to encourage and to build relationship with both her sister and her mom. Thankfully, she turned to prayer - always a good choice!

Page 285-6: I'm not going to quote this, but I absolutely loved when Chloe clapped back at more of Lauren's martyrdom and how she had always had to rescue Chloe and be her safety net. Chloe's response is a powerful witness of how God is her rock and redeemer. She tells Lauren exactly how it is for her!

Page 288: I have no idea who Harold Bell Wright is or what his The Shepherd of the Hills book is about. Most of the literary references and authors were very familiar to me. I had to look this one up! It was fascinating to read on Wikipedia, 

"But it was Wright's second novel, The Shepherd of the Hills, published in 1907 and set in Branson, Missouri, that established him as a best-selling author. That book also attracted an overwhelming number of tourists to the little-known town of Branson, resulting in its becoming a major tourist destination." 

I've never been to Branson, but of course I've heard of it. Fascinating!

Page 300: "Heat streamed through her. Not from shame or summer or sweat. From the answer to the question she didn't yet have the words to ask. Her unformed plea for grace, met before it was uttered. Their mom, in the face of her own overwhelming fear, only wanted to chase Lauren's away."

This was the scene that broke things! Chloe, then Lauren, decide to climb the tall rickety tower. When Lauren gets to the top, everything she's been holding to so tightly breaks and she sobs. Her mom climbs up the tower to comfort her! Beautiful catharsis

Page 302: "The younger generation became more enigmatic every day."

This is in response to Chloe telling her dad that mom was "a beast" and Chloe assuring her mom that it was a good thing. I've often been with Edie, not sure what the "younger generation" is talking about.

Page 306: "Truth grew heavier the longer it was withheld."

It's also true that it gets harder to express the longer you wait to express it. Even after Lauren's sobbing at the top of the tower, it takes her until later the next day to tell Chloe and then her mom about all the things that had happened to her.

Page 310: "'You are so strong, Laur. You know that?'

The response, gentle and pure, stole her breath. Then, just as quickly, it invited her to take her fill of peace."

I love how Chloe responds when Lauren finally shares about getting fired, Duncan ghosting her, not getting other job offers, etc. I love Chloe's encouragement and steadfast love for her sister.

Page 317: "Lauren had not been pretending she didn't need anyone. She truly had believed it, much like their mom had believed she wasn't worth the effort. God had helped them see. He had taken each of them by the hand and shepherded them toward where they were meant to be and what they were meant to find."

Great way to finish the road trip! When we trust in Him, He leads us well.

Page 320: "She smoothed the comforter as the memories took her back to another, simpler era, when time with the girls at home seemed to be nowhere close to running out. How fast it had all gone."

"She couldn't reach that little girl she once was. She couldn't do a thing to change her mother's choices. She couldn't take back any words or choices of her own as a mother, and there were far too many to count. But she could use the rough beginning to craft a better ending."

 

This whole section at the drive-in theatre with Edie's thoughts and conversation with Grant . . . touching and genuine. Life flies by, especially when measured by our children. And we cannot go back in time or impact our parents' parenting choices. 

Page 324-327: This closing scene had me bawling. Beautiful. I loved it.

The Divine Proverb of Streusel

by Sara Brunsvold

Dakota County Library paperback 309 pages plus author's note and acknowledgements

Published: 2024

Genre: Christian realistic fiction

I love this author! We read her book The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip and I loved that one, too. 

 

From Amazon:

Shaken by her parents' divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle's farm in a small Missouri hamlet. She'll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral farm is a past she barely knows.

Among her late grandmother's belongings, Nikki finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town's history, her ancestors--and her estranged father.

What started as a cathartic way to connect to her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women before her endured--with the help of their cooking prowess. Nikki realizes how delicious streusel with a healthy dollop of faith can serve as a guide to heal wounds of the past.

 

It's surprising to me that a book filled with recipes didn't tempt me even once to think about cooking any of them. Weird, because I love food and many of the dishes sounded yummy. 

Page 10: "Tracy sank into the chair next to Nikki's desk - the same spot she claimed every Thursday morning before students arrived - for a "Gab and Grace session," as she called it. The life-giving thirty minutes of prayer and mentoring . . . "

This made me think of our weekly prayer time at PRMS - Megan, Cina, Bonnie, and me. What sustenance our prayer time gave us for working with middle schoolers! What a blessing to have prayer buddies.

Page 21: "No answer came, as if God trusted him to discern the way. He had faith sharpened by war, by witnessing the brightest good bloom among the sharpest thorns of depravation. But God should have known by then how dense Wes really was."

 

I love her language choices. Discernment is hard . . . I'm with Wes on thinking God knows I'm dense but willing.

Page 42: Rhubarb pie! This made me think of my husband with a smile. He loves rhubarb pie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On page 50, Wes is talking to his Aunt Emma about Nikki showing up on his doorstep. I kind of want to include their whole conversation here because I love it so much! But the part that I flagged was when he says "You have far too much confidence in me." Aunt Emma replies, "And for that I will never apologize."

Throughout the book, I was drawn to Aunt Emma so much! What a fun woman of God! She is a lot like Mrs. Kip. Both characters make a point of building others up. I love that quality! Part of me wants to own both of these Brunsvold books . . . I enjoyed them so much.

Page 73: "All the pieces of her life broke off bit by bit. Slipped through her fingers even as she had her palms to heaven in a plea for mercy. How had it all fallen apart so quickly? How had it gotten so completely out of her control? How would she ever get through it?

Her mom's reply to that very question floated back. It comprised the words from Grandma Ann herself. 'Do the next thing.'

'It's the only thing I can do,' her mom had said."

The phrase "Do the next thing" was repeated frequently throughout this book, but it felt powerful in its repetition, not redundant. Getting "stuck" in life happens, but having a way to move forward is much better than staying stuck! Do the next thing.

Page 82: "Don't tell our pastor. Of course, he'll probably find out anyway. We posted a few of those selfie photos on the social media. Too bad you're not on it. Old women with beers and insufficient knowledge of technology make for interesting results."

Again, Aunt Emma talking with Wes makes the best parts of the book! I love her spunk and the "old women" sentiment at the end. It truly made me laugh out loud.

Page 135: "Shame, that whole situation. But Chris has made his bed. He'll need to sleep in it a while yet. Hard as it is, we need to let him. The good news is God's not afraid of an attitude. That divine whack will come in due course - to all the skulls that need it."

Aunt Emma again. Nikki's dad Chris has left his family and married his affair partner. His choices have torn apart his ex-wife's life as well as impacting his daughters and brother. So very sad. But Aunt Emma knows no one can change his mind or his behavior. So true!

Page 147 - When Nikki and her sister Hannah are taking a last look at their childhood home, Nikki says, "Where are we going to go for Christmas? Or birthdays? Or any holiday?"

I know adults who have mourned the loss of their childhood home and this scene made me think of their sadness. I guess I was so happy to have my own home (plus my childhood home is still in the family) that I haven't dealt with this personally. It's interesting to contemplate the passage of time and the different seasons of life.

Page 172: "Maybe that would help break the ice. Plus, I'm champing at the bit to let my stories out. I'm old. I have to share while I'm lucid enough to remember them."

 

Aunt Emma again! This is part of the reason why I did StoryWorth to tell some of my own stories while I can. I cannot ever again hear my parents talk about their childhoods and younger years. I can't ask them questions to find out their thoughts. Stories can be powerful and meaningful and we all have them.

 

Page 190: "Wes closed his bedroom door and sank onto the edge of his bed. Nikki had no idea how like her father she was. The German language may have faded between their family's generations, but the stubbornness held strong, as woven into the DNA as the brown eyes."

 

I tagged this because my husband and I both have German ancestry. Whenever we argue about stubbornness, I try to convince him that he's MORE stubborn because he's more German than I am. We laugh about it, but this paragraph made me think of it.

 

Page 219: "No doubt she does. Stories are the universal heart language. They bring together what is scattered."

 

Wisdom from Aunt Emma as she talks with Wes. He told her that Nikki appreciates her memories. This is her lovely response.

 

Page  223: "'The empty nest amplifies the gaps in a relationship,' her mom said. 'The gaps had become so much bigger than we realized. We had neglected too many things for too long. I tried to work on them, but it takes two.'"

I'm so very thankful that Louie and I get along well and have not struggled to adapt to our "empty nest." We're friends and partners. I'm so blessed!

Page 243: "The good news is father hurt can be covered by the Father's love, if you accept it. I'm being more direct with you than I have been. I love you too much to not speak the truth. Please hear it for what it is."

As much as I love Aunt Emma, Wes had so many characteristics that I share. He truly wanted to glorify God and make a difference in people's lives for God's kingdom, but he often felt awkward. In the letter he wrote to his brother, he wrote the truth in love. I loved this letter and how he tried so hard to be honest and encouraging. His subject line (must have been an email) was "I should have said it sooner."

Page 265: "'The other thing that needs to be said,' she added, 'is how wildly proud I am of you. You invest so much care and love in those around you, and it shows in how real your grief is for this boy. Never, ever stop doing good. Especially when it gets hard. Teach our niece to do the same. She's watching you more closely than ever. You understand?'"

Yes, Aunt Emma. The "boy" who died was Trennen, a young man who farmed Wes' land. 

Page 277: "I myself am a maligner, an abuser, an insulter, a neglecter, a shunner. Yet I am pure, covered in the love of a scourged and rejected Savior. I love because I am loved. I forgive because I am forgiven. I am a saint because he became my sin. I cannot charge a penny debt to someone else when I have had millions erased.

Okay, that's all the waxing I can do in a single email. I need a cold beverage now.

In all seriousness, darling niece, please consider what Ann taught me. It is my belief she came to this wisdom too late for certain relationships in her life. She wouldn't want that for you."

Aunt Emma's letter to Nikki also brought out my post-it notes. I love this character! I love her faith in the Lord and her exuberance for life.

Page 289-290: I just decided to show the letter from Nikki to her dad (Chris). Good stuff!

 

Page 292: "I'm happier than a dog with two tails!"

Aunt Emma's response to Wes telling her that he and Joyce are getting married. 

Page 296: "The makeshift bookmark turned out to be only the business card of the bookstore, but on the page it denoted, a light touch of a pencil underlined one passage: 'I shall be infinitely prouder of a lovable daughter with a talent for making life beautiful to herself and others.'"

The reconciliation between Nikki and her dad was perhaps the sweetest "love story" in this book. The fact that he chose to find a valuable edition of Little Women, read it, underline this line, and send it to her speaks volumes of love. 

This book was wonderful! I apologize if I've given away too much or spoiled it. It has taken me a long time to write all this!

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

By: Sara Brunsvold

Dakota County Library paperback 354 pages plus extras (author's notes, etc.)

Published: 2022

Genre: Christian fiction, historical fiction

Oh! This was so good! I read it all yesterday and am contemplating buying a copy . . . but I won't, since I'm trying to decrease my possessions. I will highly recommend it, though!

Mrs. Kip is a childless widow who goes into hospice after recently being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Aidyn Kelley is a talented writer who feels stuck in her assistant role at a newspaper.

The story switches between "present day" (2016) and Clara's (Mrs. Kip's) past going from the 1960s to the 1980s. 

Page 27 (May 10, 1969): "She didn't like Scotch either, not like John did. And she hated that ugly chair, which barely fit in her tiny dwelling. And she had long stopped considering their song a pleasant experience. But they were all the material things she had left of her husband. Those three things. All of them empty promises from a happier time when they were both too inexperienced to know what life was capable of."

This was so sad! We learn more about Clara and John and what happened later in the story. But here, she is a young grieving widow. And stuff is just stuff. The theme of grief runs strong in this story. I wonder if my brother would read it.

Page 47/48 (2016): "For the next twenty minutes, she sat in the armchair next to his bed and listened to his stories of work, of his wife, of the other things that brought him joy. She helped him forget he was widowed and dying.

The tender worship of companionship. A hard art to learn."

Oh my! For Clara to be in hospice and extend grace and compassion to her crotchety room neighbor Charles was so sweet! I love that she barged into his life and insisted on becoming his friend. I love that she wasn't put off by his rudeness but knew that he needed some friendship. She saw through his exterior to the sadness and loneliness within. 

Page 114 (2016): "Clara smiled, feeling the lightness in her heart - that sensation of the Lord's hand at work, orchestrating his people to be part of a generous answer to prayer."

Clara and Rosario are talking about "hidden warriors" and specifically Aidyn's editor Bella Woods. I love the way we can be receptive to seeing God at work. He's at work whether we're cognizant of it or not! This is reminiscent of the Godwinks books a little . . . watch for the ways God is at work in our lives!

Page 159 (July 1, 1975): "These were the very same men who bravely risked everything to help the US fight in exchange for the promise of protection and reward. A gentlemen's agreement had brought Mahasajun and Mai to specialized training in the first place. But with President Ford's sudden order to withdraw from Laos, the US effectively reneged and abandoned the people to face the consequences of their allegiance. Alone and unarmed. The news reports had not been pretty."

Actions have consequences. People act as though politics and international relations should just be done a certain way and everything would turn out fine. But there are typically so many angles and aspects . . . and human lives that are dramatically affected by the decisions made by others. I was a little kid in 1975. I just wanted to play, read, watch cartoons, and eat yummy food. But what is happening now in 2023 that I'm not paying attention to?

Page 164 (2016): "You are precious. Do you hear me? You are seen. You are known. You are longed for. Do you believe that? . . . So long as we have breath, the Lord calls to our hearts."

Clara is talking to Charles, who is unresponsive and near death. Her desire to share salvation with him is impressive. I love her as a character! She is an inspiration. This may be my favorite scene in the book.

Page 193 (2016): "'When things like that happen, you need friends, Miss Kelley. You need the Lord more than anything, but in his benevolence, he often shows up in the form of friends. Like Jonathan for David in the Bible.'"

I love all of Clara's life advice to Aidyn, but this passage led to her sharing about her friend Martha getting her to go to counseling after nine years of grieving John's sudden death (when they were only 23 and had been married only 8 months!). Friendship matters. God blesses us with friends!

Page 243 (2016): "The heart is designed to give far more love than the brain can calculate and to endure far more loss than the body anticipates."

Clara is deeply moved by Charles' death. And she loves being outdoors by the trees and in the sunlight. The mix of sad and sweet (and funny) in this story kept me reading.

Page 250 (2016): "Lord, you are so good, and your love holds everything together. Give me joy in every minute I have remaining here in this place you have called me to. If I have any work remaining, please give me wisdom and grace to complete it. Amen."

Clara has "broken out" of the home and is soaking in the natural beauty outdoors. Her prayer is one of willingness (even wanting) to serve, rather than anything for herself. What a woman!

Page 293: She trusted the muted words overflowing from her lips floated across the room, slipped between the grains of the windowpane, and flew upward on the streams of the wind, where they morphed into a great shout and sailed straight to the ears of heaven. Loud, soft, or silent, all praise was heard by the Lord. 

'My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life.' Psalm 63:3"

I love that Clara had a theme verse! I love that she lived out the glorifying the Lord on a regular basis! Before I forget, Jimmy, the teenager who worked at the nursing home, was a fantastic character. What an incredible young man!

Page 306 (2016): "Would Aidyn remain teachable? Would she grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and people? Would she stay on the narrow path to heaven? And the biggest question of all: Had Clara loved her enough?"

Again, I love that Clara was thinking of others as she was preparing to go into Eternity. God first, others second. I want to live like that!

Page 308 (2016): Psalm 16:8 "I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." 

Clara "gives" Aidyn a life verse just as Martha had given her Psalm 63:3. I love that she has her repeat it over and over and asks her how she will deal with future situations. My NIV has "I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." I think I like Clara's Bible version better. I love that Aidyn admits that she hasn't been reading her Bible much lately and Clara helps her see why she should get back into Scripture as a habit. (It's a good reminder for me, too!)

Page 324 (2016): "How odd it must have been to walk through those sliding glass doors knowing she would never come back out. How hard it must have been to leave behind her old life - her home, her lifestyle, her relationships - and come to this strange place with only some personal items and two white storage boxes, as if she herself was a kind of refugee. 

How difficult it must have been to know that the people she came to live among were not long for the world, and neither was she."

Aidyn is starting to realize the truth of Clara's life, both in the past and now in the present. I was crying off and on from Charles' death to the end of the book. The VR headset scene, the reconciliation of Aidyn's friendship with Rahmiya, the contacts in Thailand, . . . Oh my. This book is good. I don't know that I've read any of Brunsvold's other books, but I may need to request some!

<Above published 5.30.2023. Below added 9.8.2025.>

I wanted to have an ebook on my phone for times when I just wanted to read. I highlighted SO MANY parts! Seriously, I think I need to just buy this for myself. I cried in more than one place. I love this book and may need to write a note to the author thanking her.