By: Stephanie Landsem
Hennepin County Library paperback 336 pages plus author's note
Published: 2025 (that's what the book says, but online has 2021 . . . )
Genre: Christian historical fiction
I really enjoyed this book! In fact, I stayed up later than I intended finishing it because I couldn't put it down. I did take a little chunk of time to research the Yellowstone earthquake of 1959. It was fascinating!
Our main characters are three sisters - Claire, Bridget, and Frannie Reilly along with their dad Daniel and Claire's husband Red. The prologue shows us the girls' mother leaving the family . . . and we don't learn more about that until the end of the book. The title has multiple meanings and that was very cool.
Page 69 (ch. 13 Frannie): Her sister sure looked pooped. If this was what having a baby did to you, she was never going to have kids.
There are too many younger people that I've heard express this perspective recently! Actually, more of them talk about babies being too expensive and/or not wanting to bring children into our messed-up world. I actually think Frannie's teenage perspective is pretty healthy. It's hard to remember that a TV show about teen moms was a "thing" not that long ago! Parenthood should not be taken lightly. It is a lot of sacrifice and work . . . but so very worth it!
Page 97 (ch. 18 Frannie): It was still dark when Frannie came awake, her nose cold from the bite of the morning air. A mosquito whined near her ear and she pulled the blanket over her head. Just a few more minutes of blessed sleep. The singing and dancing after dinner were terrific, but the thought of another day emptying ducks wasn't thrilling.
"Ducks" is the park's term for chamber pots used in the cabins. Frannie getting the job of emptying these made me laugh! But her desire for just a little more sleep . . . I can relate!
Page 105 (ch. 20 Claire): "Pick me up at noon." She said goodbye and hung up.
Frustration welled in Claire's throat. Why did Bridget have to be so bossy?
Ugh! Just tell her NO, Claire. Yes, Bridget was a fusspot and bossy to boot. But Claire could defy her the way she defied her father. The dysfunction in this family was strong!
Page 111 (ch. 22 Claire): She climbed into the truck, throwing a glare at an elk lying in the shade next to the hospital doors. "I don't know why they let those beasts lounge wherever they wish."
"Hello to you, too," Claire said, putting the truck in gear and pulling away from the hospital. "And they were here before we were."
Yes! It's maddening how some people want nature to conform to their expectations, rather than adapting to the natural world. Bridget had a bit of a control freak fussiness that was challenging.
Page 119 (ch.23 Bridget): Frannie's questioning gaze rested on her, and seemed to take in more than Bridget wanted her little sister to see. "Just tell him I'm fine," she said. "I'm fine, Claire's fine, we're all fine. Isn't that what we always say, no matter if it's the truth or not?"
"I'm fine" is typically the biggest lie! This family spent too much of their lives hiding their pain and pretending to be okay. So very sad.
Page 121 (ch. 24 Claire): Finally, Claire stopped hoping, because hoping hurt too much.
This is when she is thinking of all the times her dad had emphasized that they didn't need Claire's mom. "We're fine without her" was a painful story this family told.
Page 122 has a whole scene with Claire and Red that is just heart-breaking. These people love one another so much, but are letting their own ideas of what's right get in the way of talking through their issues.
Page 125 (ch. 25 Bridget): A caring heart is the best medicine.
She looked at Jesus on the cross above the altar. She hadn't told Dr. Sampson the real reason she wanted to become a nurse. As a child, she'd loved the Bible stories about Jesus healing the sick - the paralyzed man picking up his mat and walking, the blind man given his sight. Every time she heard about Jesus healing someone who was hurting, she felt a tug at her heart. She wanted to heal people, to ease people's pain like Jesus.
I liked how the author developed each of these three women's stories. It was lovely to see Bridget start to loosen up and remember why she wanted to go into nursing. I love that it was Dr. Sampson's promptings that got her to consider this.
Page 172 (ch. 35 Bridget): The light-green Thunderbird was the only car in the parking lot. She slid into the driver's seat and stared at the steering wheel for a long moment. She'd seen people drive plenty of times. It couldn't be that hard. Then why was her heart hammering like she was about to take off in a space rocket?
It's hard to believe someone as straight-laced as Bridget would take a car that belonged to someone else without permission when she didn't even know how to drive a car! It was pretty funny, though.
Page 187 is where the earthquake starts . . . and it gripped me! I briefly took a break from reading the novel to look up the history of this 1959 earthquake in Yellowstone. Fascinating!
Page 239 (ch. 50 Red): "Son," Father Donahue said, "that's not how it works. The important thing is to trust him." The priest pinned Red with his sharp gaze. "Then do your best. He'll work with what you give him."
The advice seemed backwards to Red, but now he thought maybe he understood a little better. Here, on a trail in the dark, on his way to a canyon that might be flooded, his wife and daughter missing. He'd do what he thought best, and trust that God would make it the right thing.
I loved that Red showed growth through the story as well! And I'm glad that he had Father Donahue speaking life into him. This was in response to Red saying God didn't answer his prayers.
Page 243 (ch. 51 Frannie): If this was faith, she'd take all God had to give her, because they needed it tonight. They all needed it.
From the moment Paul asked her to pray with him and she was able to rescue him with Mel's and Roberts' help, I was so glad to see the change in Frannie's heart. Her self-centeredness evaporated as she was occupied with the needs of others around her.
Page 254 (ch. 53 Claire): The stars vanished, but the light of hope remained, as if one of the crystal stars had fallen from the sky and now burned brilliant and hot in her heart. What do you believe, Claire? Did she only believe that God was to be found in a beautiful waterfall or a sunset or the love in Red's eyes? Or was he there even in the dark and devastation of the night? He was with her now. In the water, in her fear and weakness. He was still with her, like the stars behind the veil of clouds.
He never left her. And he had given her hope of her own.
I love that Claire held on, even when she didn't think she could any more! I love that she didn't let Beth give up. I loved this story.
Page 272 (ch. 57 Bridget): Bridget looked at the suffering around her, and thought again about how Jesus had healed the sick. He hadn't done it form some lofty perch in the sky. He'd been beside them, in the dirt and dust. He'd held their hands, touched them, and treated them with love. He'd wept with them. She'd felt the call on her heart to heal since she was a little girl . . . but could she risk the heartbreak of really caring?
I love that Bridget tapped into the more personal, sensitive side of herself to minister to people injured by the earthquake and flooding. The transformation was wonderful.
We had a good discussion last night at book club. I enjoyed this book very much.
