A great concept for a novel, the story of two suburban California moms and their teenage kids who go "Almost Amish" for a reality show. I could relate to the perspectives of both women, the one who wanted everything to be perfect and the one who felt a little lost in the sea of all her sister-in-law's perfection. Both, as you might guess, learn important and life-changing lessons. I like Kathryn Cushman's writing style--subtle and smooth, well-paced, easy to read. Her characters feel like people you know and their decisions and even their transformations seem natural and organic, not shoehorned into a dramatic arc. Along those same lines, another thing I really like about her books is how natural the faith of the characters seems, how seamlessly it fits into their lives. I suspect this is very difficult to pull off, and Cushman does it very well. Looking forward to reading more from her. I enjoyed the story- but there were a few things that bothered me.. During this whole tv/experiment, Julie didn't once miss her husband, and I have to admit, I even forgot she had one! The visits that he made to the farm house were awkward and didn't seem to fit in the story very well. I didn't like Susan at all until the very end, when she finally stood up for herself and her daughter. I liked Julie's character, and I think a lot of moms will identify with her.
What do You think about Almost Amish (2012)?
Made me think about what things I wanted to keep in my life and what was cluttering it.
—Randy
This was a wonderful read.. Recommend it highly!
—soccerluver113
