If you haven't read the first two instalments don't bother trying to get your head around what has gone on in the past and who are all these people.?Amy wasn't the main character in this part three of the series. This let the novel drift around other family members aimlessly.Sarah coming late into the book, I felt was a complete shambles, shallow character building and didn't flow well.Should I continue with this series? This is the third book in the Promises to Keep trilogy. There is another one called Second Chance which follows on from this one which I must read. The trilogy is about rural New Zealand in the late 1800's where two best friends (cousins) Amy and Lizzie marry two vastly different men and the different turn their lives take. Lizzie marries a good man and over the trilogy have eight children and one grandchild and their story is a kind of rags to riches.Amy on the other hand falls in love, gets pregnant and is left in the lurch at a young age which in those days is highly unacceptable so she has the baby in secret and gives it up for adoption. A grumpy old neighbour sees she is pregnant and says "he will take her on but not her bastard child" so the family seeing a way out of the "shame" agree. Thus starts her violent unhappy marriage. Over the trilogy she has two boys and is regularly verbally and physically abused by her husband. Throughout the trilogy the sons grow up and hate their father, the eldest going off to war and dying with the youngest one being kicked out by his father because he dared to stand up to him.Throughout the books you can't help but hate Charlie (husband) for how he treats Amy and the boys but then in the third book he has a stroke and is unable to run the farm so Amy has to takeover and also care for Charlie who doesn't want anyone to know. Mind you I'm just guessing at the stroke as no doctor was called, they just struggled on as I guess they must have done in those times. They get found out after six months and the youngest son is called home to help out which he does for his mother. The last bit where Charlie was unwell was so well written (as were all three books) here was a man who was a product of his environment being brought up in a loveless home himself so not able to express love himself, criticised and abused everyone, didn't want anyone poking in his business to becoming totally dependent on Amy for everything and finally the softer side of him emerges as he is frightened because he can't function properly and on the last night they actually have a genuine loving encounter. I guess you could say it is about forgiveness and redemption and reconciliation both of husband and wife and father and son.“A martyr to other people’s ideas of propriety.” That is an excerpt from the book which I think describes Amy and her life.“And you’re like a deep pool of stillness in the middle of a storm. No matter how the world buffets you, you take it serenely.” This is another excerpt from the book which also describes Amy.Those two quotes above are from the daughter that Amy was forced to adopt out. Yep, happy ending.
What do You think about Settling The Account (2006)?
Love this series of books. Light but enjoyable. Just purchased the final one.
—lola
Amy's life is rather depressing, but I will stick with her to the end.
—bluebubblegum
