The Solace of Water

Author: Elizabeth Byler Younts

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: June 5, 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A turbulent picture of life in the 1950s that sparks a relationship between an southern African American woman and a reclusive white Pennsylvania Amish woman.

Life is not easy for African Americans in Alabama in the 1950s. But for Delilah Evans, it just got a whole lot harder after losing her young son, Carver.  Her husband decides to move them from Montgomery to his homeplace of Sinking Creek, Pennsylvania, which borders on an Amish community.  There, Delilah strikes up an unlikely relationship with an Amish woman named Emma Mullet.  But even with friendship, everyone harbors secrets within their heart.  As social issues heat up between the whites, blacks, and Amish, all the secrets begin to come to light.  Is there hope for forgiveness and restoration?

I’m usually not a huge reader of Amish fiction, but this one was not your typical book either. There seems to be more of a trend in Amish fiction showing racial tensions with Amish at the center, but this is the first I’ve read with it focused during the civil rights era as most of it has been directed toward a dystopian setting.  The author did a fantastic job putting this all into place.  The entire story is emotionally gripping and kept me turning each page with the character transitions between Delilah, Emma, and Sparrow.  It was so difficult to decide who’s story I wanted to read more.  In the end, it was all intertwined but I just couldn’t help but love every minute of it.  My heart went out to these three women and I couldn’t imagine what they were going through.  Ultimately the theme of the book is redemption, which couldn’t be a more appropriate message.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.