Fiction Friday: Her Daughter’s Dream
On April 23, 2010 I posted a review of Her Mother’s Hope, the first book in Francine Rivers’ two-book saga that explores the depths of grace and forgiveness in one of life’s fiercest bonds—the love between mother and daughter. In the dramatic conclusion to the series, Rivers delivers a rich and deeply moving story about the silent sorrows that can tear a family apart and the grace and forgiveness that can heal even the deepest wounds.
Her Daughter’s Dream picks up where Her Mother’s Hope left off, with Carolyn Arundel’s mother, Hildemara, quarantined to her room with tuberculosis. Carolyn bonds with her oma Marta, who moves in to care for the household. As tensions between Hildie and Marta escalate, Carolyn believes she is to blame. When Hildie returns to work and Marta leaves, Carolyn and her brother grow up as latchkey kids in a world gripped by the fear of the Cold War.
The book follows Carolyn to college, and then to the heady counterculture of San Francisco. When she reemerges two years later, more lost than ever, she reluctantly turns to her family to help rebuild a life for her and her own daughter, May Flower Dawn. Like Carolyn, Dawn develops a closer bond with her grandmother, Hildie, than with her mother, causing yet another rift between generations. But as Dawn struggles to avoid the mistakes of those who went before her, she vows that somehow she will be a bridge between the women in her family rather than the wall that separates them forever.
Spanning from the 1950s to present day, Her Daughter’s Dream is the emotional final chapter of an unforgettable family saga about the sacrifices every mother makes for her daughter—and the very nature of unconditional love. Rivers says that this book is largely autobiographical, allowing her to explore the relationships in her family and to come to a better understanding, not only of her mother and grandmother, but also herself. She answered questions in an interview provided to blog tour writers:
How has exploring the relationship between your mother and grandmother helped you understand yourself?
Writing about Marta made me decide to let go, forgive and move on. For whatever reason, Grandma couldn’t and missed out on so much joy in her last years. Sometimes people deeply hurt as children take offense where none was intended…. As I examine my own life, I see how much I’ve been forgiven. How can I not extend God’s grace to others?
Where may we connect with you further or to purchase a copy of Her Daughter's Dream?
I would love for you to visit my web site at www.FrancinceRivers.com, browse through the various events and other resources available, as well as sign up for my mailing list. You may also join me on my Facebook page, please click here.
You have a couple of opportunities to win a copy of Her Daughter’s Dream. The Virtual Book Tour Facebook page is giving away THREE copies of the book and the Christian Speaker Services blog will give away ONE copy. Be sure you enter today as the tour ends Monday.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me as a blog tour host by the Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for posting this interview on my blog. Please visit Christian Speaker Services at www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com for more information about blog tour management services.
Labels: book review, generations
Monday, December 01, 2008
Generations
“Mom, why are you climbing that ladder when I’m here! Don’t do that!”This sounds like my normal mantra to my mom. At 87, she still thinks she can just scamper up the step stool and get something from the top shelf. But she’s so unstable on her feet that it scares me silly when I see her doing that. No matter that the other 27 days of the month I’m not there and she has to manage by herself. When I’m there, I want to be the one doing the climbing.
But this wasn’t me scolding Mom. It was my son scolding me. He and his wife were here for Thanksgiving, and he moved our DSL router to the top of a kitchen cabinet to give us better coverage. I wanted to adjust some of the decorative items on top of the cabinet, so as usual, just grabbed my step stool, climbed onto the counter top, and did what I needed to do. Son came in about then and scolded me.
Of course, I don’t think I’m nearly as unsafe as Mom – or nearly as old -- but I suppose to Son and DIL, I seem pretty old. I remember how old our parents seemed when we got married – and they were younger than we are now!
This trip, like most of Son’s trips home, has been full of tasks we needed his technical support on. He was bemoaning the fact that it seems that every time he comes home, we have a list for him. Funny, every time I go to Mom’s, she has a stack of stuff for me to do, review, or advise her on – in addition to the doctor appointments I accompany her to. We’re learning that as we age, we need the younger generation’s help, just as they need us for other things. In the circle of family love, we each have something valuable to offer. We may lament the time our parents’ needs take from our own agendas, but the older I get, the more I value family. The more I value the unique skills and contributions of the different generations. And the more precious multi-generation time becomes.
Labels: aging, generations