Sparrow Alone – Mim Eichmann

Hey everyone! 

It is a brand-new year, and I find myself feeling very optimistic about this one (fingers crossed!). I hope the holidays have treated you all well! I have been doing a lot of reading and spending time with my family.

So how about we start 2021 with a book review?

This book was a unique one. I really enjoy reading historical fiction, and when I was asked to review this book, I thought it was an interesting story – very feminist, very coming-of-age, and I was there for it. On starting it, however, I found that it was different from what I expected. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as enjoyable as I thought it would be. That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a good book, though. Read more below to find out what I thought!

Information:

Name: A Sparrow Alone
Author: Mim Eichmann
Genre: Historical Fiction               
Pages: 308 pages
Format: epub
Publisher: Living Springs Publishers LLP
Language: English

Thoughts:

So, this is not a rant post! I really appreciate the author’s efforts into making such an inspiring tale about an unfortunate young woman living through the numerous challenges of 19^th century America. There are moments when I was really invested in Hannah’s tale, as well as the happenings of her friends and acquaintances – Abigail, Jenny, Mrs. DeVere, Mr. Stratton, etc.

I really liked how the book transported the reader back in time. There were moments where I was very aware of what it might have been like to live as a woman in the 19^th century, and how unfortunate it also was to be in Hannah’s position, always needed to work and push herself for her survival. She was not dealt the best hand in her life, and with every unfortunate event in her life, she still managed to make the most of what she had, and work for what she wanted to make things better for her life. Hannah was resilient, sharp, and kind. She was a great heroine and had a happy conclusion, given the circumstances. There was a great portrayal of the complexities of women’s roles, their own capabilities and limits, as well as the relationships between women and men. All of the male characters were also detestable. It added to the overall gender complexities that were made a part of this book. It’s a good thing they all got what they deserved though! I was very disappointed in Stratton, though. I thought he would be one of the good ones.

Despite this, however, I feel that the writing of this book lacked a certain polish. There were times when I couldn’t understand how much time has passed, or who was speaking to whom. There were also a few instances which felt like there were information-dumps that could have been presented better, and certain scenes dragged. The writing felt too wordy at times, and there were certain plot points that could have been presented better.

Overall, I wouldn’t say that this book was unenjoyable, but it wasn’t as entertaining as I wanted it to be. It was very heavy, and it needed more of a balance of light moments to counteract its overall density of misfortune. I do think, however, that this book also just wasn’t for me.

My Rating:

If you like a more realistic book with a historical setting, then this book is for you. To all the other bloggers, I would love to hear what you think about this book!

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