Her Mother's Hope Review

This is a great read by Francine Rivers!

Just read "Marta's Legacy: Her Mother's Hope." Anyone who's ever tried to fulfill their parents' dreams, or who have had high expectations for their children, or dreamed big dreams and fell in love, this is for them!

A native of Switzerland, Marta's father is a cold, cruel man who forces brilliant Marta to quit school and work, while allowing her brother Hermann, who hates school, to continue attending. She tries to keep up her education, but can't. After a conversation with her mother, she flees her homeland and strikes out to own her own inn. She experiences a lot of changes in her life and eventually creates her inn in Canada, but falls in love with a German engineer who eventually can't find work and moves around until they get to California. She has her daughter Hildemara in a cabin alone. She discovers her sister was raped by the son of the wealthiest couple in their town and, after getting pregnant and losing her mother, commits suicide. Marta's determined that will never happen to her or any of her posterity (which we discover does in the second book). She is strict with her daughter, a gentle girl, who eventually does the same to her own daughter, who becomes close to Marta instead of the mother.

Basically, the story shows how the strained maternal relationship began and gives some insight into possible reasons why (Marta's abusive father and sister's rape, for example). The novel was thoroughly enjoyable and explored the themes of forgiveness, generational problems and healing, as well as showing how each develops and maintains a relationship with God.

Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel