Book Review: "The Fiddler" by Beverly Lewis

It's book review time again!  This time I selected "The Fiddler" by Beverly Lewis. I think I was having a fit of homesickness when I chose this book. I don't usually read the Amish novels unless there isn't anything else...Sorry! I have read some of Beverly's previous works, and honestly she usually does a pretty good job with it. I truly enjoying reading about roads and landmarks and people that are familiar to me. (I spent all of my teen years in Lancaster County, so when she says the main character exited the turnpike at Morgantown and filled up at the Turkey Hill, I get a little excited because I can still see those places in my mind's eye.)

Anyway, here is the description from Beverly Lewis' website (http://www.beverlylewis.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=239:home-to-hickory-hollow&catid=15&Itemid=136)
Amelia "Amy" DeVries, a 24-year-old violinist, is disillusioned with life and love after the collapse of her long-running romance. Weary of endless rehearsals and performances, Amy sets out on a road trip through the Pennsylvania mountains. She leaves her cell phone behind so life's demands can't intrude on her solitude. She doesn't know, nor care, where she will end up.
When her car breaks down deep in the mountains, Amy realizes the flaw in her "no cell phone" plan. She abandons her car and walks the winding roads, searching for help. Following the smell of woodsmoke and the sound of music, she finds a rustic log cabin. There she meets a young Amishman--and through him a community--that will change her life forever.

What I liked
As I said earlier, I like that I can picture the setting in my mind's eye, having lived there for so long. It's a lovely setting, and I am pleased that she chose that area (where she also lived) instead of another Amish Community, like the groups in Ohio or Indiana. I also liked that the author obviously did some research into new territory. There were references to difficult musical concepts and classical Master's and their pieces, as well as the nuances of musician's individual styles. I appreciated the effort.

What I Didn't Like
This book didn't really seem to follow the usual pattern of the other books I have read by Beverly Lewis. It seemed to focus more on the "Englischer" more than the Amish community and it made it flow a little awkwardly. I believe the usual draw for her work is the sampling of the quaint simplicity of the Amish people and their way of life that the story gives you, and I don't think this book really supplied that sampling.  I also felt that the pace of the book felt rushed, and that made the love story seem less providential and more coincidental.


To summarize, I think that the book is an ok read, and if you are already a fan of Beverly Lewis, you will likely be more forgiving than I was. Since I already don't care for this type of book, I was probably a little cynical in my view of it. If I were to read the next book in the series (which I likely will not) I would hope to see the storyline put back in the farmhouses and fields and less in the head of the Englischer.