An Epic Masterpiece!--The Seamstress by Allison Pittman--Review

 

 

My Review:

 

This book!  I am still thinking about it, its characters and the decisions they made.  That, my friends, is the sign of a well written book (in my opinion). 

“The Seamstress” by Allison Pittman is truly a masterpiece and the story is epic!  Ms. Pittman’s writing is phenomenal.  It is set during the French Revolution, with nods to “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens and “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo.

 
I love the lessons Ms. Pittman includes on faith and life in general.  She shows through her writing that there are good and bad men—among both the rich and the poor—and all are equal in the eyes of God.  There is a crucial decision that a character must make regarding whether one must be loyal first to God or to one’s country.  I am still thinking about that decision and its implications. 

Bravo, Ms. Pittman for writing such an incredible read that will surely make my “top ten list” for the year!

Content:  This is definitely a more edgy Christian fiction book.  I give it a PG-13 rating.  Some examples of the content are: a man gets drunk a lot; talk of a woman’s figure; mention of alcohol; a woman is called a whore and accused of having too much sex; a man swears, but the word isn’t actually written; there’s a scene leading up to a couple having sex; the word “bastard” is used; a couple that is not married shares the same bed; a man tries to rape a woman; there is gore related to the violence of the Revolution.

Rating: I give this book five stars!

Genre: Christian fiction; Historical; Romance

I want to thank Tyndale House Publishers and Allison Pittman for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.


 

 

About the Author:

I'm a writer, a teacher, a speaker, a wife, and a mom. 

 

Not necessarily in that order!

 

To visit the author's website click here

To purchase the book click here

Christian Girl Book Tag!

This is such a fun post.  I was tagged by Angela at Coffee&Chapters through her YouTube video.  Thanks so much Angela! 

Here's the link to the video I was tagged in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30UDBIxrRaY

Original Tag - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Giwas...

I Tag -
Rebecca Lynn Van Daniker
Rissi JC

Questions (these all have to be fiction books)-

1. Pick a book that inspired you in your walk with God or your faith in Jesus. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

"Loving Luther" by Allison Pittman.  I love to read about the Reformation period and I was really inspired to read about Katherina's journey to faith. 
Read more in my review.








2. Pick a book that shows an ultimate sacrifice for someone else. (Hebrews 10:10 & Ephesians 5:2)



I know this is a classic, but "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis.  The sacrifice gets me every time. 









3. Pick a book with your favorite love story in it. (1 John 4:8)


"Mine is the Night" by Liz Curtis Higgs.  I love this story.  This series is a retelling of the book of Ruth in the Bible.  And it's set in Scotland!! 











4. Pick a book with an epic good vs. evil battle. (Ephesians 6:12)



"Giver of Roses" by Kathleen Morgan.  It's been a long time since I read this book, but I really like this author and am still waiting for the next book in this series!





5. Pick a book that has prayer and/or bible reading in it as an essential or major element for the story. (1 Thess 5:16-18)




A lot of Melanie Dickerson's books have prayer and Bible reading as a big part of the story.  One I recently read, where the main character prayed a lot was "The Noble Servant."  Click here to read my review.










6. Pick a book that personally challenged you or that has persecution for one's faith in it. ( Matt 5:10, Luke 6:22, 1 John 3:13, John 15:18, 2 Timothy 3:12)

 "The Stonewycke Series" by Michael Phillips.  I love this author. All of his books have a very deep faith element and really make me think about my own faith.  A recent book of his I reviewed is "The Legacy" which also challenged me.  Click here for my review of that book. 






7. Pick a book where the main character is different from everyone else or stands out, or separates themselves apart for the plot. (Romans 12:14, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Peter 1:15 - 16. Colossians 3:12)




"Lady Jayne Disappears" by Joanna Davidson Politano.  In the book, the main character finds herself in a situation where she doesn't feel like she belongs or fits in.  Click here for my review. 











8. Sharing the gospel. Tell me in the comments below about your faith in Christ. About the books that encouraged you in your walk with the Lord. Let's build a community together focused on Jesus and reading with God in mind!




"Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan!  I've read this book many times and a lot of the sections in my copy are highlighted.  I love seeing Christian's journey and how he deals with things like "Giant Despair" and the demons of the "Valley of the Shadow of Death".  It has helped me in hard times to apply what I'm reading to my life.

The Woman "Beside" Martin Luther--"Loving Luther" by Allison Pittman Review

"Loving Luther" by Allison Pittman is a captivating read about the woman behind (or should I say "next to") Martin Luther.  The book is told from Katharina von Bora's perspective--the woman who eventually becomes the wife of the great Martin Luther (the author of the famous 95 Theses).  But Katherina's tale is a little known, but fascinating story all in itself.  This book is about this smart and witty woman and what her life is like leading up to her marriage to Luther.  It starts from her girlhood in a convent and takes the reader on a journey of faith and growth alongside Katharina.  Katharina is captivated by Luther's words and ideas and escapes a convent due to Luther's writings and influence.  Katharina has to then go through her own journey to find her place in life as an unmarried woman without family to support her.  She develops a relationship and friendship with Luther, but it is many years until she comes to realize that she has feelings for this man.  Will he return her feelings? 

 Allison Pittman's writing and storytelling ability in "Loving Luther" are superb!  She draws the reader right into the story.  I experienced many feelings while reading Katharina's story, from humor when reading the scenes of her as a girl interacting with her friends in the convent to fury as I read of the way she is treated by a superior (although not all her superiors in the convent were portrayed as evil).  I rejoiced along with Katharina and the other nuns as they realized the truths of the Gospel through Martin Luther's writings. 

I enjoy the fact that Ms. Pittman starts the story from Katharina's girlhood and made it more Katharina's life story--not just a romance.  Ms. Pittman did an amazing time transporting the reader back to the time of the Reformation.  Katharina is a well written character and I love seeing the hunger she develops for God's Words, but also her struggles as she has to break free from the only life she has known.  The witty exchanges between Katharina and Luther make me smile and it's a great relationship that slowly builds throughout the story.  This is one of those books where you get to know the characters so well that you don't want to leave them at the end of it all.  I still can't stop thinking about this beautifully written story. 

Content: When Katharina is in the convent, there is a scene where she is physically abused by a priest.  There is mention of a girl's mother being a prostitute and how men would try to do things to the young girl.  A character curses once, but the curse isn't actually written.  Both Katharina and Luther get drunk.  There are a few jokes and references to the marriage bed.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars!

Genre:  Christian Historical Fiction; Medieval; Romance

I want to thank Allison Pittman and Tyndale Blog Network for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.


About the Author:

Allison Pittman is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed novels and a three-time Christy finalist—twice for her Sister Wife series and once for All for a Story from her take on the Roaring Twenties. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, blissfully sharing an empty nest with her husband, Mike. Connect with her on Facebook (Allison Pittman Author), Twitter (@allisonkpittman) or her website, allisonkpittman.com.

To visit Allison Pittman's website click here

To purchase the book click here

To read the first chapter click here