Where Freedom Grows
by
Bonnie Leon
| Description
• Christian Historical Fiction
In 1930 Russia, Tatyana and Yuri lose their parents to the Soviet State. Three years later, Yuri chooses to stand against communist oppression at home, but he sends Tatyana away to America. With danger gathering closer in Russia, Yuri must valiantly pursue his destiny, while Tatyana faces what she didn’t expect to find in America: the Great Depression.
| My Thoughts
On a random, nostalgic basis, I feel like trying a ChristFic oldie, especially if it’s historical fiction.
A Russian Tie
I wanted to try this novel in particular because the bit of the blurb I skimmed made me think of The Russians by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella. Although I wasn’t big on the writing style(s) in that partly co-authored series, I enjoyed the reading overall for the historical events and for the chance to really immerse myself in the period setting.
Plus, I really liked the series’ book covers and epic titles.
Here are five of the seven books in the Russians series, with resounding titles like The Crown and the Crucible, Heirs of the Motherland, and White Nights, Red Morning.
Immersed in the Past, and Skipping Past
Similar to my experience with the Russians series, I didn’t get attached to the characters in Where Freedom Grows, but I got into the international period settings and different aspects of the history.
The characters’ dialogue is pretty stilted in a lot of places, sometimes leaning toward the melodramatic. And while in an older ChristFic novel especially, it doesn’t surprise me to come across passages or scenes aimed on teaching faith and salvational lessons, I admittedly skip past those parts to get back to what else is happening in the story. Hence, I did some skipping during this read.
Wrapping Up with Romance
Now, leaving plenty that’s meant to be resolved later on in the series, this novel doesn’t have much of a climax or a strong resolution. It makes its ending through a phase in one of the romantic storylines, which isn’t my favorite kind.
That is, if a character has to persuade, argue, and basically beg their love interest into finally giving in to become a couple—and even after that, their love interest still has doubts about being in the relationship—then the whole situation feels conflictive and iffy to me. Not so compelling or…romantic.
Continuing the Series?
The novel’s events in general kept this lover of historical fiction interested. Also, the series’ old-fashioned cover artwork appeals to that nostalgic side of mine. So I plan on continuing the series.
| Content Note
- heavy themes of violence and death
Prismatic Prospects 