Though Waters Roar
Once again, Lynn Austin has created an intense, thought-provoking and thoroughly satisfying historical Christian fiction tale. The story spans the life of four generations of women, each struggling with society and marriage, but ultimately fighting for justice and a better life. It begins in 1920 in Roseton, Pennsylvania, as twenty-year- old Harriet Sherwood sits in jail for transporting bootleg liquor.
As Harriet contemplates her current predicament, she confesses her feelings of inadequacy – she comes from a long line of heroines, but somehow ends up in jail for something she does not even believe in. Harriet tells the story of her great-grandmother Hannah, who participated in the Underground Railroad, her Grandma Bebe who fought for Prohibition, and her mother, Lucy, a suffragist who fought for women’s right to vote. As Harriet reminisces about the irony of her current state, her story unfolds through her recollection of her family’s history.
As always, Austin’s characters are flawed, realistic, and completely lovable. Harriet’s narration was riveting, and I anxiously turned the pages to find out what happened next. The flashbacks kept each of the women’s stories alive through the pages and helped to complete Harriet’s own tale. The book’s powerful message of trusting in God during times of trial helps give it a particularly satisfying conclusion, when each character learns from her mistakes. With its precise historical detail, intricate storyline, and a consistent theme of faith and love, this is yet another of Austin’s masterpieces.
