Many Sparrows hits the ground (or the reader's eyes) running and doesn't stop. Set in 1774, it follows Clare Inglesby as her husband takes them through Indian country over an untested trail into an unknown destination. When his foolhardiness strands them far from civilization he rides off for help, leaving Clare, who is eight months pregnant, alone with their four-year-old son, Jacob. Her labor begins unexpectedly and she slips away into the woods to avoid disturbing Jacob as he sleeps. The next morning, Jacob has disappeared. She's utterly alone, in hard labor, and wild to find her missing son.
Brilliant pacing characterizes Many Sparrows. Without a moment's rest, Lori Benton's prose draws the reader through page after unforgettable page. Her descriptions of frontier life in the months before the Revolutionary War are beautifully crafted as the story moves from one heart-stopping moment to the next. I particularly enjoyed the thread of people in extreme circumstances struggling to understand where God's promises fit into their lives.
Many Sparrows is an outstanding novel--the best book I've read in a very long time. I'm still thinking about the characters and wondering about their lives as though they were real people.
Don't wait to read this one! You have a treat in store.
My thanks to Waterbrook and the author for my review copy. My opinions are my own.
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