Book Review: Faithful to Laura

I'm a big fan of Kathleen Fuller and her newest book Faithful to Laura is no exception. The work tells the story of a young woman silenced by hurt but seething with revenge. It's not uncommon in our society but a bit of an oxymoron in the Amish community. At the same time, elsewhere in the community is a young man who's overcome monstrous adversity to lead a productive life.

Fuller does an amazing job of crafting the story together. Every one of her characters is flawed and makes a critical mistake. Family loyalty is tested, but in complicated, real-life scenarios. Should one be faithful to one's own parents, one's adoptive parents, one's grandmother who rejected one's parents, one's girlfriend, or someone else altogether?

Fuller's book doesn't have long scenes of characters praying desperately for guidance. Neither does it paint detailed romantic pictures of young couples dating. Even the wedding scenes are short. Her book delves beyond the superficial stereotypes that often plague Christian fiction to explore deeper questions that many young adults face: relationships, infidelity, faith, loyalty. The ultimate question every character faces: To what degree can they change the behavior and beliefs of others? and should they?