I would put Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin into the Christian fiction category, but if that’s not your thing, don’t let it deter you from reading the book. It really is a delightful read.
The story takes place during the depression and tells the tale of Alice, a young librarian who has her nose forever stuck in a book and her head always in the clouds. She is a kindred spirit to anyone who loves books as she adores them! In fact, she is pretty sure her life is as perfect as those in the books she reads until…. After her boyfriend breaks things off with her and she loses her job, she decides to take some donated books to a town in the neighbouring state. Little does she know what an adventure she is going to have – complete with a fake murder.
I enjoyed the characters in this book. There are lots of them and they all add to the plot in different ways, all teach her different lessons. It was nice to see Alice grow and realize life isn’t as easy as she thought, but that she can get through anything if she tries. She is a character with dimensions and flaws. Sometimes it’s a real treat to have a heroine who is imperfect – you know, REAL!
So, if you like history, adventure, mystery, love, learning (I’d never heard of pack horse librarians before) then you’ll enjoy this book. Like I said, don’t let the Christian fiction part turn you off. Yes, there is talk of God and religion, but it’s not preachy. Lynn Austin is a fantastic story teller and I can’t wait to read more of her books.
I was provided a copy of this book through Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.
