I’m
looking for a good story, regardless of the setting. That’s what I found in The Amish
Clockmaker. Actually, it’s a story
within a story, and I loved it.
Newlywed
Matthew Zook is not able to do a much-needed expansion of his business because
of an unexpected property dispute. He
needs to locate the previous owner, Clayton Raber, who had owned a clock making
business there fifty years ago. Clayton
had been accused of murdering his wife, but after charges were dropped and he
was released from jail, he left the area.
Matthew searches for Clayton, but cannot find anyone to cooperate with
him in his search. In the meantime, we
read Clayton’s story, then finally the two stories come together in a beautiful
ending.
Honestly,
I was getting tired of Amish fiction, because the language tends to be so
stilted, and all the cultural explanations got bogged down. This book was so not like that. The language and the dialogue flowed beautifully! I was able to relate to the characters (even
though I am not Amish). I also loved
that both main characters were devoted to God and articulated it well.
The Amish Clockmaker is the third book
in the Men of Lancaster County series, but it definitely stands on its
own. I noticed one allusion to a
previous book, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not having read
the previous books. Now I am definitely
interested in reading the other books in the series.
So
whether or not you’re a fan of Amish fiction, you will love this book. It’s just a great story.
I
received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an
honest review, which I have happily given.
