This is a book that has been on my TBR for some time and it's been perfect timing that I've been able to complete it before the holidays. The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold is a story that invites fellowship and retrospection while indulging in mouth-watering meals, growing faith, and family secrets.
Many thanks to Revell and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing.
Book Synopsis
Shaken by her parents' divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle's farm in a small Missouri hamlet. She'll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral farm is the past—one she barely knows.
Among her late grandmother's belongings, Nikki finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town's history, her ancestors, and her estranged father.
What started as a cathartic way to connect to her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women before her endured—with the help of their cooking prowess and a healthy dollop of faith.
Source: Amazon
Book Thoughts
What a stirring story as we get to walk alongside Nikki Werner who is discovering her family's past while battling current hurts and confusion from those closest to her. Combining recipes, epistolary touches, and a narrative that is almost stylized as a memoir, readers also encounter the perspectives of Uncle Wesley and Great-Aunt Emma—who is practically an omniscient voice—as they help guide Nikki's journey in rural Eddner, Missouri. I appreciate the life lessons that are passed along the matriarchs of the family and how they connect to present-day situations regarding fear, forgiveness, and hospitality.
The thread of Christian faith is strong as various Proverbs and biblical passages are cited alongside the recipes while the characters lean on their church community for support during difficult times. It's a thoughtful reflection on how generational sins can impact future generations if they aren't dealt with and the harsh reality that family members may still be harbouring trauma in their day-to-day lives. Nikki's tangible connection to her relatives through preparing food with her hands helps her mind to process and heal these events, offering a form of restoration as she grapples with history and the future colliding together. Readers who are looking for a family-based story that is rich in love, trust in God, and butter will find much to savour in The Divine Proverb of Streusel.
Book Summary
- Format of book: 📖
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Recommendation: 👍
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