Pre-Teen/Teen

Finding Faith

By: C.E. Edmonson
Publisher: Wine Press Publishing
Publication Date: January 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4141-1867-3
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: March 2011

Although this incredible book is listed as being for readers ages nine to twelve, most reviewers who have the honor and luck of holding this novel in their hands would recommend this to all readers across the globe. Because of the amazing plot, the in-depth portrayal of pride, business, money, prejudice, and well-written historical facts, C.E. Edmonson’s offering will be much-loved by all who discover this true gem.

In 1934 America, during the worst depression that had ever been seen, New York City went from a world of high-powered, well-paid employees and companies - with hundreds of schools and non-stop entertainment - to a world where people were thrown out of their houses and took up residence in shanties made of scrap lumber and cardboard situated on the banks of the Hudson.

Faith Covington is a young girl who never expected to find her family in a bad situation. Her father’s accounting firm did well, she was in a private school, and then - just like that - Faith’s safety and security was pulled out from under her, setting her on a path she would never forget.

As Dad stands on the shore surrounded by the poverty-stricken New Yorkers, waving at Faith and her mother as they cross the Hudson to hop a train, Faith stares up at the Statue of Liberty and is suddenly aware that, although it has stood for centuries welcoming people to America’s shores, the remarkable Lady was now saying goodbye to Faith.

As Dad stays in the city to try desperately to “right” their lives, Faith and her mother head to Pennsylvania to live with an Aunt in the Pocono Mountains that Faith has never met. Her mother sits beside her and unloads the secrets about the strange world that Faith will soon find herself a part of. The largest secret is that Faith is half Indian. Although Faith’s grandmother didn’t choose the Indian way of life, her sister, Eva, discarded the “white man’s way” and sits on a farm in the mountain wilderness growing her own crops, and living by Indian beliefs. Mom explains to Faith that she isn’t in for a peaceful life; on Eva’s farm all must work - even the children must add their blood, sweat, and tears to keep the farm up and running.

As Faith gets more and more frightened watching houses and cities turn into wild countryside through the train window, she also meets a young girl by the name of Pauline. Pauline is followed around by a grim governess who looks down on Faith as if she is nothing more than dirt underneath her feet. Pauline’s father is extremely rich and part of the mining community in the Pocono Mountains, and when they disembark from the train two cars sit at the small station that is nothing but a broken-down shed in the middle of nowhere. A Cadillac limo awaits young Pauline, while a few feet away a large Indian with a white ponytail and calloused hands, stands next to a beaten and battered pick-up truck - there to take Faith and her mother to their new home.

Faith’s "new" life is set in a world of conflict. Her Aunt Eva is fighting against the rich “white man” who is intent on taking her land. With a mighty checkbook and slimy tactics, the wealthy do everything in their power to drive the Indians away. In the middle of all the chaos, Faith receives a great deal of education from Eva, as well as a young boy named Paul who introduces her to the world of Indian beliefs, spirit guides, and ideas that change the way Faith sees the world.

C.E. Edmonson does an absolutely beautiful job escorting the reader through the vibrant Indian life as well as the harshness and suffering of the Great Depression, while undertaking the difficult job of explaining the prejudice that existed. With fantastic detail and a well-thought-out plot, this author’s writing is pure poetry.

Quill Says: An outstanding read. Whether a history fanatic, or simply a reader who is looking for an unforgettable tale, Finding Faith is a true gift!

For more information on Finding Faith, please vist the book's website at: www.finding-faith.com