The Solace of Water - by Elizabeth Byler Younts (Paperback)

Wow wow and wow! No one is immune to pain, it's something that each and every one of us will experience in life. We may not know that someone is going through it, we're so trained to push it down, don't let anyone see it. But letting others share your burden is never a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. Being able to say that we can't do this on our own is one of the most healing things we could ever do for ourselves. It also lets others know that it's okay to share their pain with us as well, you never know what sort of journey that people will walk together once those walls come down.

4.5 stars "It was like lamenting over thirst while the solace of water was close at hand." Grieving terribly over the loss of her young son, Delilah Evans agrees to move away from the place where Carver had taken his last breath. The wife of an African American pastor, she goes through the motions of her faith, while aggressively shunning the daughter whose juvenile distractions had, in her mind, caused the death of her son. Arriving in Sinking Creek, Pennsylvania the Evans family finds themselves residing in a small town that includes members of a devout Amish community. As providence often does, the change of location places Delilah and her daughter Sparrow across the woods from another grieving young woman, Emma Mullet, the wife of an Amish deacon. Emma and John Mullet's personal secrets are not only destroying their marriage, the deep, dark roots of deception have nearly squeezed out any semblance of hope for their future. When Emma is introduced to her new young neighbor, a bond of friendship begins to form, whose eyes see beyond the color difference of their skin and penetrate to the guilt-ridden closets of their hearts. So much hurt. So much pain. So much loss. Would it all begin and end in the depths, where "water pulls at us . . . drawing us together . . . . wraps coolness around us . . . .plunge into the deep"? An outstanding expose on grief, its many forms and the kind of relationships that can make a difference. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions stated are entirely my own.

Poignant, heartrending, touching, poetic, healing, these are some words that come to mind after reading The Solace of Water. This is my first read by this author and I was so impressed. The characters and their life experiences stick with you and you want to read more about them instead of closing the book and forgetting them. I wasn’t able to read this quickly as the words were meant to be savored and contemplated. It deals with hurting people and their coping mechanisms to get through the pain. My heart hurt for each of these women, but I was sobbing over Sparrow. I don’t want to say more as my words don’t seem to do this book the merit it deserves. Run to get your copy as you don’t want to miss this keeper. I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson & Zondervan Fiction Guild. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

I'll be thinking about this book for a long time. Elizabeth Byler Younts continues to amaze me with her ability to create phenomenal characters. I found myself staying up late to read just one more chapter. The story is centered around three very different women. The dynamics of two different races and cultures set in the 50's add even more interest to the story. While they are each going through different turmoil, they find common ground that bring them together. Several days after finishing this book, I find myself thinking of, and missing these characters. This book is well worth the read. Thank you to the publisher Thomas Nelson, for providing me a ARC in return for my honest review.