Mon 10 Jul 2006
I just finished Jan Karon’s Light From Heaven.
What can I say? Jan captures something I can’t quite put my finger on. I am not one to enjoy sappy books but I laugh and cry through the Mitford books. I don’t always run out and buy them the moment they are published but I have never been disappointed in a Jan Karon book.
I have been thinking about our community lately and Light From Heaven helped me think. One reason, maybe the main reason, we have been so blessed in our community relationships is that we weren’t expecting them and we didn’t put any expectations on the relationships. That seems to be what happens in Mitford.
In spite of the strong theological base of Father Tim, he is able to accept those around him for who and where they are. We have a much harder time doing that within our own church and among our theological twins than in our local town.
There may even be something in that thought for family troubles. One quote I love from Light From Heaven:
Love is an act of endless forgiveness
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I loved it…but didn’t you think that it was rushed just a skosh? I think she was ready to move on to her next trilogy.
And did you catch the two continuity errors? Biggest whopper -that Father Tim was ordering sapphires to match Cynthia’s eyes!!! She hates that! That’s what her ex-husband used to do and she told Father Tim that. I don’t think he would have forgotten.
Still - cracking good read as usual. Can’t wait for more. I wish she would do a series a la James Herriot about Dooley’s adventures as a vet - with Lace by his side, of course!
Comment by blestwithsons (July 10, 2006 @ 9:24 am )
I agree the book was a bit weird going through the months very slowly then suddenly it’s Christmas.
I didn’t remember the thing about the eyes because it has been a long time since I read the others.
Comment by Cindy (July 10, 2006 @ 10:32 am )
Glad to know y’all enjoyed it…I’m saving it for my vacation reading…next week. Looking forward to it
Comment by Dana (July 10, 2006 @ 11:30 am )
I loved Light from Heaven. It was good to the very last sentence. I completely missed the continuity errors. That’s funny. And the idea about a vet series with Dooley and Lace is excellent!
Comment by Carol in Oregon (July 10, 2006 @ 12:12 pm )
I have never been disappointed with a Jan Karon book. Each time I finish one, I’m certain she’ll never be able to come up with characters as entertaining and as “real” in her next book, but I’m proven wrong every time.
And I agree with the Dooley and Lace idea! I was hoping for the two of them to “get together” as if one of them was my own child! (I sometimes have difficulty separating reality from fiction.)
Comment by Linda (July 10, 2006 @ 6:55 pm )
I had read the Amazon reviews beforehand, and it seemed that a lot of readers were frustrated by the introduction of so many new people and less emphasis on the older characters. But it didn’t bother me. It seemed to fit in just fine the way she added new characters to go with his new assignment.
I missed the sapphires thing. Weren’t they the color of cornflowers?
Comment by Kim (Coffee and a Muffin) (July 10, 2006 @ 11:10 pm )
Oh don’t even talk to me of cornflowers!!
I LOVE Mitford just as much as anybody…but if she tells us one more time that Cynthia’s eyes are the color of cornflowers I’m a-gonna hurl!
Comment by blestwithsons (July 11, 2006 @ 9:27 am )
This wasn’t my favorite book in the series. In a way I was glad the series was over. Though I do want to know more about dooley, etc. In other ways, it was obvious to me she wanted this to be over.
Comment by my Boaz's Ruth (July 12, 2006 @ 12:01 am )
I expected to hate this series–I thought it would be gushy, etc. It was great. This book was a disappointment to me though.Can’t say just “why”–it simply wasn’t “all” that it could have been. I agree with the poster who thought it was “rushed.” Missed the saphire and cornflower things though! Too funny.
Comment by Lisa (July 13, 2006 @ 10:44 am )