The Seeker, by Ann Gabhart, is a story with three subjects going on
at the same time. The main theme was the life of Charlotte, an
1860's pampered young Kentucky woman who is suddenly made the
second woman of the plantation when her father brings home a new
bride. The new bride is nearly the same age as Charlotte and
quickly asserts her new power and takes all control from Charlotte
who has, up until the step-mother's arrival, been running the
household herself. Her new step-mother is a mean manipulative
woman.
The other two themes are woven into the life of Charlotte, but were
interesting in their own right. First we see the development of the
Civil War and then the war itself.
The last theme, to me the most intriguing, was the expose` of the
Shaker lifestyle. This was my first exposure to the Shaker ways and
it was very informative. I enjoyed the story and found the "garden
talk" in Charlotte and Adam's developing relationship tender and
sweet.
My book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and
Graf-Martin Communications, Ind. Available now at your favourite
bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.