Review of The Jenische Stones

[Priscilla Kurah]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Jenische Stones" by Gregg Hammond.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Gregg Hammond wrote a beautiful story of love, friendship, faith, and duty in this historical fiction, The Jenische Stones. It’s the story of how a young couple, Oscar and Greta, moved from their home and country in Germany to the United States of America in the early 1800s in search of a better future for themselves and their unborn children, on the invitation of their uncle, who moved to the United States with the help of his late brother, Oscar’s father.

This book spanned through generations, telling the story of love in every generation, faith in God, and duty to the country they now call home. The journey to a better future was not an easy one, but they had support from family members like Uncle Dieter and Uncle Fredrick, and they had the church community who practiced communal living; this helped them settle in quickly, and of course, they had each other, the love and affection they had for one another, and their miracle baby on the way.

I am particularly taken by Greta and the friendship she shares with Kezi, the gypsy woman. Although her church and faith seemed to forbid her from being friends with a gypsy, she remained friends with her, even though it was kept secret. Greta believed the gypsies had done her no wrong. She couldn’t get herself to hate another human being for no reason, plus she has had an encounter with a gypsy woman, who showed her kindness and told her of her future while she was still back home in Germany, and a gypsy miracle that saved her from being attacked by wolves.

I liked that the story moved quickly and didn’t waste time giving unnecessary details; this way so much was covered until the third generation. I also liked that this book did not focus on just the church; it contained stories of the Great War, a pandemic that swept through America, the Second World War, and stories of heroism, making it suitable for all readers.

I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and those who love books about family history, love, and war. I’m rating this book 5 out of 5 stars because I disliked nothing about it, and it was well-written and exceptionally well-edited.

******
The Jenische Stones
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon