A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell

MY REVIEW

Frankly, this isn't one of Siri Mitchell's best efforts. It does have charm and excitement as well as being an excellent period piece, but when an author has multiple character stories, character development is difficult to weave into an excellent plot and story line.

Mitchell takes the time to develop each character and to develop each plot, then weaves each plot line into the whole. However, just as you begin to care about the characters in one story line, you are drawn into another which takes considerable time to get all the ends tied together before the story can actually move forward. This results in a bit of confusion as to who the protagonist actually is, the one character which is the catalyst for the story in the first place. The story begins with one character and ends with a completely different character. For most readers, that doesn't matter, but for me it is not a completely satisfying ending. It is much like singing a cantata for Easter or Christmas that is beautiful through out most of the songs then the last note is sour. It just isn't as satisfying as it could be, nor what previous performances have promised.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Heart Most Worthy Bethany House (March 1, 2011) by Siri Mitchell


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.


But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.


Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.


Her ninth novel, A Heart Most Worthy, follows prior Bethany House releases: A Constant Heart (October 2008), Love's Pursuit (June 2009), and She Walks in Beauty (Apr 2010). She Walks in Beauty won the inaugural INSPY Award for Historical Fiction in Dec 2010. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. Love's Pursuit was a finalist for the ACFW Carol Award.


Publishers Weekly proclaimed, "Mitchell delivers the historical goods."


ABOUT THE BOOK

The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the downtrodden North End of Boston. Yet each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana enter the world of the upper class, working on finery for the elite in society. The three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream--and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times.


Julietta is drawn to the swarthy, mysterious Angelo. Annamaria has a star-crossed encounter with the grocer's son, a man from the entirely wrong family. And through no intent of her own, Luciana catches the eye of Billy Quinn, the son of Madame Forza's most important client.


Their destinies intertwined, each harboring a secret from their families and each other, will they be found worthy of the love they seek?


If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heart Most Worthy, go HERE.