Dear Reader,
Perhaps you can relate to this: It is currently 10:45 at night, and I have just finished a very good book.
My heart and mind are now full at the beautiful ending that was quite surprising. As I now wonder what to do with my time (rather than go to sleep, of course) I am just swelling with happiness at this beautiful story.
The book? A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin.
I have this strange recurring phenomenon that happens when someone asks me what my favorite book is. My answer is always the last good book I read.
So dear reader, my new favorite book is, A Proper Pursuit.
Taking place during the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, Lynn Austin’s novel is full of excitement, adventure, and of course, love.
Austin’s book is also full of biblical themes and truths, effortlessly woven in, which is the cherry on top for this wonderful novel.
Violet Hayes discovers she’s been lied to her whole life and decides to go to Chicago to find her mother and stop her father’s marriage to the murderous widow, Maude O’Neill. She stays with the Howell sisters—her great aunts and grandmother—all of which are quite different. Aunt Agnes married for money, Aunt Matt is a suffragette, her grandmother is heavily involved in Dwight Moody’s charity work, and Aunt Birdie still thinks the Civil War is being fought.
All four of these women have much to teach Violet about love, and she’s going to need all the help she can get, because she’s got four different suitors to choose from, before her father chooses for her.
Good elements of this book include many life lessons for Violet. She learns to be discerning and cautious, while not being afraid and overly anxious. She learns to work hard and get her hands dirty, she learns to trust God with her life and her future, and she learns to not look at the surface, but what’s below.
The Gospel is also presented in this book. One of Violet’s suitors is heavily involved with the well known evangelist, Dwight Moody. Violet attends a rally where Mr. Moody preaches on the prodigal son, and she surrenders her life to the Lord.
The love story in this book is sweet, and done in a biblical, pure way. Violet has a wonderful, unique personality and recognizes her shortcomings.
Her relationship with her father seems broken throughout most of the book, but is restored by the end in a satisfying, but not in an overly sentimental way.
There are a few things in this book that could be a cause for concern.
Content Warnings:
There are a few references to “bawdy houses” (which is a place where harlots are found) throughout this book. This is simply to show the depravity of Chicago, where this story is set. Violet has been sheltered all her life, and while working with her grandmother in down-town Chicago, she realizes how poor many people are. Nothing explicit is mentioned.
When Violet and one of her suitors visit the World’s Fair, she desires to go into the art booth. Her suitor remains silent, and their chaperone shakes her head. “They have nudes,” she whispers into Violet’s ear.
Speaking of chaperones, Violet ends up alone with several of her suitors, but nothing major happens. One of them desires to kiss her, but she refuses. She accidentally trips into the arms of another momentarily.The suitor she ends up marrying, she kisses. The kiss is slightly described as “warm” and “firm” but is nothing that is overly explicit or inappropriate.
Burlesque theaters are also mentioned, but again, nothing explicit is said.
In the slums of Chicago, Violet sees a dead horse in the street. A pig is slain in an alleyway, and a woman has bruises and a hurt limb, presumably caused by her husband. Another woman is beaten by her husband, and she and her children hide in the basement from him. He ends up falling down the stairs and dying in his rage.
Violet goes to a pub, and discovers an acquaintance was a drunk.
Gambling is also mentioned as one of Violet’s suitors makes poor decisions with his money.
Violet seems to think that her soon-to-be stepmother, Maude, is a murderer.
Over all, this book, even with a few things that could cause concern for some, is good and clean. There is no language, the Gospel is presented, and there’s light shed in dark places.
The actual writing of the story is well-done. The biblical messages are weaved in seamlessly, and there’s twists that no one could really anticipate.
The book also had a very personal impact on me, as I could relate to a lot of the things Violet was wrestling with. I was reminded of how God holds our future, and how important it is that we leave the details to Him. Even as I write this, I’m overwhelmed by what God is going to do with my life. But when I think about how great and good His purposes are, I rest easy, knowing He is sovereign.
So, dear reader, go read A Proper Pursuit! And grow in your love for the Lord and His grace when you do so.
About the Author:
Emilie A. is a daughter of the King, who writes for his glory alone. She loves being able to share God’s Truth with others through her writing, magnifying his greatness. When’s she’s not writing, you’ll find her spending time with her awesome family, worshipping God while playing her guitar, or using her brush pens to create lettering art. You can find her writing on her email list at emilieawrites.ck.page
