Book Review: The Messenger by Siri Mitchell

I always get excited when I see another book by Siri Mitchell come up for review and I have yet to be disappointed! I have enjoyed that each book I read by her is on a different set of people and how their lives are different to others.

This story takes place during the Revolutionary War and centers on Hannah Sunderland, a Quaker, or as they would call it a Friend. Hannah is confident in the belief that friends do not get involved in war or conflict in any way, but then her brother joins the colonial side and gets taken prisoner. Now Hannah is faced with a difficult decision - aid her brother and go behind the backs of all those she cares about, or let her brother live out the consequences of his actions, even if it means his death.
Just as Hannah is facing this crisis, Jeremiah Jones needs a spy to get into the jail, but no-one can get in there - unless a poor quaker girl just wants to see that her brother is well. Together they form a plan to see to the well being to the prisoners, but Hannah is determined to do right and not tell a lie - which does not really suit spy work! Somehow they need to find a way to work together, and see past their pre-concieved notions of the other to rescue the men before they die!

I thoroughly LOVED this book and stayed up way too late reading it :-) I always love that I learn something new about history and people groups when I read Siri Mitchell's stories. The only downside was that although it mentioned God a lot, and the Friends' relationship to him, their theology is a little flawed and does not really mention the gospel as recorded in the Bible. I would be careful before giving this to a new Christian or unbeliever to read as it could come across as a little confusing that way. The story is brilliant though - and I would recommend it to lovers of historical fiction who are confident that the way to God is through Christ and Him alone!

Thanks so much to Bethany House Publishers for a free copy of this book to review.