PAULA'S REVIEW:
Get ready for a front row seat into the depths of a hurricane when meteorology was in its infancy. To say that Jennifer Wright describes what it was like to be caught in a hurricane in Last Light Over Galveston is putting it much too tamely. She vividly depicts the event so that I felt I was right there with Kathleen in the midst of the disaster.
In this dual time novel, we see what led Kathleen to flee from her life of privilege, hop on a train and only stop when she was at the end of her money. She finds refuge with nuns at an orphanage but still grapples with where her life goes from there. She finds purpose in helping the orphans and befriends Matthew, a meteorologist helping to gather data and give weather reports. It was fascinating to learn about this topic and how it impacted the event in 1900.
While the hurricane is the main part of the story, the characters are what give it life. They show faith and resiliency in the face of death. “Sometimes God has to tear down all the distractions, all the lies in our lives in order for us to see the truth. To see that after everything else is gone, He is still there.”
This book is not to be missed.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale through NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone.*5 stars and a solid faith thread
BackCover Blurb:
Galveston,
Texas. September 1900. Only months ago, Kathleen McDaniel returned from
finishing school in Switzerland to her family home in New York’s Hudson
Valley with a future of promise and privilege set before her. But one
horrific event shattered her picturesque life. Now she has fled as far
as the train line and a pocketful of money would take her, finding
refuge at the St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum on Galveston Island, where she
helps the nuns care for their young charges and prays her past will not
find her. Despite her tenuous standing at the orphanage—and the grief
and betrayal that drove her from home—Kathleen slowly begins to make
friends. There is Emily, the novice nun she rooms with; Maggie, the
tempestuous young girl who only bonds with Kathleen; and Matthew, a
kind, handsome man recently employed by Isaac Cline at Galveston’s
office of the US Weather Bureau.
Then in one fateful day,
Kathleen’s fragile new life begins to crack as it becomes clear that she
can’t run far enough to escape the reach of her former life. Meanwhile,
as troubling news about a storm crossing the Gulf from Cuba swirls in
the Weather Bureau offices, Matthew holds fast to Cline’s belief that no
hurricane can touch Galveston. But as darkness falls on the island,
Kathleen must gather her courage and reach for a strength beyond her own
if she—and those she loves—are to survive.
-A stand-alone historical novel about the 1900 Galveston hurricane
-A gripping read inspired by true events
-Features themes of resilience, found family, and redemption
-Includes discussion questions perfect for book clubs
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