Knowing You by Tracie Peterson is the third and final installment of the Pictures of the Heart series. This historical series takes place in 1909 during the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Reading the previous books is not necessary to understand this story, but several references are made to the other novels. If you enjoyed the previous books, this book is sure not to disappoint. In fact, it may be the best of the three and a great way to conclude the series. Tracie Peterson picks a very challenging topic this time around. The plot centers on racial prejudice. The topic is handled well and does not sugarcoat the realities of the era. However, one of the major focuses of the story involves the main character May and her desire to understand her cultural heritage. Perhaps to some this sounds like an uninteresting theme, but the book includes intrigue and mystery. Reading the story, one must be prepared for a wide range of emotions. Joy, fear, romance and everything in between fill these pages. The story ended in a satisfactory way in terms of tying up most of the plot points for all of the characters, but there was one character that really could have been the focus of her own book. In fact, a fourth book could have fit in quite nicely here.
Review of an Advance Reader Copy Provided by the Publisher
Content Analysis:Profanity/Language: None
Violence/Gore: Character hold another at knife point; characters point guns at one another; character indicates he is planning to or willing to kill another person; a character reports how a group of people beat someone up very badly; multiple mentions of characters wanting to cause harm to other characters based solely on race; a character mentions people who took their own lives as part of an act of protest; characters are injured and bleeding from an accident.
Sex/Nudity: Non-married characters kiss and embrace.
Mature Subject Matter:
Racial prejudice and segregation.
Drug/Alcohol Use:
Character consumes alcohol.
