Cindy K. Sproles writes historical fiction about the people of the Appalachian Mountains. What Momma Left Behind takes place in the 1870s and gives a natural and yet detailed glimpse into what life was like for people living in that time and place. Sproles even gives characters authentic vocabulary and manners of speaking and thinking.
This novel follows a theme found often in Christian fiction. The main character, Worie Dressar, is confronted with a heart-crushing and emotionally draining challenge. She struggles to understand her purpose in this world and how she fits into God’s plan. Not until she loses herself in serving others does Worie really begin to see the answers to these questions.
Starting out, the book didn’t seem all that compelling, but somehow it took hold and became a story that couldn’t be put down. The depth of the issues tackled in this tale is quite amazing when one considers its length. The characters of this story will endear themselves to the reader and give them much to ponder.
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Revell
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: None
Violence/Gore: A character recalls another committing suicide by gunshot and how her blood is all over everything; There are several scenes in which a character threatens another with a gun; characters see a dead body covered in maggots; multiple times a character thinks that she would like to smack someone upside the head; a character slugs a woman and threatens to break her neck; a character is thrown from a train; characters have a fist fight and blood is drawn; a character shoots and kills someone in an act of self-defense; a character stabs another with a knife.
Sex/Nudity: An unwed teen is pregnant and she shares the story about the father of the child tricking her into lying with him, no graphic descriptions given.
Mature Subject Matter:
Suicide, orphans, adoption, death of family members, murder, drunkenness.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Multiple mentions of a character that drinks too much and is often drunk.
