Book Review: The Lost Quilter

Jennifer Chiaverini often weaves historical context into her stories of human relationship. In The Lost Quilter, book 14 in the Elm Creek Quilts series, letters found in the attic set Sylvia Bergstrom Compson on a quest to discover the truth about a runaway slave harbored at Elm Creek in 1859. One of Sylvia's heirloom quilts holds the keys to discovering more about African American quilting during the Civil War. The back cover proclaims, "A gripping story of steadfast determination in the face of unthinkable cruelty." I struggled with this one because man's inhumanity to man hammered blow after blow. 

It was a tough book to listen to and not squirm in the shoes of the main character. The atrocities were overwhelming and unrelenting: slaves callously separated from loved ones, beaten for indiscretions of others, and injured for every attempt to reclaim their dignity. I understand that this litany of offenses is based on realities many individuals actually endured. Yet, I wonder whether it heaps countless evils experienced by many onto the shoulders of one character, thus magnifying the evil and minimizing the good. I ached for more redemption in the story, for light amid the darkness. Instead, Joanna experiences despicable cruelty time after time. Indeed, the Bergstroms were the only ones who showed any compassion or kindness to the main character. In the end, it just wasn't my favorite from the series.