Reviewed by: G. Connor Salter, Professional Writing student at Taylor University, Upland, IN

Introduction

Title: When the Heart Sings (Music of Hope Series #2)

Author: Liz Tolsma

Publisher: Gilead Publishing

Publication Date: 2018

Format: Print book

Length: 319 pages

OVERVIEW

The year is 1943, and Polish couple Teador and Natia have just had their third stillborn child. To make matters worse, the Nazis are forcing anyone who hasn’t sworn allegiance to Germany to leave for labor camps. Shortly after they arrive at their camp, Natia gets taken in by Elfriede Fromm, the wife of the camp’s commanding officer. This keeps her safe from the forced labor but vulnerable to new kinds of attacks that may hurt Teador. And when Natia finds an orphaned Jewish boy in an alley, things can only get more complicated.

As whole, this book is neither amazing nor terrible. It’s a solid story that Tolsma uses to examine fascinating questions about where God is in the presence of infertility and stillbirths. By choosing to dig into the pain the characters feel as they examine these issues, Tolsma shows how difficult those questions are. Like many Christian fiction books, the story wraps up a little too neatly at the end, which means the answers to these questions end up being less compelling than they could have been. Still, readers of this genre will find the book compelling and enjoyable.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5)

3 stars

Suggested Audience

Fans of World War II fiction.

Christian Impact

The characters’ struggles lead to many discussions about faith, divine providence, hope and healing.

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