About the Book ~
In a most improbable friendship, she found love. In a world where women were silenced, she found her voice.
From New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan comes an exquisite novel of Joy Davidman the woman C. S. Lews called "my whole world." When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis - known as Jack - she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn't holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford don and beloved writer of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, finding a love that even the threat of death couldn't destroy.
In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren't meant to have a voice - and yet her love for jack gave them both voice they didn't know they had.
At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer's life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story - a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.
For more information about Patti Callahan and her books, check out her website here!
My Thoughts ~
While The Chronicles of Narnia is a beloved series to me, I didn't know a lot about the personal life of C. S. Lewis (Jack), and I knew virtually nothing about Joy Davidman, so I was really excited to read this fictional account of their love story!
Yeah, I'm a nerd.
Patti Callahan's writing style transports you into this fictional account of history! The sensory details were so vivid that I could almost feel the damp dirt by the lake, taste the fresh (or dirty, depending on the location!) air, and smell the tobacco and books in Jack's office. Becoming Mrs. Lewis has a wealth of information, literature, and history tucked between its pages, making it a grand place for history geeks!
While I didn't know the tragic turn the story would take, I appreciated the "warts and all" approach to the picture painted of C. S. Lewis and Joy Davidman. So often beloved figures like this are imagined as perfect, so I liked that the author choose to show us struggles, temptations, and failures in a very realistic way. Joy Davidman's spiritual journey was empowering as she fully embraces God as her True Love in every way.
Three Stars ~ Becoming Mrs. Lewis is romantic blend of true love, literature, and England. However, if abuse, physical affairs, emotional affairs, or breast cancer are painful subjects for you, then I would advise caution, dear reader. Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a standalone, but Patti Callahan has quite the backlist of titles for readers to peruse!
Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.
Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!
See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!
Hugs!
~V. Joy Palmer
V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.
No comments:
Post a Comment