Christian Fiction Devourers discussion

Ok everyone- the title chosen was I'll Watch the Moon by Ann Tatlock. I'm so glad this one was chosen- I thought this book had a lot of depth to it and some very good characters as well. So let's get discussing, shall we? First off here is the book's summary-

Award-winning novelist Ann Tatlock once again lovingly crafts a story that will touch readers' hearts while illuminating a powerful spiritual truth. I'll Watch the Moon is the story of Catherine Tierney, angry at a God whom she no longer believes exists, and her painful journey back to faith. It is also the story of her friendship with Josef Karski, who teaches her how to trust in God as he reveals his own story of surviving the horrors of Auschwitz. And finally, it is the story of Nova Tierney, Catherine's daughter, and the threads that bind their lives together. Ann Tatlock has skillfully and gracefully woven a tale you won't soon forget

I'd like to throw a few questions out there and feel free to answer any of them that you like and never be afraid to post one of your own.
Here are a few-

1. Is this your first book by Ann Tatlock? If not, what other's of hers have you read?

2. Nova, narrating the story, calls it a "love story" but not a "romance" and insists there is a difference. What is the difference? Which would you rather read? Which would you rather have in your own life?

3. The Tierney family eventually take to heart a Jewish parable about a rabbi on a hill, who, upon seeing tragedy, wishes to God not so he can change the events, but so he can understand them. How does this parable come to comfort the Tierneys? Are there events in your own life that seem beyond anything but celestial comprehension?

4. With which character's faith did you most relate? Which do you desire?
Nova's innocent pondering? Aunt Dortha's steadfast belief in Providence? Catherine's anger and frustration? Dewey's rational exploration of God through creation? Josef's deep and mature faith?

5. Dewey sees God in the cosmos. Where do you find wonder in God's presence? How did Dewey's love of the stars and the moon rub off on his younger sister?

Ok there are a few to get us started. Feel free to chime in where you'd like and thanks for joining in on the discussion!

Don't forget to mark Spoiler comments or hide them using (some html is ok)
Thanks!

I have read several Ann Tatlock books and I especially loved this one. There are so many parallels between this story and my own life experience growing up at that same time and same place. I really relate to the emotions expressed by Nova. I have heard people say that Ann Tatlock is a master wordsmith and I agree.
There are so many interesting characters living in the same house and I enjoyed the interplay between them. I am looking forward to others' thoughts on one of my all time favorite books.

This is my 2nd Ann Tatlock book; the first one I read was A Room of My Own; I loved it!

I am not finished yet, but I think for question #4, I think my faith is a little bit of each. I know I certainly went through anger and frustration with my faith when my dad passed away, a little over two years ago.

As I was reading the chapter about the boarding house residents, I started wondering if anyone still has boarding houses today. It seems back when they were popular, times were a little more innocent and people didn't have as much distrust in strangers as they do now.

As for the other questions, I think I can answer them better when I finish the book.

My parents met in a boarding house. After they were married and I was born, the ladies who ran the house helped take care of me. Then we moved to Minneapolis when I was 2 years old and lived in an old Victorian house that had been turned into an apartment house. The house was pretty open and, since it was WWII time, the people who lived there planted a garden together, washed clothes together etc. and, again everyone in the house helped take care of me. So yes, it was a much more trusting time, the time in which this book is set.

I have been thinking about no. 3, the parable of the rabbi on the hill. As Christians I think we all believe that God has a plan and a purpose for each of us, but it is hard to understand why things happen the way they do sometimes. Some day we will understand. While we wait, we pray and trust that God does know what He is doing. Things happened in this story where the parable applied.

I hope to come back & answer the questions this evening. I just loved this book. It made it onto my all-time favorites list :)

Me too, Beth- ditto everything you said!!

1. Is this your first book by Ann Tatlock? If not, what other's of hers have you read?
It was my first one! And then I was thinking "where has this author been all my life???" haha ;) But seriously!

2. Nova, narrating the story, calls it a "love story" but not a "romance" and insists there is a difference. What is the difference? Which would you rather read? Which would you rather have in your own life?

I think Nova is right. This is a story about love. Familial love and love from one human to another that transcends romantic love. Personally, I find the reads that reach "amazing" tend to focus primarily on love on the grander scale, while still having some element of romantic love. For my own life, I feel that while there has been romance, my husband and I live out our love story daily. Romance is helpful, but it's not at the core of love. I'll take the love story :)

3. The Tierney family eventually take to heart a Jewish parable about a rabbi on a hill, who, upon seeing tragedy, wishes to God not so he can change the events, but so he can understand them. How does this parable come to comfort the Tierneys? Are there events in your own life that seem beyond anything but celestial comprehension?

I think it comforts them because things are more bearable somehow when there is purpose behind it, an answer to the why me, etc. Sometimes you have to accept that there doesn't appear to be a good reason at the moment. Maybe you'll find out later, maybe not, but it's a comfort to trust that God will make something good out of it.

4. With which character's faith did you most relate? Which do you desire?
Nova's innocent pondering? Aunt Dortha's steadfast belief in Providence? Catherine's anger and frustration? Dewey's rational exploration of God through creation? Josef's deep and mature faith?

For me personally, I fluctuate. I have "innocent ponderings," and I'm never worried that God will be offended or surprised by my questions because, well, He's God. Sometimes I feel well grounded in my faith and other times I feel like I've been ripped from my foundation. I think it's okay to go through ups and downs. Hopefully one day I will have Josef's kind of faith :)

5. Dewey sees God in the cosmos. Where do you find wonder in God's presence? How did Dewey's love of the stars and the moon rub off on his younger sister?

Like Dewey, I have always been fascinated by space. I am always astounded by galaxies and far off clusters of stars. I think it's harder to believe that it all happened by chance then it is that God created it that way.

Other times I am astounded by human capacity for love and kindness. When I am most doubtful of the human race, somehow my faith is restored by a random act of kindness, a smile, laughing with a friend, a child leaning their head on my shoulder. That is where I see God.

I think it rubbed off on Nova in that she realized it was okay to wonder, to search, to question, and that God was big enough for that.

This was my first Ann Tatlock book and I really liked it.

I agree that it was a love story and not a romance in that it showed an all encompassing love for both man and his world rather than just the romance between two people. I think that we need both love and romance in our lives if we are to be a balanced person. But without love as a foundation romance is not possible.

I loved the Jewish parable because as a Christian I have so many questions that I know there are not answers for in this lifetime and that perhaps even in heaven I will not understand why. But God does indeed have a plan and I must have the faith to believe that His plan is for the best.

I feel like each of the characters represented a different aspect of faith that we all find ourselves in during different stages or times of our lives. Josef's deep and mature faith was the solid combination of each of these aspects finding its proper place.

I find wonder in God's presence in nature - flowers, trees, seasonal changes, sunrise, sunset. Each of these things reminds me of the reaffirmation of continuing life and hope and that God loved us enough to provide these constant reminders of our eternal resurrection through Jesus Christ. I agree with Beth that Nova learned it was all right to have questions and concerns and that God would understand this and still love her.

Great comments, Loraine! I totally agree with what you said: "Without love as a foundation, romance is not possible." That is so true & what I was trying to say but you put it so eloquently! :)

I forgot that I own one of her novels, I think it's her most recent or one of her more recnt ones. I haven't gotten to it yet, but it's Sweet Mercy.

I have read 9 Ann Tatlock books and have loved them all. Someone mentioned that she is excellent at character development and that you feel like you really know the people as you read their stories. I agree. Ann Tatlock is one of my two or three favorite authors.

Also, three of Ann Tatlock's books (I'll Watch the Moon. A Room of My Own, & Sweet Mercy) take place, at least in part, in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota area during the first half of the 1900s, when I was growing up there. She is so acurate about describing places and events during that time which made all of those books especially fun for me.

I think it was Cheryl who said that Ann's books have a sweet melancholy tone to them. I agree and also believe that there are several layers to the stories which make me, at least, stop to ponder what I've read.

Okay. Now I will stop. I think you all get the idea that I really love Ann Tatlock books.

Yes, that is a very accurate description of her writing, "a sweet melancholy." I agree that they are character-driven, which are my favorite kinds of stories. I am really looking forward to reading more of her books, I'm glad she's written a lot :)

And Sarah, thank you so much for participating in our discussions - it means a lot to us :)

Beth wrote: "1. Is this your first book by Ann Tatlock? If not, what other's of hers have you read?
It was my first one! And then I was thinking "where has this author been all my life???" haha ;) But seriously..."

I agree.

Also, about the love story; I think that in this story, the love came from a place of compassion, of caring for fellow human beings without expecting anything in return. It was more an unconditional love than what a romance is.

Sara wrote: "Okay. Now I will stop. I think you all get the idea that I really love Ann Tatlock books."

You don't have to stop, I enjoy hearing your thoughts on them.

I finished this book last night. I wrote my review earlier today. I loved it!

(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

Shari, that's such a good point. Romance is often a reciprocal thing. There is an expectation to give-take, not just give.

Sara wrote: "Also, three of Ann Tatlock's books (I'll Watch the Moon. A Room of My Own, & Sweet Mercy) take place, at least in part, in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota area during the first half of the 1900..."

I agree with your comments Sarah- that her books really do make you stop and think and that there are many layers to them- especially this book. And I don't know what happened to my comment- somehow it disappeared!

And I agree with Shari Sarah- keep the comments coming- we love it!!

Loraine wrote: "This was my first Ann Tatlock book and I really liked it.

I agree that it was a love story and not a romance in that it showed an all encompassing love for both man and his world rather than jus..."

To be "a balanced person" in that sense is not perhaps quite a Christian ideal. Jesus our Lord had no romance, but we must believe that He was the one truly 'balanced' human being. Plus the fact that at most times and places marriages have been contracted and sustained without any romantic feeling at all.

Diana, I think what Loraine was saying is that if we are in a relationship that started with romance, romance cannot be relied upon to sustain it throughout it's entirety. It needs unconditional love as close to Christ as we can get as humans. For us love is often a choice to be committed day after day, etc. Of course we fall short continually because we are human. I don't think she was saying that being a balanced person with love and romance is a Christian ideal in general or even a necessity, but rather is important in the context of a relationship between two people.

This is my first Ann Tatlock book and I just started it. She has a very nice way of drawing you into the characters. I am looking forward to reading more as I get further along in the story.

Beth wrote: "Diana, I think what Loraine was saying is that if we are in a relationship that started with romance, romance cannot be relied upon to sustain it throughout it's entirety. It needs unconditional lo..."

Thanks Beth - your explanation of my point was spot on!

I agree Loraine, Beth , well explained and it makes a whole lot of sense in terms of the context of this novel. I believe there was a very sacrificial love in terms of Josef's love for the whole Tierney family. Does anyone see any other area's in the story where you see great sacrificial love taking place?

I think Mr. Diehl's care for the family was sacrificial. He just seemed to be there when needed.

I saw kind of an example in Henry Udahl, the janitor.

(view spoiler)[ It wasn't something that would be considered a huge sacrifice, but he felt it was important to get out of his sick bed when he had the flu and arrange the nativity scene. I loved the description about how he took his time to arrange it so perfectly, with great reverence. (hide spoiler)]