Eyes at the Window

Rating:
Summary: Excellent historical novel based on a true story.
Review: Eyes at the Window is a novel based on the true story of a murder that happened in an Amish community in 1810. The fact that an infant was brutally murdered makes the story more poignant as does the first person narrative of all those involved over the span of the next fifty years. The story of the murder and how it affected this community is interesting but even more interesting for me were the details of Amish living in the 1800's. The story is fascinating but I gave the book four stars because it drags in some places but is certaintly worth the effort to finish.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful story & history
Review: I loved this book. Being a Mennonite in Cleveland Ohio who also has family in the Wooster area, I especially enjoyed reading about the history of the settlement of the area by the Amish moving from Pennsylvania to Ohio. I was amused by the comments in the story that "knocked" the Mennonites. I learned some more about some of the beliefs that I was taught growing up. I felt like I was part of the community because I was so familiar with most of the culture. I liked how the story was told by the different characters. It was that much more interesting to be seen from different viewpoints. I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Very well researched, but very slow
Review: The true story in this book is bogged down by the details of 50 years of Amish life. If you have an interest in Amish farming and pioneering in the 1800's, this may interest you. Even so, it's difficult to stay interested in the story.