An Amish twist on the, “Switched at Birth” television series, Cindy Woodsmall’s Gathering the Threads is definitely different from the traditional Amish novel. However, as a reader who really does not understand the Amish way of life, this story, more than any other on the subject angered me.
The third in the “Amish of Summer Grove” series, this story picks up after Ariana Brenneman and Skylar Nash who were switched at birth, have knowledge of their true heritage and have spent time with their biological families. As if being raised in the wrong family were not traumatic enough, imagine a child raised Amish with a very strict upbringing who is suddenly thrown into a world with few boundaries, and a child raised in the everyday world finds herself in the midst of a biosphere with suffocating rules.
The Amish community has strict guidelines governing every aspect of life, and they do not respond well to the disruption that Ariana and Skylar’s true origins bring. Each girl and their respective families must learn to traverse a unique and difficult situation. The path is not only messy but also paved with intolerance and lack of compassion.
In the end, Woodsmall does a remarkable job weaving all of the pieces together, but the rocky trail is sure to have readers on the edge of their seats!
*A complimentary copy of the book was provided in exchange for this review.