Christian Fiction Devourers discussion

While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin

Goodreads Summary:
In an unassuming apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, three lives intersect as the reality of war invades each aspect of their lives. Young Esther is heartbroken when her father decides to enlist in the army shortly after the death of her mother. Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war. And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary.

But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse. Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love...even when He is silent.

I'll post some discussion questions later today! :)

I just finished this book on a long car ride last night and I enjoyed it very much. Looking forward to the discussion :)

Finshed at midnight reading this book. Have always loved Hungary and this book was great. Can't wait to discuss.

Here are some discussion questions (pulled from the book-these are not all of the questions, but I thought I'd do these to start with):

1. Which character did you identify with most? Why?

2. How were the concerns for family different for each of the characters: Penny Goodrich? Esther and Peter Shaffer? Jacob Mendel? Avraham and Sarah Rivkah?

3. In what ways did the various characters find their family or become part of a new "family"?

4. What similarities were portrayed between the Jewish and Christian faiths? Did your view of Judaism change in any way?

5. How did Penny's view of love change throughout the story? What contributed to that change?

6. How was the theme of silence develop throughout the story? How was the theme of waiting developed? The dilemma of unanswered prayer?

Sorry for the delay in discussion questions! :)

Feel free to answer these, share your thoughts, ask your own questions, etc!

These are tough questions. Guess I'll touch on Penny and her quest for love. She was so in love with the idea of being in love she was living a fantasy dream. But I also had to realize that she was looking for something that she didn't get from the people she loved. Been there. She was able to get to know Roy as a friend that she could count on, thus leaning to be free to love instead of settling for a dream. Does that make sense anyone?

I started this book on Saturday night and thought it would take me a while to read as it's over 400 pages long, but I sat down yesterday afternoon and gobbled up a great deal of the book! I'm 86% of the way through, according to my Kindle. Honestly, I don't think I've read a Lynn Austin novel that I didn't enjoy.

I wasn't a really big fan of this book. I think it hit too close to home with war and waiting and the feelings the characters felt, feelings of loss that I'm all to familiar with. If circumstances were different, I really think I would have enjoyed this book because it was beautifully written and Lynn Austin portrayed the emotions and characters in a very real way.

I was a child during WWII and vaguely remember that it really was a time when people shared what they had and helped each other. My favorite character was Mr. Mendel, I suppose because he reminded me of a real person from my own childhood. So well written, I really loved this book.

Shannah wrote: "I wasn't a really big fan of this book. I think it hit too close to home with war and waiting and the feelings the characters felt, feelings of loss that I'm all to familiar with. If circumstances ..."

Shannah, that is definitely understandable. It's hard to find something enjoyable when it hits close to home and has similarities to your personal situation.

I definitely identified with Penny and her worries about both Eddie and Roy as they served overseas. My husband was a medic in Vietnam. It was always so difficult waiting for letters. If a long stretch went between receiving one, of course thoughts of the worst began churning through your mind. That's when you really began to rely on God's strength and peace.

I really loved this book. Lynn Austin's attention to historical detail and in-depth characters who grow and change always make her books great reads.

Rachel wrote: "I started this book on Saturday night and thought it would take me a while to read as it's over 400 pages long, but I sat down yesterday afternoon and gobbled up a great deal of the book! I'm 86% o..."

I am the same way with Lynn Austin books Rachel.

I think WWII was a time when everyone was waiting all the time for news of the war, that is the entire country was involved one way or another. There was no TV so radio and newspaper coverage was gobbled up. My mother saved several newspaper clippings just as described in the book and I still have some of them.

I think I actually identified most with Esther, in the way she obsessed over problems she couldn't solve--like her father being sent to England, her brother not being able to talk and the lack of news of her Jewish neighbour's family. The way she obsessively listened to the radio and bought newspapers and tried to fix everything (finding a chalk board for her brother to write on, lying to his teacher's about him being ill, etc) really hit home for me as I think I sometimes exhibit similar behaviours. Whenever I read about some terrible injustice or situation--whether at home or abroad--I tend to read as much about it as I can, even if it only hurts more because I can't do anything to help. Esther felt very real to me.

I am so glad that I read this book. The detail of the author was like you could step back into time and be there in the story. Maybe that is why I love going to Budapest in real life because they are still so close knit and caring. As Americans we've lost that.

Sara wrote: "I was a child during WWII and vaguely remember that it really was a time when people shared what they had and helped each other. My favorite character was Mr. Mendel, I suppose because he reminded..."

Sara, that reminds me of something my mom told me; her mother had breast cancer, and she had to go to a hospital out of town for surgery. This was in the 40's during the war. Several people they knew gave part of their gas rations to her dad, so that he could travel back and forth to see her. Sadly, my grandmother did not survive; she had her cancer for at least a year before she even told her doctor about it, and by then, it was too late.

Shari, so sorry about your grandma. Sharing rationing coupons was definitely something people did back then. I think Lynn Austin did a great job of showing how people were brought together during the war and how their lives intersected in interesting ways.

Just have to say that I am loving seeing all of the comments & am bummed that I haven't gotten to this one yet! I'm going to try my best to read it so I can come back to discuss!

Thank you everyone for commenting and discussing - makes my heart happy :)

Rebecca "Rebaka" wrote: "These are tough questions. Guess I'll touch on Penny and her quest for love. She was so in love with the idea of being in love she was living a fantasy dream. But I also had to realize that she was..."

I agree Rebecca. I think that she finally found true love when she built it on a foundation of solid friendship first along with lots of commonalities. Before that she was dreaming of the "prince in a fairytale" type love which doesn't have that foundation.

This was such a good book - so well written. I found I grew to love the characters and it really transported me back to the time period! It made me want to read more of Lynn Austin's books, as this was the first one I read. Does anyone have any suggestions or have a favorite of hers?

Christine wrote: "This was such a good book - so well written. I found I grew to love the characters and it really transported me back to the time period! It made me want to read more of Lynn Austin's books, as th..."

Of the ones I've read so far, my faves were

Christine wrote: "This was such a good book - so well written. I found I grew to love the characters and it really transported me back to the time period! It made me want to read more of Lynn Austin's books, as th..."

Loved her Chronicle of the Kings series.

Christine wrote: "This was such a good book - so well written. I found I grew to love the characters and it really transported me back to the time period! It made me want to read more of Lynn Austin's books, as th..."

My faves, like Beth, have been and . I enjoyed , but it wasn't quite as good as the others.

Seems we all like the same Lynn Austin's books. Guess that's why we're doing a buddy read together LOL:)

I also loved her Civil War Series - the Refiner's Fire - three excellent books.

Oh and also A Woman's Place about women on the home front during WWII.

Sara wrote: "I also loved her Civil War Series - the Refiner's Fire - three excellent books."

Would love to get to the first one at least this year. I've heard so many good things about it.

Sara wrote: "I also loved her Civil War Series - the Refiner's Fire - three excellent books."

Haven't read those and they are on my TBR list.

The first of the Refiners Fire books - Candle in the Darkness - is still free on Kindle.

Sara wrote: "The first of the Refiners Fire books - Candle in the Darkness - is still free on Kindle."

I grabbed that one!

Sara wrote: "Shari, so sorry about your grandma. Sharing rationing coupons was definitely something people did back then. I think Lynn Austin did a great job of showing how people were brought together during..."

Thank you; I wish I could have known her.

Christine wrote: "This was such a good book - so well written. I found I grew to love the characters and it really transported me back to the time period! It made me want to read more of Lynn Austin's books, as th..."

I loved Wonderland Creek, and Until We Reach Home was good too.

Thanks Beth, Loraine, Rachel, Sara and Shari!! I look forward to checking these out!

Loraine wrote: "Seems we all like the same Lynn Austin's books. Guess that's why we're doing a buddy read together LOL:)"

:)!

1/21/14
I really loved this historical novel. It's very well written, and the characters are well drawn and are interesting. I loved all the pieces of the multi-pronged plot. This was a highly enjoyable novel.

I enjoyed this book by Lynn Austin. The characters were well fleshed out -- the historical details were spot on and felt we were truly in that time period and place. The letters were so touching and loved how they brought the familiea back together at the end. And how the families interacted - negatively and positively with each other. I would recommend this stand alone for any reader but especially for those the enjoyed Sarah's Key.

This was great book. Lynn Austin does a wonderful job transporting her reader to another time and place. Her characters are strong and believable and her setting shows a lot of research.
Eve's Daughters is my favorite Lynn Austin book. It's one of her earlier books and was my introduction to her novels.

I really liked this book even though the ending was too short and predictable. I disliked Penny right from the start and disliked her parents even more. I've had so many tragedies in my life that I could relate to the conflict going on between loving God and staying far away from Him (even though you still love God - you want to stay far away because you're hurt and angry and....)

I am a little over half way done & I'm loving this book. I really like how she does the three different viewpoints. I am enjoying learning more about the Jewish people & how they do things. It is neat how Mr. Mendal & the kids have connected, and how that is helping them in their time of grief.
This is my first book by Lynn Austin. I have Candle in Darkness that several people have mentioned, & I'm looking forward to reading it now.

My first Lynn Austin book, and was impressed. Loved mr. Mendel and learning more about Jewish practice and beliefs... especially the view into the love and care God has for us via the Old Testament perspective! Sheds new light on our present New Testament hope! Loved hearing more about WW 2 as well!
K

Christy wrote: "I really liked this book even though the ending was too short and predictable. I disliked Penny right from the start and disliked her parents even more. I've had so many tragedies in my life that I..."

I struggled with Penny to begin with as well. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to like her as she was a bit annoying and frustrating initially. But then I began to sympathise with her, and understand how she'd ended up the way she was--besotted with a man because she'd lived a sheltered life and been under her parents' thumb for so long. She definitely became a lot more interested as the story progressed. She was a very real and flawed character.

I loved EVE'S DAUGHTERS and THE KINGS AND CHRONICLES 5-book Biblical fiction based on Kings and Chronicles. I highly recommend her nonfiction Pilgrimage: My Journey to a Deeper Faith in the Land Where Jesus Walked - she has such a way of painting word pictures.