The Miting by Dee Yoder

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Publications (March 21, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825443008
• ISBN-13: 978-0825443008

To purchase a copy of The Miting click here.

On May 19th The Miting e-book will be free, and for the rest of May it will only be .99 cents. What a deal for lovers of Amish fiction.

Leah is seventeen and Amish. Like many her age, she has lots of questions, but the temporary flight of freedom known as rumspringen is not the answer for her. She does not desire Englisher fashion, all-night parties, movies, or lots of boyfriends. Leah is seeking to understand her relationship with God, to deepen and broaden her faith by joining a Bible study hosted by an ex-Amish couple. She wants to know why Amish life is the only lifestyle her family accepts, why the church has so many rules, and . . . most disturbing, how godly men can allow her best friend to be abused in her own home. In the pressure-cooker environment of church and family, Leah is not allowed to ask these questions. When finally she reaches the breaking point, she walks away from the Old Order Amish life that is all she has known. Though adapting amiably to the Englisher world, Leah is tormented with homesickness. Returning to the community, however, entails a journey of pain and sorrow Leah could never have imagined. The miting--shunning--that will now be Leah's unendurable oppression every day is beyond her most devoted attempts to believe or understand. All the bishop and her family ask is that she abandon her practice of reading the Bible. Is that a price she is willing to pay?

My take on this book:

Leah is a seventeen year old Amish girl who has a desire to deepen her relationship with God, thing is as an Old Order Amish she has rules she must follow and truthfully questioning those rules is forbidden, that doesn't stop her for thirsting for God's word, and seeking answers. How will her family and the elders of her strict community handle this?

The Miting by Dee Yoder isn't your typical Amish fiction, sure there is a young girl looking to find her place,trying to figure out where she belongs, there is a bit of romance along with family drama but there is also a true look at the Old Order Amish lifestyle and the strictness of that life. Leah was a young girl that was very easy to connect with, and the things she wanted were very simple, she wanted to read her Bible, but the questions that brought about caused a rift, and the consequences she faces are harsh. Ms. Yoder did a wonderful job of allowing me to glimpse the Amish lifestyle. From the rules the community followed to the shunning that took place it was easy to be drawn in and become emotionally invested in the character of Leah. I think anyone who enjoys Amish fiction will find this book a must read, but it is also perfect for anyone who wants to learn a bit about the Amish. An emotionally stirring story that lingered long after I finished reading it.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.