Book Tour ~ An Absence So Great

"An Absence So Great" by Jane Kirkpatrick

Publisher's Summary:
Inspired by the engaging stories told through her grandmother’s photographs taken at the turn of the century, award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick provides a portrait of the tension between darkness and light in the soul of a young woman pursuing her professional dreams.

Despite growing in confidence as a photographer, eighteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele’s personal life is still at a crossroads. Hoping she’s put an unfortunate romantic longing behind her as “water under the bridge,” she exiles herself to Milwaukee to operate photographic studios for those ill with mercury poisoning.

Jessie gains footing on her dream to one day own her own studio and soon finds herself in other Midwest towns, pursuing her profession. But even a job she loves can’t keep those painful memories from seeping into her heart, and the shadows of a forbidden love threaten to darken the portrait of her life.

Author Bio:

Jane Kirkpatrick is an award-winning author of sixteen historical novels, including A Flickering Light, the first part of Jessie Gaebale’s story, and three nonfiction titles. Known for her unique insights into the exploration of community, family and faith of actual historical women, the Wisconsin native and her husband have called their ranch in Oregon home for the past 25 years.

My Thoughts:
I was very much looking forward to this sequel to A Flickering Light. I've always loved this author for her rich historical details and her characters. While An Absence So Great was the continuing story of Jessie Ann Gaebele I think it can easily be a stand alone novel and can be read without having to read the first. I do think reading the first definitely would just enhance the story though, as so much is revealed about the characters and why they are the way they are. I haven't finished this one yet, I've just have had a lack of time this last week to read but when I am able to pick it up I'm immediately drawn into the life of Jessie as she struggles to live her dream of being a woman photographer at the beginning of the 20th century and outrun her guilty feelings. Being an independant woman in the early 20th century was no easy thing and Jessie must learn from her mistakes and stand up for herself even at her young age. I appreciated the author's research into what it was like for photographer's when it was such a new art and business and all the dangers that went with it. And knowing that the story is based on the life of the author's grandmother just makes the story that much more interesting. Actual photograhs that Jessie Ann had taken are included and just enrich the story.

Thanks to Waterbrook Waltnomah Publishing Group for providing this book for review.

"An Absence So Great" is available for purchase here.

P.S. Please excuse the wonky print sizing. I don't know what blogger is doing and after several attempts to fix it it remains the same.