As a teen, I read all the Janette Oke books that I could, some I have read over and over (and over.) They have become my "comfort" books with friends and places I can visit again and again. It has been a while since I have read a new Oke book and I enjoyed this one! Elizabeth Thatcher is a school teacher headed from her Eastern life of luxury to a Western Canadian mining town to teach the children there, many of whom have recently lost fathers or brothers in a mining accident. It is quite an adjustment to this way of life, but Beth quickly comes to love the people of the town and several become like family in her year of teaching there.This book is dubbed by the publisher a "companion story" to the Hallmark channel television series. I haven't seen the series, only the first one. Funny what comes to my mind is that "this isn't quite like the movie!" (A note on the movie: A really appreciate the producers holding true to the original "When Calls the Heart" story for the most part and making this series based on a whole new character. This "Beth" is a niece of the original "Beth" and the niece is reading the diary of her aunt providing flash backs to her aunts story. The "Love Comes Softly" series took such a turn from the books, I am very glad they are leaving this series [one of my very favorites] alone!)
Reading an Oke book once again reminds me why I like her books. Some books I read (and even post about here) I feel the need to specify that it is better to be read by someone married because of content. But reading the last chapters of this book I was thinking how I would be glad for my daughter to read this book even as a teen. (Tiny spoiler alert...) Beth does end up with a love interest at the end, but what I love the most is how honorable he is in waiting for her and how her decision to "court" is in God's hands. They both want God's best for their life and his interest in her is based on the reality of who she is and what he observes about her passion for her students. Is it deep scholarly reading? no. But it IS an enjoyable, interesting read that has a great message for all readers. I hope you enjoy! :)
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Thank you to Bethany House for providing this copy for review. My opinions are my own.
I'm confused - did the book come first, or the mini series on Hallmark?
ReplyDeleteI started watching the series on Hallmark but because it deviated so far from the first book I thought they had just made up a story to go with the names in When Calls the Heart (and it's been a while since I read the book series so I wasn't sure about the names in the first place).
The series was first.... It doesn't sound like you've seen the movie yet. They did a movie first and the series is a spin off from that. I think what happened is that they started filming the movie from the first book, decided they wanted to make a series but not mess with the original book story as much as with the Love Comes Softly series. The "Beth" in the TV series is a niece to the orginal "Beth" in the book. The "When Calls the Heart" movie sets the groundwork for that. I haven't actually seen the tv series yet, just the movie. Yes, it's a little confusing!! But I like that they left the original story pretty much intact in the movie. (It is just used as flashbacks to "original Beth's" journal.)
DeleteIt took a little figuring for me the first time I saw it too. Maybe that will help you understand the tv series a bit more. I'd like to watch more of it. I hope it's as good as I've been hearing. I'm glad it's a different story all together, but it probably would have helped us readers if they had changed the title... ;)
I think I understand now! I didn't realize there was a movie based on the book.
ReplyDeleteSo, first: movie based on the book(s) When Calls the Heart
then: tv mini series
then: follow up book
?
I've only watched two of the episodes so far. I keep thinking I'm not going to watch it because it isn't based on the book, but I didn't realize that it wasn't intended to be based on the original book!