Friday, October 2, 2015

The Imposter - Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Stoltzfus family has seen their fair share of trials over the last few years but as Katrina Stoltzfus reached adulthood things seemed to be looking up with new love and direction in her life. 
However, between church politics, family antics, and a few bad choices Katrina's life is getting more complicated by the day.





Once again I've jumped into a series mid-plot ( a habit i'm starting to become accustomed too) so I was pleasantly surprised to find this story stood reasonably well as a stand-alone with prior book references merely strengthening my desire to go back and become better acquainted with the Stoltzfus family.
This was an even bigger surprise as Amish fiction (my husband and I debated this but i'm convinced Amish fiction is its own sub-genre) is not my go-to genre.Suzanne's characters are so lively and honest that they transcend their genre to be simply warm, inviting, and intriguing characters who beckon readers into their world.

That said, I feel that The Imposter would find its most loyal fans among those who appreciate Amish fiction, Women's fiction, or even coming of age stories thanks to the character of Katrina, Jesse, and  Birdy (the latter may be arguable given Birdy's age but her plot felt as much of a coming into her own as Katrina's did). Fisher's book finds it's strength in it's wonderfully written relationships, characters, and emotional turmoil (not to mention a cup of tea and a cozy blanket).


For myself, I found myself drawn in by the characters. A novel without characters is just a retelling of facts or a poor essay. Novels need living characters to breathe life into them and Fisher has some good one.

Katrina was a wonderful character who surprised me with the decisions she made and her strength of character.I particularly enjoyed her interactions the widow Thelma (who really should have a story of her own!)

Jesse was another fascinating find. I loved Fisher's honesty with this teen who wasn't sure how to settle down. The relatability that Fisher was able to craft into the various Stoltzfus members really  shows her skill as an author.


I also found The Imposter  capable of holding my attention thanks to its varying range of dilemma's (no spoilers but range from the hilarious in my opinion to the honest and raw) as well as its ability to showcase differing sides. Throughout the book readers are gifted the chance to see things from the Stoltzfus children's perspective and their fathers, Katrina and Andy's point of view. I love that even though the story keeps returning to Katrina readers aren't left to understand merely from her perspective (a good technique but one that would have cheapened this story).

Overall. I was impressed with The Imposter and easily put it near the top of other Amish fiction I have read.
4.5/5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion through Nuts About Books. The opinions expressed are entirely my own/

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