~The Bluebird and the Sparrow~

by Janette Oke

      Heroine:  plain/average

     Berta Berdette has never been able to get over her resentment of her beautiful younger sister with the "charmed" life and handsome husband.  All-or-nothing negative Berta is so angry that she wasn't born beautiful too, that she refuses to even try to be "just pretty", shunning lovely hairstyles and clothing and dressing in the primmest, plainest manner possible.

      But God ultimately shows Berta that her attempts to spite the people around her hurt no one more than herself, and helps her to open her heart to love: His, hers, and that of a good man.  

What worked for me:

    The story starts early in Berta's life, and the deft description of a young child adjusting to a new baby was excellent and right on target.

      I always enjoy stories which invoke warm memories of some of my favorite childhood reads like the "Little House" and "Anne of Green Gables" series.

      Size-wise there are no descriptions given to Berta or her sister.  We only know that one is "plain" and the other is "lovely".

       What didn't work for me:

     I understand what the moral of the story is, but it seems like this book just hammered it home a few times too many.  Berta's bitterness and self-pity became harder and harder to take as the years rolled by.

Overall:

     Fans of Western Historical Christian novels should enjoy this one.

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