Title: Shadows of the White City (The Windy City Saga #2)
Author: Jocelyn Green
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publishing Date: Feb 2, 2021
Publisher: Bethany House
Length: 384 Pages
Links: Baker Book House | Amazon | Goodreads
About the Book:
The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she was destined never to have–a family of her own. But taking in Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski to raise and love quells those fears–until seventeen-year-old Rose goes missing at the World’s Fair, and Sylvie’s world unravels.
Brushed off by the authorities, Sylvie turns to her boarder, Kristof Bartok, for help. He is Rose’s violin instructor and the concertmaster for the Columbian Exposition Orchestra, and his language skills are vital to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant communities where their search leads.
From the glittering architecture of the fair to the dark houses of Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods, they’re taken on a search that points to Rose’s long-lost family. Is Sylvie willing to let the girl go? And as Kristof and Sylvie grow closer, can she reconcile her craving for control with her yearning to belong?
My Review:
Whew, what a read! This story was full of unexpected twists and turns that had me turning the pages instead of the housework I should have been. I simply had to know how everything was going to work out. The characters were very well developed and had their own unique lives that came together to form an incredible story. Although I also fully enjoyed the first book in this series, I have to say I loved this one even more.
One of the primary themes in this novel was the question of what makes a family. Sylvie had taken care of Rose from the time she was preschool age, and yet as a reader you see her wrestling with deep-rooted heartache over how much she is truly able to claim Rose as her own. Those fears manifest largely through overprotection and holding her too close, as if afraid to let her go. Rose loves Sylvie, but she also longs to know more of her birth family. The further into the story I got, the more my heart went out to the pair of them, and I desperately hoped that they would somehow find unquestionable assurance of their true places in each other’s lives.
I liked that this story didn’t only make me feel, but it also made me think. It caused me to think about some of the relationships in my own life, and how deeply blessed I am from them. There is more to family than just blood. To say that this story captured my heart is an understatement. I loved every moment within the pages, and I’m still not ready to let these characters go. I cannot wait for the next in this series to release, but I know that this one will always hold a special place in my heart.
*I received a copy of this book through Bethany House Publishers. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.
This book was SOOOOO good!!!
YES!!!
What a great review! You know I loved this book. I do admit that I struggled as a mom with Sylvie and Rose’s relationship. I could see how tightly Sylvie was holding on but the second she let go, bad things happened. It’s literally what every mom struggles with! I also struggled with how Rose’s treats Sylvie. I kind of wanted to yell at her a little. This story is awesome in that the reader is fully invested for sure!
I agree with you but also thought that those views made me think deeper about what makes a family and what it means to find a place where you belong. I think what I liked the most about it was that even though there were some tough concepts to wrestle with, it made me THINK.
Yes! I love Jocelyn’s novels for that very reason. I always come away from her novels having wrestled with some tough topic and having learned a whole lot.
Great review Becca. This book is not on my radar, but I will be checking it out now.
I think you’d enjoy it 🙂