Searching for Eternity
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Determined to learn the truth, Emile finds an ally and friend--who seems to be hiding secrets of her own. Together they search for answers Paperback , pages. Published October 1st by Bethany House Publishers.
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Searching for Eternity , please sign up. Be the first to ask a question about Searching for Eternity. Lists with This Book. Jul 22, Alicia Ruggieri rated it really liked it Shelves: This is the first Elizabeth Musser book I've read, and, overall, I really enjoyed it - I would definitely pick up a novel by her again.
A foreigner searching for Eternity
Set in the ss, Searching for Eternity explores how hurts done by us and to us on purpose, by mistake, or because someone meant well, but did wrong can affect us and others for generations, unless we bring those things to God, allowing Him to work in and through us, despite our brokenness. From a teenage boy the main character who suffers from a fath This is the first Elizabeth Musser book I've read, and, overall, I really enjoyed it - I would definitely pick up a novel by her again.
From a teenage boy the main character who suffers from a father's seeming abandonment to a black man suffering from cultural racism to a teen girl hurt by her horrendous childhood, we see how God suffers alongside us and will bring good from the evil, if we allow Him to do so.
In particular, I loved the very authentic French feeling of the story. The author did a marvelous job with depicting the challenges a French boy would face upon being dropped into the American South in the s and how he would adapt. I also really - and this was probably my favorite part of the book - admired the way Emile's American grandmother was depicted - Her empathy, wisdom, discernment, and compassion made her into the kind of character that, as a reader, I would love to meet and know in "real life.
The romance thread is not heavy at all, and the book will really appeal to folks who, like me, don't want that to be at the forefront throughout the book. Jul 20, Amy rated it it was amazing. Searching for Eternity is a great read. It is the first book I have read by Elizabeth Musser and it will not be the last. A beautifully well written story of overcoming, forgiveness and faith. I received this book from bookfun.
Oct 05, Amy rated it it was amazing. I love this book! The last part of the book brought everything together for me in such a way that I felt that it was exactly how it should have been. My favorite Elizabeth Musser book. I just finished reading this book again, and I still love it. Een prachtig, indrukwekkend verhaal Jun 12, Priscilla J. It is a great read. Aug 08, Deana Dick rated it it was amazing. After reading this emotional book I very quietly sat and closed my eyes.
I wanted to savor every word I had read, feel every emotion that the characters felt and think about the rich history that was scattered throughout the book. I loved the characters and their passion for what was right and wrong. It is not easy being "different" but the author wrote such a stirring and lovely story I cried at times.
Emile de Bonnery has just discovered that he is leaving France with his mother and traveling After reading this emotional book I very quietly sat and closed my eyes. Emile de Bonnery has just discovered that he is leaving France with his mother and traveling to America. There is a big secret about his father. What is his mother hiding about his father? Emile does not want to leave France, but he has no choice.
I loved his French grandmother and you could feel her heart breaking as Emile and his mother leave. The author does an amazing job of taking the characters on a journey through history starting in the s. Emile is really in for a shock when he arrives in Atlanta. They arrive at his grandmother's house unannounced. I can't imagine what his American grandmother must of thought when she opened the door. She had not spoken to her daughter in a very long time.
I loved the scenes where Emile gets to know his grandmother. I kinda laughed when he tried his first peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It is like an everyday staple for Americans, but Emile had never had it. As Emile tries to fit in at school, he finds out what it is like to be bullied. The kids make fun of his clothes and accent. He tries so hard to be liked but it is difficult. When he befriends Eternity Jones he finally has someone to talk to. I think Eternity was my favorite character.
SEARCHING FOR ETERNITY
She was a young girl who was living a hard life. She is ferociously protective of her siblings and the author handles the abuse in a very delicate way that lets readers know Eternity is strong. I think about the time she was growing up and how much responsibility she had. It was such a hardship but I think going over to Emile's house was a godsend for her. She spent a lot of time with his grandmother. The story deals with hard subjects like abuse, racism and learning about the civil rights movement. I really enjoyed how the author handles each subject with knowledge and wisdom.
It is hard to believe that these young children were faced with so much hurt, secrets and a longing to be accepted. Even long after Workd War II was over, there were still some facts that were painful to recall. This is a very intense emotional read that touches on faithfulness and God's grace and mercy. Will Emile ever find out about his father? Can Eternity overcome her home life and stand up for what she believes in?
One person can make a difference. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I received this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review. Feb 27, Barbara Lynn rated it it was amazing. Imagine being 14 years old and without warning and no explanation you move from France to the Atlanta, Georgia. Talk about culture shock! That is exactly what happened to young Emile when he finds himself going to school in Atlanta Georgia. All that Emile knows for sure is that he used to live in Lyon, France, and his father has abandoned his family and for no reason given to him, he and his mother move to Atlanta.
When he asks hi Imagine being 14 years old and without warning and no explanation you move from France to the Atlanta, Georgia. When he asks his mother why they had to move, she does not give him a straight answer, she just says "You'll love America, Emile. Emile makes friends with a classmate named Eternity who has problems of her own, she has a drunk and abusive mother, she has younger siblings that she takes care of, and does not even know who her father is.
The things the grandmother talks to Eternity about helps her deal with her problems. One lesson that Emile and Eternity learned is that forgiveness is important if you want to get on with your life. You can be mad at someone and let hurt and anger run your life, or you can forgive and get on with your life. At first I thought that the mother was too willing to move in with her mother since they had a lot of bad history, and too willing to get on with her life.
She never gave Emile the answers he needed, even when he was a grown man. But by the end of the book I understood why she did not tell him. I love historical novels because of the way the story makes the history real and you can picture what is going on. I did not know about the resistance in France and found this interesting.
I gave this book 5 stars because: Aug 22, Pauline rated it it was amazing Shelves: I first read this book in , but wanted to read it again. I was not disappointed the second time around and I'm going to stick with my first review written here. This is the best book I've read all year.
It is well written, an incredibly interesting topic to me, and an in-depth story that makes you evaluate how you handle "les moments difficiles de la vie" the difficult times of life. It reminded me of people I've known who have overcome unimaginably painful things and have done so with grac I first read this book in , but wanted to read it again. It reminded me of people I've known who have overcome unimaginably painful things and have done so with grace and trust in the Lord. Even though I have never had to face such horrors, it encouraged me to make sure I face whatever hard times I have with true faith, leaning on the Lord, giving love and forgiveness.
The only problem with this book was--life got in the way. Once I started reading I did not want to put it down, yet this was probably one of the busiest weeks with a new semester starting. It was frustrating not be able to read it in one sitting--which I could have easily done if I'd started it in the summer. I want to read more books by Elizabeth Musser. I've read The Swan House which is another excellent story so I need to see what else she has written.
I don't write glowing reviews often--but this book deserves it. You can find the story line elsewhere and on other reviews. I just wanted to let you know what I thought about the book. There are plenty of "sweet, cute, romantic" Christian stories out there--this isn't one of those-- but if you want a riveting story that challenges your thinking, read Searching for Eternity.
The way these two characters influence each other is marvelous. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. I love this book! I received this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review. The starting point of this journey is the binding character of Sacred Scripture. Now, I marvel that I missed out on the joy of reading it for so long. The characters are quite real, with questions and mess-ups.
Sep 03, Kathy rated it it was amazing. The story begins with Emile de Bonnery and his mother on a flight to America and he is furious. He does not want to leave his beloved father or grandmother to begin a new life in Atlanta, Georgia, especially since he has never met the grandmother he will be living with. He has been told that his father has abandoned him and his mother for another woman. Since Emile absolutely adored his father, this added to his fury. Emile has a rough time settling into his new life, but one thing that soothes h The story begins with Emile de Bonnery and his mother on a flight to America and he is furious.
Emile has a rough time settling into his new life, but one thing that soothes him are the cherished gifts from his father that he smuggled in his suitcase to America. Rather, he thinks his father is a spy. Eternity comes into his life and becomes a true friend to him. Through this friendship they each are able to maneuver through their teen years and all of the bullying, teasing and outright racism.
This novel is one that includes some tough topics such as racism and the Civil Rights Movement, World War II and its genocide, death and alcoholism. Emile gradually sees that there are those who will standup for what is right, even if they are the only one doing so. His grandmother was a great example of this. This is a story that lingers with the reader long after they finish the book. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to read a book with depth, great characters, and a bit of mystery.
Jun 24, Barbara rated it really liked it Shelves: This book is a Christian historical fiction novel that begins with things that happened during WW II, reveals more of those events gradually as they are needed for background, and then follows those characters through the early 's.
I loved this book, but I did feel it seemed a little bit "unevenly" written. Some parts had lots of detail but not as much happening, and then the climax of the book seemed to go very quickly and lots of loose ends were tied up at once. Most of the main characters This book is a Christian historical fiction novel that begins with things that happened during WW II, reveals more of those events gradually as they are needed for background, and then follows those characters through the early 's.
Most of the main characters in this book endure much hardship over the years. One boy is taken away from everything he knows and loves and must suddenly adjust to a new country and a new school. When he tries to find out why, he can't be told much at all because it would endanger his life. Another character is extremely intelligent, but is dealing with a terrible life at home and has had to mature too quickly. The way these two characters influence each other is marvelous. Some of the information about the trial of Klaus Barbie and the atrocities he committed are hard to read, but written in a clean manner.
Individuals secretly resisting the Nazi's and then paying a dear price afterward, murder, alcoholism, abuse, foster care, faith, salvation, forgiveness, secrets, dreams, goals, and both good and bad family relationships are part of this story. This book will encourage readers that whatever you might be going through in life there is great joy in finally trusting the Lord to help strengthen your ability to forgive and try to move forward with your life, but it is also realistic in showing some horrific events leave scars in your life that will always impact you.
Aug 31, Anne Rightler rated it it was amazing. Searching for Eternity by Elizabeth Musser is one of those books that makes a reader just say, "Wow! New schools with bullies and kids who tease the new kid on the block. Nothing is familiar, and he's homesick.
He finally meets a friend--one who's "hoping for a fairy-tale ending for her thus-f Searching for Eternity by Elizabeth Musser is one of those books that makes a reader just say, "Wow! He finally meets a friend--one who's "hoping for a fairy-tale ending for her thus-far tragic life. Where will their friendship take them? Can they navigate their world that is one of bullies and racism, abandonment, alcoholism, abuse, secrets, and lies? Where is God in all of this? Has He abandoned them as well?
Searching for Eternity. Elizabeth Musser, Author Bethany House Publishers $ (p) ISBN More By and About This. Searching for Eternity has ratings and 71 reviews. Alicia said: This is the first Elizabeth Musser book I've read, and, overall, I really enjoyed it.
As these two friends move into adulthood there are many lessons to learn. Lessons like caring for others and also understanding it's a lot harder to hate a whole group of people when you get to know individuals, and knowing there is more to life than just looking for answers. How does one learn to forgive?
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Can they learn to trust that God knows and cares and will let them in on all the secrets in His time? Musser has given readers an amazing story of friendship, family, and faith blended with the horrors of WWII and the Resistance and the hunt for war criminals.
Searching for Eternity is a raw, emotionally gripping novel--one that will leave a lasting impression on its readers. I received a copy of this book through The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review. Jan 28, Kim Buchanan rated it really liked it Shelves: Difficult fitting in to school. Befriends a girl named Eternity who has two younger siblings, Jake and Blithe. Their mother is abusive when she drinks…and she drinks all the time. Emile tries to find his way…very angry at his mother, his father.
He and his mom live with her mo The Story He and his mom live with her mother in Atlanta. He attends Northside high school. There are a couple of trips to the Varsity. She also wrote "The Swan House," an excellent book about the Orly plane crash back in the 60s. It's especially fun to hear about lots of familiar Atlanta locales. Musser's faith is a lot more evangelical than mine. Even so, I enjoy her books. Aug 03, Rachael rated it really liked it. I really did enjoy this book, but it took some time before the book grabbed me.
Parts of the book seemed to really drag so I would easily set it aside to do something else. That's rare for me. However, occasionally I set it down because of the heaviness of the read. This isn't an easy enjoyable beach read. Real life occurs in these pages..
The author deals with them well, and I loved the faith theme throughout the book. I loved how it ended because it didn't I really did enjoy this book, but it took some time before the book grabbed me. I loved how it ended because it didn't end as a fairy tale Life is like that. The ending, however, does feel a bit rushed. This book takes real life situations and applies faith and forgiveness. I love the characters in this book as well. It being written from the point of view of a young male was brilliant. I did enjoy this read and would recommend it.
Some of it may be difficult for some readers especially the torture used in WWII. Don't let that deter you from reading a book that is much more true to life than most books portray. I received this book through Bookfun for my honest opinion which I have given. Jul 04, Kari rated it really liked it Shelves: