I’m so eager to share The Divine Proverb of Streusel book review for my April book club. Yes, only one book this month even though I had selected two (one fiction and one nonfiction). It turned out to be a busy month, so I skipped the nonfiction read!
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The Divine Proverb of Streusel: Book Review
The title of this April fiction pick was all I needed to add it to my reading list, but I had also read and loved Sara Brunsvold’s debut novel, The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Kip. So I hoped this one would also be a delightful read. And it is.
Sara is a gifted writer who knows how to give readers a light-hearted page turner (gotta find out how it all works out and if Nikki will reconnect with her sweetheart) while also being rich and layered.
From the start, even the title demonstrates this. What can a lovely streusel cake have to do with a divine proverb? We soon discover, along with the main character Nikki, the handwritten notebook filled with old family recipes and proverbs.
I was quickly all-in for Nikki’s journey as she returns to her father’s family farm in the wake of her parents’ divorce and her own long-term relationship’s uncertainty. While helping her Uncle Wes remodel the old farmhouse–lots of scraping and painting–she is welcomed into the small community and discovers her heritage and herself.
My Personal Connection
Much of the story takes place in a small rural community in Missouri, and pretty quickly, I recognized it as my husband’s old stomping grounds which was delightful! I’m giving it to him to read even though it’s not usually his cup of tea to read contemporary women’s fiction. He will appreciate returning to memories of the farming life–lovely and hard ones–along with the grace and beauty of small-town church communities.
What makes it a good read?
What made me like this book so much? What makes me like any book? This could be an entire book! But for an overview, let’s just look at a handful of things.
Believable Characters Who Learn Something
I love believable and likable characters who aren’t perfect, characters whose flaws are real. Characters who grow and learn and stumble and then get up again. Sara does all this with Nikki and her Uncle West, especially. And her father. He’s the guy who left. The one who deserted his family. It’s so easy for us to believe, along with Nikki, that he’s a jerk.
But that’s not the whole story.
No spoilers: You’ll have to read it to discover what Nikki learns, along with her father and her uncle.
Real Conflict and Real Faith
Messy relationships, divorce, broken hearts and broken families are real, and Sara doesn’t shy away from this. It’s refreshing. It’s not a perfect world, and as readers, we know it.
But the conflict is not in-your-face-uncomfortable. There are painful moments (trigger warning: one very sad event), but they are set in the light of love and mercy with the backdrop of faith in one Lord and Savior.
Not heavy handed at all, but real. No preachiness. No “if you don’t believe then–” Nope. Just a beautiful illustration of God’s people at work in each others’ lives.
Real Dialogue and Just the Right Amount of Description
This author and her editors do this well. The best way to show is to share one small scene with a russet potato:
Nikki pulled the top loop of Great-Grandma Lena’s apron over her neck and tied the strings at the base of her spine. The handsewn apron fit as if it was meant for her shape, an affirmation that her great-grandma’s world, like her uncle’s, had space for her. The notebook rested in the cookbook rack. The picture of Lena holding Ann perched against the backsplash, their eyes fixed on her.
“You’re going to help me with this, right?” The most complicated thing she’d ever made was spaghetti–from jars and boxes.
The two mothers’ gazes stayed strong and sure, eyes radiating even in aged print.
Nikki took up the large russet potato. “Let’s begin.”
A Beautiful Message
While this is clearly a Christ-centered book, it’s revealed with a light touch, a sensitive perspective, and a realistic narrative.
Some Lightness
A bull named Bonhoeffer. An Aunt Emma who plays bocce ball with the Lutheran Ladies of the Lawn. Goofy, awkward, and sweet romantic moments.
A Satisfying Conclusion
We all know what it’s like to finish a book and want to throw it at the wall. What!? That’s the ending? Either it’s too neatly tied up – or worse yet, it’s not tied up sufficiently. This book has a perfectly imperfect ending. I’ll leave it at that. I closed the book and thought, “That’s just right.”
Additionally, the Author’s note at the end of the book is an even better ending, in my opinion, because the author reveals her inspiration for the story. Here are her words:
“My goal was to build an altar of remembrance. LIke Nikki, I struggled in the aftermath of my parents’ divorce, particularly in how I viewed and treated my dad. Hurt led to hardness. But God. My heavenly Father steadily chipped away at that hardness until I saw my earthly father through eyes of mercy. The last words I said to my dad on this earth were ‘I love you.’ I still choke up in deep, abiding gratitude for the rewrite God did in our relationship. Above all, this story is meant to be a testament to the fact that I, too, learned ‘no joy could be brighter than that of forgiveness received–and given.’”
In Summary
Even if you didn’t grow up in a farming community in Missouri and can’t relate to this quiet rural lifestyle, even if your ancestors didn’t speak German or save theology books about Walther, and even if you don’t like to cook or bake, this is a gem. (But I’m eager to try the Haschee (beef sauce for mashed potatoes), potato pancakes, and the eponymous crumb cake (a.k.a. Streuselkuchen).
This is a beautiful story of forgiveness and healing and faith that I think you’ll love. Comfort food + comforting messages? A winner.
What’s all this about Beth’s Book Club? Let me fill you in.
In case you missed it, this year I chose 24 books to highlight for a “reading club,” two per month. One fiction. One nonfiction. Because that’s what I love to do. Then I write a blog post about those two books at the end of the month. I chose a variety of books, and I realize you might have zero interest in reading some. That’s okay. Read what you want, if you want, before or after I post. My blog post are filled with my Beth-review and takeaways. Nothing fancy. No quizzes. Just reading fun!
Playing catch up? Here’s what you might have missed:
- February Book Club Takeaways: Remarkably Bright Creatures in a Dark World
- Breath and Life: March Book Club Takeaways
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