The
Saskatchewan Saga
by Ruth Glover
A Place Called Bliss
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A Place Called Bliss chronicles the
stories of two families from Scotland who yearn for a new
life in Canada. One family sees the light of freedom from
a life of servitude and the other a good life among the
elite of Toronto society. Although the two families are
tied together through a long-standing master / servant relationship,
they will also discover a new connection that ties them
even more tightly together. What will their lives hold in
this new land? From the untamed wilderness of Saskatchewan
bush country to the more established and cultured society
of Toronto, both families realize the importance of love,
family, and God on their journey to a place called Bliss.
I enjoyed this first book of the Saskatchewan
Saga series. It gave great detail into the lives of the
characters and their reasons for wanting to leave their
homeland of Scotland. The details of the voyage over were
well thought out and provided a veil of mystery that left
the reader guessing about the truth behind the births on
the great ship. It was heart breaking to visualize the difference
in care for the poor in comparison to the rich on the ship.
This book reminded me somewhat of Janette Oke's book The
Meeting Place in that the same anguish of choice can
be felt throughout the book. I won't elaborate for those
who have not yet read this book. This is a must read as
a good introduction to the rest of the series. It is as
unremarkable as it is enjoyable. In that I mean it is a
light, entertaining read. I applaud it as it has a Canadian
setting, is of pioneer historical era, and relays a gentle
message of love and dependence on God for all needs.
Thank you for another great Canadian pioneer
series, Ruth Glover! While Janette Oke is world renowned
for her many books set in the Alberta prairie, Ruth Glover
has earned herself a worthy place among the Canadian fiction
set.
With Love from Bliss
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This novel continues the theme of freedom
across the sea in the new land of Canada. This book chronicles
the stories of two young women who embark on the journey
to Canada and the wilderness of northern Saskatchewan. One
on the journey for revenge, the other seeking a life of
freedom. Their lives will become entwined with two young
men who are attempting to tame the west in their own ways.
What will their future hold?
The majority of this book details the lives
of the two women before they even embark on the journey
to a town called Bliss. It gives great detail and insight
into the characters and their motivation for wanting to
leave their present situations but. I found it was almost
overdone. I was itching for the beginning of their voyage
and the adventure to begin which didn't until the book was
half way through.. That said, the characters were endearing,
especially the Bible verse spouting Kerry. It was an enjoyable
read all around.
Journey
to Bliss
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This last book chronicles the lives of three
women who bind themselves together in friendship as they brave
the western frontier of Saskatchewan as mail order brides.
Each is seeking an escape of one kind or another and they
are all on a journey towards a new life, a new love, and a
relationship with God. Each woman has strengths and weaknesses
which make for different reactions to different situations,
thus steering their futures to different conclusions. Just
when it appears they are in a situation that will be exceedingly
dangerous or tiresome, God reveals that He has had them in
the palm of His hand all along.
I believe I enjoyed this book the most out of
all three. The motivations for the three girls to leave their
homeland are each worthy and well-described. The way in which
they bond themselves to one another depicts an unity of friendship
that almost every woman yearns for in dreams or reality. It
depicts a fierceness, loyalty, support and love between them
all.
I found the plot to be somewhat predictable,
particularly the ending. Although I had predicted the outcome
to come a few pages earlier, looking back at it, I realize
the author had several story lines to tie up neatly. Perhaps
it is the predictability and the knowledge of what is to come
that renders the reader's heart to quicken as the ultimate
resolution is reached. Without that it would have been an
"oh puleeze!" ending. There is no denouement, nor
is one at all required.
I found that it required some suspension of
disbelief, but by the time you've read the previous 2 books,
you can easily give that to this one. It seemed to me that
far too many descriptions were given to the bareness of the
prairie than to the beauty of it or the bush country. Being
a prairie girl myself, I am more aware of the beauty of the
prairie than I am of the aching bareness and disquieting solitude
some find in it. I was saddened to feel the prairie depicted
so hauntingly by one of the main characters. I wanted to cry
out "No! Wait! You've got it all wrong! Look at this...."
However, one cannot discount the experiences of another -
even that of a character in a book.
Again, I would recommend this series to any
lover of historical fiction, particularly pioneer era writing.
I would not hesitate to read another of Ruth Glover's books.
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