Cover Image: Shadow among Sheaves

Shadow among Sheaves

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

A historical fiction novel that takes us to Britain's Imperial control over India. Can a British officer and a young Indian girl find love? But the story doesn't end here. It takes us back to the story of Ruth and Naomi.

Was this review helpful?

India 1857.
A violent fight begins against British rule, called The Great Rebellion, due to forced social reforms and land tax. Rena falls in love with a British Army Officer Edric Hawley, after a quick courtship they marry and tragically he passes away.

Rena decides to travel with her mother-in-law Lady Hawley back to England and to Abbotsville. The women aren't prepared for how they would be treated once on British soil, none of widowed Lady Hawley’s extended family will help them because of Rena, they struggle to find a place to live and feed themselves.

Rena endures terrible prejudice, nasty remarks about her and most of all about her character. Rena lived a comfortable life in India, her father worked as a translator for the British Army and now she’s destitute. A desperate Rena goes searching for food, and she meets Lord Barric Fairfax. His tenant farmers are harvesting his wheat crop, he allows Rena to collect the left over grain and she sells it in Abbotsville for a few coins.

Soon everyone is talking about the Indian beggar woman, and why is Lord Barric helping her and it must because she’s granting him special favors? Rena is an outcast, imagine how she feels being the only person of color in Abbotsville and watching her beloved mother-in-law suffering?

I received a copy of Shadow Among Sheaves by Naomi Stephens from Barbour Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This story really took me by surprise, it’s well written and held my attention. The narrative covers subjects such as racism, how widows struggled to survive at the time and how long was a suitable time of mourning, homesickness, poverty, duty, secrets, inheritance laws, and a finding love again. I highly recommend this book, based around a biblical story and four stars from me.

Was this review helpful?

It took me a while to get into this book but after the first chapter I was hooked. Beautiful story of sacrifice and love and pain and misunderstanding. I loved the parallel between this and the biblical story of Ruth and Boaz. This isn't a beach read - there is too much depth. But it is certainly a worthwhile and enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

Oh how I loved this book! It's been a while since I have read a Biblical retelling. The story of Ruth is one of my favorites and I just loved this allegory. I appreciated thinking about Ruth as a foreigner in the land. I hadn't thought before about how that might have been for her. This book opened my eyes to that. I loved the love story between Rena and Barric. I loved his gruff exterior, but kind heart. He did have a lot of privilege and snobbery that was annoying at times, but probably realistic. I loved Rena's devotion to Nell and her strength and dignity in the face of so much opposition and ridicule. Overall I think it tracked well with the story in the Bible, but I think it could still be appreciated by those who are unfamiliar with that original text.

Was this review helpful?

I really wanted to love this book, and the author is a brilliant storyteller, but the attempt to connect this story to the Biblical book of Ruth rather spoiled it for me. Without a community living in the beauty of Yahweh's Torah, the book of Ruth doesn't make sense or work well at all, and as such, the way Rena was treated in this book was rather horrific to me. I loved the insights into Indian culture as well as English culture at this time period, and I felt the author had a great story to tell about these cultures, but by trying to follow the Ruth story even a little, the story just didn't work well as too many parts became unrealistic and unbelievable. Rena's mother-in-law's plan was awful and completely unrealistic for this time period, and Lord Barric completely missed the mark for me as a Boaz character or even a likeable hero at all. Rena's first husband was a much better man which made for a sad story overall. Nonetheless, I found the book hard to put down because this author really is a brilliant writer, and I would absolutely read another book by her so I hope she writes many more books!

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this story very much. It kept my attention from the beginning to the end. The relationship of Rena and Nell was so loving, and you could feel that each cared for the other. I also enjoyed the interaction of Rena and The Barric, and how they came to love each other.

4.5 stars for this read.

Was this review helpful?

What a wonderful retelling of the biblical story of Ruth and Boaz. The setting of Victorian England and the colonization of India was an excellent choice. The one thing I disliked was the character, Barric, who was the equivalent of Boaz. I just didn’t like him at all. But if you go into the story understanding that there are not perfect equivalents of every characters from the bible. However, the racial and religious issues that are presented are similar to what Naomi and Ruth would have experienced.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shiloh Run Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Was this review helpful?

This book was a super interesting take on a Ruth Biblical retelling. It was nuanced and relevant and I adored the characters. This is the first Naomi Stephens novel I've read, but her storytelling was wonderful and I thought it was super unique the time period and cultures she placed this story in. I'll definitely have my eye out for more from her.

Was this review helpful?

I have read a couple of other Ruth and Boaz retells as I love the story. Unfortunately this one was a disappointment for me, in spite of this being my second or even third try.

Was this review helpful?

I love a good retelling of Ruth (as seen recently with How the Light Gets In and not so recently with In the Field of Grace), so Naomi Stephens’ debut novel Shadow Among Sheaves delighted me in every way.

When both Rena and her British mother-in-law Nell lose their husbands and become widows, they decide to return to England from India. Yet, when they arrive, Rena quickly discovers that life is no easy task for an Indian widow. At times, the obstacles feel insurmountable, and only with the help of the reluctant Lord Barric can she thwart starvation.

The parallels between Rena and Ruth are easy to discern, and I wholly enjoyed seeing the familiar story in a fresh, historical context. Stephens brings to life the plight of the widow and the foreigner in vivid detail, and it is excellently done. For the reader who enjoys historical fiction and biblical retellings, Shadow Among Sheaves is a must-read.

Was this review helpful?

What Do I Think of This Biblical Retelling?
Will you forgive me if I say I don’t know? I really don’t. So, I think I’m going to just give you the good, the bad, and the verdict. Maybe that’ll help me sort out my thoughts.

The good:
Brilliant writing. Seriously, this woman can spin a lovely tale that holds your attention and keeps you wanting more.
Ms. Stephens knows how to write a consistent character who holds your interest. Even Lord Barric, who is rather erratic, is consistent in being so.
The story is interesting, compelling, holds your attention for the most part, and does it all without being pretentious. One of the best things that Naomi Stephens did was to stick to the spirit of Ruth and Boaz rather than attempt recreating the exact story in two cultures so very different from the original cultures.
The bad:
This is more of a warning for others than my problem. I read a paperback that was not marked ARC, which might be why I didn’t have some of the problems others did. I also could have gotten interrupted at just the right moment so I missed it. But supposedly there is an idiom of the time that uses the word “bastard.” This is not used in a swearing way—but rather in a common speech way. It would have been said, at the time, in mixed company.
I caught sight of a use of hell, and while I don’t remember the exact place, I do remember thinking, “Well, she didn’t use it for swearing.” Still, some people are complaining that the book has unnecessary language in it. So, I either missed it because of having to start and stop so much, OR… they had ARCS (which I suspect) and it was all removed later.

Lord Barric/Boaz. I didn’t like him. The whole time I felt like a likable, relatable Barric was right on the edge… just hovering there. But he didn’t arrive. I suspect this is due to the character wrestling against caring for someone who will bring censure on his title. The guy is an Earl. This is a real concern for him. However, this deviated so far from the part of the real story that I was disappointed. See, Boaz is my favorite character in God’s version of this story. He wasn’t in Ms. Stephens’s.
The vitriol.
Look, I know she needed to show us just how badly Rena would be treated in Victorian society, but Ms. Stephens did treat us to a lot of reminders of the uncouth things men would say to and about her. Instead of making me sympathetic to her, it just got wearisome.

The proposition: Where Rena has to offer herself to Barric’s family (not a spoiler. We know it has to happen some way) is where the entire story broke down for me. I’ve seen reviews talk about it—how “racy” it and the post-marriage scenes were. While they are more sensual than some books, I wasn’t actually uncomfortable, and we all know what a prude I am.
What I was uncomfortable with was the method. It absolutely does not work for the height of the Victorian Era (right as Prince Albert dies.). What the Naomi character recommends Rena do just would not have happened. Period.

This actually ruined the book for me.
I promptly deducted a star for it because in a book that was so good to stick to the theme and tone of Ruth/Boaz without being too “on the nose,” that’s exactly what Ms. Stephens did there. The scene on the threshing floor in the Bible isn’t a sexual one, but it did have the potential to ruin Ruth’s reputation if she was observed. Perhaps that’s why the author used it so literally, but it rang untrue to me in reading Rena in Barric’s bedroom at night when there were many alternate options that would have worked in English society.

That’s what God did in His version of the story—He used the customs of the society in which Ruth and Naomi lived to play out His plan for their lives.

The verdict:
While Shadow Among Sheaves didn’t live up to its potential or my hopes, it was a good book, well written, and engaging. The spiritual content wasn’t there on Boaz’s side, which bothered me, but Rena’s saving faith felt natural and understandable as a result both of Nell (Naomi)’s example and the parson’s involvement in their lives.

All in all, I wanted to love it, but I didn’t. I liked it, but it was just a bit above “okay.”

Still, I’ll be watching Naomi Stephens’s books in the future. I do really enjoy her writing.

Was this review helpful?

This one fell short for me - I couldn't quite get myself to want to continue turn the page. I decided to put it down for now and I'll try again at another point int time.

Was this review helpful?

I was strangely enthralled with this story as soon as I started. It is not a high action story, which is what usually keeps pages turning, but I was pulled into the story and I could not put it down. I ended up staying up waaayyyy too late just to finish.

When I first read the description I was intrigued with the idea and wondered how Naomi would frame the the story in 1850s England, and I think she picked the perfect setting; an Indian woman followed her mother-in-law, Nell to the land of fair skinned English.

Other similar period books I have read have shown Indian men and women in an exotic viewpoint, often as servants. Naomi doesn’t shy away from the realities of racism and how close to starvation the ladies became. But in all of that, she doesn’t allow the story to get bogged down to the point of tear preferring to lift it with Rena and Nell’s determination to survive and thrive despite their circumstances.

I admire both women for their dedication to each other when splitting up could have made their lives easier in some way, they stuck like glue, a thread of love woven between their hearts. Nell has a strong steady faith and is patient with Rena and her faith journey.

I am not sure how I feel about Barric. On one hand he is stern and distant, struggling with his own prejudices. On the other, his heart slowly turns, running quietly deep. He learns to stand up to others and their assumptions, how to follow his heart. Barric will never wax poetic to the masses with the grand declaration, but I believe his love for Rena will only grow.

For this story, the end is just the beginning.

I received a copy of this story. I was not required to provide a positive opinion. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Shadow Among Sheaves is a beautiful allegory to my most favorite Old Testament story. This “new to me” author could have destroyed this love story, between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law as well as between a man and a woman, but instead, Naomi Stephens offered a perspective that only highlighted the allure.

Rena is mocked and ridiculed mercilessly in Victorian England due to her race. It only rubs salt in her wonder, widowed heart. All the promises her Edric made died with him. I felt her empty heart as she tried to keep it from breaking even more. The cruelty of the town would have destroyed her further if not for the rescue of her “ Kinsmen Redeemer”. If only Barric wasn’t such a stubborn mule of a man. Of course, all things happen in God’s time, even in fiction. 😉

I would have liked our Human redeemer to be less mule headed, but I guess it was fitting. If you did not feel something for him, or any other character, Naomi Stephens would have failed in her job of writing such a gripping story. Bravo, my dear.

* **I was provided a copy of Shadow Among Sheaves from Shilo Publishing and Naomi Stephens through CelebrateLit Publicity so that I would give my honest opinion about this amazing story.

Was this review helpful?

It's been a long time since I read a book that so wholly captured my attention! I started reading one evening, and I didn't stop until I'd finished the book ... at 2 a.m.!

I loved so many things about Shadow among Sheaves. Rena is a wonderful character, and her devotion to her mother-in-law Nell above all else feels very true to Ruth and Naomi in the Bible. I hated the discrimination that Rena faced as an Indian woman in England, but it definitely rang true to the time and the circumstances. The plot is incredibly engaging, and the experience of reading the book is enjoyable.

I loved watching Rena and Barric's relationship develop in the first half of the book. But after that, I wasn't sure that Barric deserved Rena. I even went back and read the book of Ruth to see what Boaz was like—while not a ton of his character is shown, he definitely is kind. Kind is not a word I would use to describe Barric. At all. Barric is understandably concerned about his reputation when he is associated with Rena, and I can't really hold that against him. However, he is also incredibly unpredictable, letting Rena in and then suddenly pushing her away. He never considers her feelings over his own. He seems driven by lust, not love. He does not treat Rena well. What's to say that would change after marriage? I ended up liking Barric's playboy brother Charlie more than I liked him.

So, ultimately, I'm torn when I think of this book. I loved much of it. I hated bits of it. Still, I would recommend this captivating retelling of the story of Ruth.

Was this review helpful?

This was an interesting rewrite of the story of Ruth and Boaz. Rena the widow of Nell’s son returned to England with her after Rena’s son died. She had been despised by her neighbors in her hometown in India for marrying an Englishman. As she arrived in England she also was subjected to gossip and whispers because of her different skin color and manners. Rena tried her best to provide for her mother in law Nell, provided gleaned grain and scanty shelter in alleys and doorways.
Although Lord Barric after finding the young woman gathering grain from his fields was a relative and providing for her, he was distant and not as warm that Boaz in the Biblical account seemed to be, it works.
This is an interesting first novel for the author.

I found it quite entertaining although it took me a long time to finish, that had nothing to do with the content of the book. If this had been a print book it would have been done in less than a week. I really just do not enjoy reading e-book format as much as one with pages. I am terrible about having at least 4-5 books going at the same time. So when a book ends up on my iPad then sometimes it falls by the wayside.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC copy and the review and thoughts are my own and not influenced by this.

Was this review helpful?

What an interesting take on Ruth from the Bible. Yes, it's worked into another setting, but I still found it to be a superb read. I found it to be emotional, and strong, faith-filled and just awesome.
I am now following this author.

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

Was this review helpful?

This was not the book for me. I think I a, learning as a reader that Biblical fiction is not the right genre for my reading preferences. I hope that the perfect readers for this book have found it. I will also recommend it to those that I know that enjoy these types of stories.

Was this review helpful?

Naomi Stephens gave life into Shadow Among Sheaves which succeeded in carrying me into what seemed to be a difficult life for Rena. The importance of Family and Good neighbors is a lifelong journey and it continues to be a struggle over the years as we are shown here. Thank you Netgalley for this selection.

Was this review helpful?

It's taken me a while to read, only because life issues have gotten in the way. It took a little while to get it into it, but once I did I didn't want to put it down. The story is set in the 19th century. What I loved was the character development of Lord Barric and Rena.

Was this review helpful?