Bonnie Calhoun's Pieces of the Heart ~ Reviewed

Pieces of the Heart (Quilts of Love) Bonnie S. Calhoun Pages   240  Release Date   Aug 1, 2013  Publisher   Abingdon Press   ISBN  1426752725

Description:


CordeliaGrace watched Bernard Howard, the love of her young life, go off to fight for our country in WWII. And she has spent the last three years creating the Pine Cone quilt that will grace their marriage bed when he comes home. Each row of triangles signifies a layer in her life, setsof memories, hopes, dreams, andprayers for her future, enough spoken words to cover them forever. Her image of their happy-ever-after grows proportionally as the quilt expands.

But is the man that returns from the war, the same man that she remembered? Are the dark shades ofcolor that she had to use for the outside edges of the beloved quilt prophetic of her life to come? Can love and faith overcome all?

Review:

Bonnie Calhoun’s Pieces of the Heart provided quite a history lesson about World War II, I also was treated to all a quilt I’ve never heard of and the story behind it.

Cordelia's Pine Cone Quilt was started by her beloved granny for Cordelia’s upcoming 18th birthday. This quilt was a picture of the life of the owner. The history/background sewn into the quilt via well loved articles of special clothing that make the quilt a visual memory quilt. While piecing the quilt together the maker prayed for the owner. Cordelia's granny referred to the quilt as Cordelia's prayer covering, not only for her, but her future family as well.

Cordelia grew in faith as her story unfolded in testing and trial at every bend in the road. While Cordelia is finding her faith and character, her beau, Bernard is being tried at war, and brings home some serious after-effects.

This is a nice book option for readers who like to delve into meaty topics with their history. War, emotional , spiritual and physical brokenness and abuse, depression, segregation and immaturity are a few of the major hitters. Calhoun lightens up the heaviness by spanning the book over years so some of the sorrowful events don’t impact the reader too intensely.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer