The Brethren

The Brethren by Beverly Lewis

Louisa has stayed in Denver and has started teaching art classes again. Michael wants to get back together. Louisa still talks with Julia, Annie's Mennonite cousin. Because of this Lou is beginning to believe in Christ. Her Amish love, Sam, has decided to leave the order. Nothing with Lou is ever resolved.

Ben comes back from Kentucky after finding out that he was adopted. He was found when he was four and no one ever claimed him. He only spoke Dutch and his family suspects that he came from an Amish community. Ben and Annie discover together that he is Isaac, Zeke's brother and the little boy that disappeared from their community years ago. The bones that were found by the preacher were not Isaac's. They were a little girl. Ben and Annie have a hard time convincing the community that Ben is Isaac.

Zeke is taken to a mental hospital. He is treated for depression and anxiety. He finds out that Esther is pregnant again. The Mennonites pray with him and he is convinced of a Savior. He returns home a better man. He will be banned or shunned for disobeying the laws of shunning and sleeping with his wife.

Annie decides that she will leave the Amish community and become fancy so that she can be with Ben. She cuts off her hair and buys fancy clothes.

As Annie makes this choice, Ben decides that he will be baptized and join the Amish community. His birth father returns and begs forgiveness of the community and is embraced by them. He identifies Ben as Isaac. He sees Zeke and Esther even though they are shunned.

Annie decides to also be baptized and give up her art so that she can marry Ben. After a year of marriage her father talks to the other brethren and Annie is allowed to paint and draw as long as she doesn't paint people.

Although I liked this book because it finally came out that Ben was Isaac.........which I already knew, I still think things never seemed to come full circle. Louisa just sort of left the picture and never came to any conclusions in her life. Esther and Zeke have Mennonite beliefs and are shunned from the Amish community, but instead of becoming Mennonites they just stay shunned Amish.

Rating 3
Rating G