The Englisher

The Englisher by Beverly Lewis

This is the second book in the Annie's People series. The Englisher picks up where The Preacher's Daughter left off. Lou is still living with the Plain people. Annie has just promised her father to stop painting. Esther is still living with the Mennonites. Zeke is just finding out about the murder of his little brother.
Lou has a fancy friend, Courtney visit. We soon find she was sent there by Lou's ex fiance to get Lou to come home to Denver. The visit doesn't go well, but it does make Lou think about when she should return to her old life.
Annie finally agrees to see Ben. They begin 'dating'. Annie even borrows some of Lou's clothes to go out with Ben to a theater performance. All the while she struggles with the knowledge that she and Ben shouldn't be dating.
Lou hooks up with Sam, an Amish boy. They begin to totally fall for each other. Lou doesn't think she could ever be Amish and doesn't know what to do about her feelings for Sam.
Esther is forced to return to Zeke. She is put under the ban. No one can speak to her. She can't eat at the same table as her family. She cannot sleep in the same bed as Zeke. But Zeke being Zeke sneaks into her bed........but still makes her eat at a separate table. He wants her to bow to his will.
Zeke befriends Ben and tries to get Ben to go to the police about the buried bones of Isaac. Ben refuses to bring the outside world into the Amish one. (Ben is not Amish.) Zeke calls the police himself. They take him to jail. We don't really find out why.
Lou up and leaves in the middle of the night and returns to Denver. I didn't see that one coming. It wasn't explained very well.
Annie's father catches her with Ben. He tells her they can never see each other again. Annie writes Ben a letter. He is heartbroken and decides to return to Kentucky. Annie leaves her family home and moves in with Esther to help her. This will be like Annie is shunned by the Amish also.
I was surprised to find out that the Amish, although Christian, don't seem to buy into the atonement or savior part of Christ. At least that is the picture painted by Lewis. Most of their preaching is in High German and is not understood by everyone listening. To think you are saved by Christ is prideful and that is why Esther is banned.....because she has accepted the Savior as her savior. Also having talents is prideful which is one reason Annie is in trouble with the people and her father. Her talent for art and beauty is frowned on. Also this society is very patriarchal, but not in a good way. The women seem like servants to their husbands and are expected to do the exact will of the husband. The Mennonites on the other hand are Christians that believe in being saved and having a relationship with Christ. Their marriages also seem more of partner marriages instead of a leader and followers.
I know Lewis has a big following and this book has received good ratings on other sites. I liked it because it was clean and I learned things I didn't know. On the other hand this particular book didn't seem to flow very well. I felt like better explanations about events were needed. Maybe she is trying to create mystery, but it felt like confusion instead.
Rating 3
Rating G