The second book in the Anthems of Zion series! The people of Zion are at it again. Two of their very own are getting married, and everyone is pleased as punch to be hosting Bradbury s wedding of the century. Their collective joy is short lived, however, as busted air-conditioners, melting cakes, and a trip to the emergency room intrude upon the celebration. Yet the congregation rallies. Led by … Yet the congregation rallies. Led by Pastor Fletcher and the stalwart Mrs. Scheinberg, they turn in faith to God s promises of life and salvation to see one another through trying days that demand patience, prayer, and perhaps another batch of cinnamon rolls.
Emily Duke, Pastor Fletcher, and the rest of Zion s quirky flock return in this compelling sequel to House of Living Stones, proving that life in a small town is anything but small.
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I sit here, fingers poised over my keyboard, hoping my review can do this book the justice it deserves and fearing I will fall short.
What I enjoyed about “The Choir Immortal”:
Every emotion under the sun – Katie had me gasping, nodding along, bursting out into laughter, wiping tears off my face, and back again throughout this book, often in the same chapter. If there is a more authentic depiction of real life, complete with its ups, downs, and sideways jolts, I have yet to encounter it. Life does not wait for you to finish feeling one emotion before lobbing the next one at you without apology. Such it is with my Zion friends and I was along for every hairpin turn of the heart. Life just kept coming, whether you were ready for it or not, and it is impossible not to identify with it intimately. Katie has a gift for capturing and moving through them all, but most especially for delivering a much-needed moment of levity at precisely the right moment.
So many lessons – The difference between telling the truth and brutal honesty. The comfort of turning to faith when it all falls down around you and you just don’t think you can take one. more. thing. Compassion. Generosity. Genuine love, even to the point of personal sacrifice. How to say goodbye with the hope of eternal life. Grappling with forgiveness, both asking for it and extending it.
The examples of friendship – One of my favorite parts of this series are the friendships, most especially that of Emily and Rebecca. The give and take, the awareness, the hugs and the knowing when to simply be present. God showers us with many blessings in this life, but the gift of friendship is one for which I am grateful. I have been humbled by the people who have been placed in my life to fill this role of “those who are family without sharing my DNA.”
Blaine – Not only is he a catalyst for addressing some of the more challenging social issues faced by Christians, but he also provides an opportunity for Lutheran theology to be explained for non-Lutheran readers.
A satisfying ending – It neither tried too hard nor undershot and failed to deliver. It was delivered with the quiet genuineness and the touch of humor that it deserved. It felt just right. I actually sighed in satisfaction.
What I didn’t care for:
Nothing, other than the fact that I am two-thirds of the way through my very favorite book series of all time. ::sob::
Life in this broken world is brimming with grief and sorrow, misunderstandings, hurt feelings, betrayal, disappointment, frustration. Glimpses of heaven still shine through, though, in joy, in laughter, in friendship, in forgiveness and absolution, in praise and song, in the quiet moments. This book is a ready reminder of all that is beautiful in this world, and yet I still look ahead to the unimaginable beauty of the world to come when I take my place in the choir immortal.
If there is food for the soul — oh and don’t doubt for a moment that there is — this book, this series, are it. Final book in this trilogy, I am both longing for and dreading you. I already miss my friends and want to roll myself right into the next part of the story without missing a beat, and yet… I know that I will relish every last moment with my friends from Zion Lutheran in Bradbury. I just won’t want it to end.