Worie Dressar is 17 years old when influenza and typhoid ravage her Appalachian Mountain community in 1877, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no way to care for themselves. Worie’s mother has been secretly feeding a number of these little ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when she dies suddenly, Worie is left to figure out why and how she was caring for them.
Plagued with two … them.
Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers–one greedy and the other a drunkard–Worie fights to save her home and the orphaned children now in her begrudging care. Along the way, she will discover the beauty of unconditional love and the power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma’s children.
Storyteller and popular speaker Cindy K. Sproles pens a tender novel full of sacrifice, heartache, and courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles.
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The title the author gives this book is so appropriate, and the legacy that Mama leaves is such a blessing. What a hard time, and a young woman is left with so many decisions, but she sure doesn’t have second thoughts about helping the children.
We often hear about children raised by the same parents turning out different, and here we have a great example, and soon find out that secrets hurt!
The story is told with words that would be used in the mountains, and people with so little are there to literally give you the shirt off their back.
There is a great deal of injustice that happens in this story, and greed shows its ugly head, but there is also a great love of the Lord, and a hard to do theme of Forgiveness.
This book is a blessing, we need to count ours and this story should help you appreciate all that we have, and maybe appreciate all our blessings.
I also love that the story included an epilogue, and we are given closure!
I received this book through LibraryThing, and was not required to give a positive review.
1877, Appalachian Mountain, Tennessee.
The book is written in first person, with a slang-english I suppose, a bit difficult for me because english isn’t my mother-language.
The story is fast to read, detailed, emotional.
IN the mountain a big sad fever is around, many people dead.
Worie is 17 yo, her Momma teach her to read and write, to ride into the vagon, to grow the garden, to can vegetables..
“Mountain women shovel their feelins over the shoulder and go on.”
Thank you for let me read this book to the author, Interview&Review, Revel, Netgalley.
‘Life ain’t easy in these mountains. When the messes happen, you swallow the ache and do what has to be done.’
When you close the last page of a book weeping, you know you have been blessed and moved greatly.
This is what happened as I finished reading ‘What Momma Left Behind.’
Worie Dressar is 17 in 1877 when typhoid and fever is spreading like wild fire through the Appalachian mountains where she lives. Many children are left orphaned on Sourwood Mountain and Worie’s momma has been feeding them. Then her momma is gone and Worie faces a tough decision. She has two sorry brothers, so if a decision must be made, it has to be hers.
‘Mountain women shoved their feelins over their shoulder and go on. It’s what they do. It was what I would do.’
Cindy Sproles brings Worie to life right before our eyes. Worie Dressar is hard-headed, strong-willed in both mind and body and thinks her way is the only way. She does not suffer fools gladly and is not hesitant to tell them so. She’s also pretty much mad at the world and tosses her words out not even seeing how much they hurt they cause.
Cindy Sproles’ last two novels touched me so deeply that I longed to read another from her, so when I saw this one coming, I was eager to read it. Sproles is the best at bringing the people and ways of Appalachia to life right before our eyes. Every word is a treasure to take into your heart as you read.
‘You know I always tried to do what was right. But hard times calls for hard measures.’
Sproles’ writing is a wonder to read as she gives her characters and their emotions a home in your heart, causing you to keep them there long after finishing the book. And there are wonderful spiritual lessons here too: forgiveness, restoration, grace, just to name a few.
Captivating from start to finish, this book is an absolute must read. It moved me deeply and transported me to those wonderful Appalachian mountains.
* My thanks to Revell Publishing and the author for a copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.