Song of the Silent Harp by BJ Hoff

Ireland's inhabitants starve as the great potato famine rages. It seems not only England, but also God himself is punishing Ireland. Nora Kavanagh is sure that God is punishing her. Her husband and daughter have died. Her father-in-law and oldest son are terribly ill and she has no way to pay the rent. Her childhood friend, Morgan Fitzgerald, occasionally supplies her with food he obtained through less than honest means. When one of her two remaining sons is suddenly in peril, Nora has no choice but to leave Ireland and sail for America. Her hope lies with America and Michael Burke, another childhood friend who now serves as a policeman in New York City. Will she ever be free of the fog of despair that binds her? Will they even survive the journey to America? Sometimes the deepest and most genuine faith is born of adversity.

There is a notable difference between a book that drags because it is boring and a book that moves slowly because the author writes so vividly. Song of the Silent Harp belongs in the latter category. The author has a way of drawing the reader into each of the main characters. Although it seemed the novel was progressing slowly, I never lost interest in the book. Each character was well-developed and authentic. I would not call this book depressing, but it is a heavy read as it deals with the great potato famine in Ireland as well as sickness, death and lost love. I was pleasantly surprised that this book was far better than I expected it to be and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."