River of Light and Shadow

(2 customer reviews)

Description

During Missouri’s Mormon Wars of the mid-1800s, the Whitlock family seeks to escape mob violence on the state’s western frontier by hiding in the rugged north Missouri wilderness where the Hill Spring Trail crosses the Chariton River. Here, in constant fear of discovery, David Whitlock meets and falls in love with Suzanna Shattuck, the independent and spirited daughter of a nearby settler.

Drawn together by love, divided by different worlds

As David and Suzanna struggle with their growing passion for each other and with the differences that separate their families, two other figures move inescapably toward each other and the young couple. In Jefferson City, legislator Jacob Randall champions the cause of Missouri’s outcasts while Sheck Rogers, a self-appointed Mormon hunter, roams the state murdering and mutilating those he suspects of belonging to a church against which the Governor has issued an extermination order. 

In this entrancing historical novel of love, fear, courage and redemption, two young lovers seek to find themselves and each other in Missouri’s untamed wilderness. 

Their families struggle to survive the politics and passions of one of the nation’s most tumultuous periods. River of Light and Shadow touches the deepest recesses of the heart while provoking, inspiring, and teaching in ways that characterize the best historical fiction.

2 reviews for River of Light and Shadow

  1. Cindy Nipper

    I listened to book 2 first and fell in love with it. Book 1 explains how the couple from book 2 met and why they were so far from family. It also gives a lot more background on the Mormon roots of this family barely mentioned in book 2.
    This book gives an historical telling of the Mormon Wars. It does not give opinions on the religion as right or wrong, but explains the differences from the Methodist faith as some of the other characters hold to, and the fears many political and regular people faced during this time. Of course much is about the persecution of the Mormons and those who allow the Mormons to live as they desire too. I felt the author did an accurate telling and stayed far from opinions on the validity of the Morman faith. The focus, besides a budding romance, was to tell of the horrific persecution of people from a different belief system than the major Christian views held by America at the time. In honesty, it’s a repeated scar across American history from the Natives, to the slaves, to the immigrants. Those nominal Christians (those in name only) persecute what’s unknown and what they’re afraid of. Many in the name of Christ, but they couldn’t be farther from the teachings of Christ!! I pray that we read books like this so we don’t end up repeating our country’s mistakes!

    The narration was impeccable!!

  2. Coolestmommy R

    You don’t know what you don’t know. And while this is historical fiction, we know it is based in fact. I had no clue about the Mormon Wars. It was a very good story but hard to listen to at times because of the treatment and the way the situation was handled. The characters are lifelike and will draw you into their story.

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