Ann Gabhart's novel "The Gifted"

The Gifted: A Novel by Ann H. Gabhart


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


"The Gifted" by Ann Gabhart

This is the last book of the Shakers, a group that chose to close the world out and live a celibate life- Hands to work and Hearts to God...

I loved the character Jessamine who always seem to be wanting to find out things and had not completly accepted the Shaker world. She had been brought to the community when just a young girl under 12 yrs of age. Granny had died and she had no family so a preacher man took her to the Shakers that lived nearby knowing she would have food and shelter and folks who would care about her...
The life of a Shaker was busyness from daybreak to nightfall. They had many duties and were expected to spend their day toiling. Silence at meals, silence as they walked from one duty to another -no frivolous chatting.
Jessamine and another young sister went berry picking far into the woods one day and heard a shot that began many days ahead that would be confusing to say the least. The sisters found a young man laying wounded on the ground and Jessamine felt the need to help although she knew her community would not like for these young girls to be in the company of a worldly man wounded or not. They took him back with them and the healer in their group worked to heal his wounds and he stayed with them some days because he did not know who he was "at first".
Jessamine was drawn to his difference and her thoughts strayed from her Shaker ways...
The Shakers had a letter that had been given to them not long after Jessamine had came to them but because she was so young they kept it many years -waiting till she was older-before it was opened and she was told that she had a worldly father who had loved her and wanted to share his life with her. Now she must make decisions...
Would she stay in her safe little world or open the door to another world by accepting this Father she had not known she had?
Reading the story of Jessamine -you will "feel" her thoughts tumbling one after another and the confusion she must pull into "order". I am thankful Ann Gabhart chose to tell us the story of "The Shakers" , you will learm much from reading this story.




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