Fields of Grace Book

Although this is book 4 of the Heart of the Prairie series, I did not have any trouble reading it as a stand alone. It reminded me very much of Janette Oke's prairie series. The main difference is this is a group of Mennonites who first moved to Russia from Germany in order to practice their faith and be assured of their sons not being drafted due to the stance again war like that of the Quakers. But Russia changes its stance and begins drafting the Mennonite young men. The Mennonites now decide to emigrate to America where there is farm land available and more freedom.

The conditions and tragedies that occurred on the ship transporting them to America were heartbreaking. The losses of spouses and children were beyond imagining leaving women with children and no husband when they arrived in America. Their struggles to be allowed through Castle Garden after health checks and worries that they wouldn't pass then led on to hardships in getting to Kansas and then problems in starting their life there. Sawyer paints a wonderfully realistic picture of early immigrants to America and what life was truly like getting here and then beginning a new life. There are 10 books in this series. I have read #1 and #4 and will definitely read the rest of the series.