Title: The Way of Eagles
Author: Joann Klusmeyer
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media
ISBN: 978-1-64908-744-7
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 185
Reviewed by: Arthur Thares
Pacific Book Review
The way of the Eagle is a unique book with a lot going on; it certainly tells an interesting story of a family – not made but built. Author Joann Klusmeyer has created a human story of love, faith, and survival which offers hope and faith to its readers.
Nelda and Abby Eckhart have landed in the United States in the 1880s with no other family and nothing to their names but some clothes. Abby is still recovering from cholera, but the orphans don’t have a chance to even make it off the dock before they encounter the first of many challenges in the New World. After narrowly escaping a kidnapping attempt, the girls find a place to stay and people they could trust; unfortunately, it also meant that the sisters would have to split up.
The two eventually make their way back to each other while building a new family along the way. As the girls mature, they fall into new roles in their lives and Abby and her talent as a musician takes center stage in the book. The two grow into young women with promising futures, with a bit of help from those around them and some unseen help. Outside of the main story, Joann Klusmeyer did something special by telling a separate story about eagles at the end of each chapter. This detached eagle story is an allegory for the trials and growth that the Eckart girls are experiencing.
The story is excellent, Joann Klusmeyer has a lot of imagination. Some parts of the book felt rushed; a little more description and fleshing out of the scenes would have been nice to better connect with the characters. Despite this criticism, The Way of Eagles is still an enjoyable book that will make your heart root for the Eckhart sisters.
There is a lot to love about this book; it does tell a lovely coming of age story. The religious undertones are perfectly sewn into the fabric of the story and never felt forceful or preachy. The addition of the mirrored story about actual eagles was an imaginative addition to the story. The Way of Eagles is an uplifting story with an ending that is full of hope.
