 Author: Michelle Shocklee Genre: Historical Fiction Pages: 368 Release Date: October 1, 2024 Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers She was so sure she knew her family’s story . . . Now she wonders if she was wrong about all of it. 1969. When Mattie Taylor’s twin brother was killed in Vietnam, she lost her best friend and the only person who really understood her. Now, news that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for Mark’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a locked trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for. 1942. Ava Delaney is picking up the pieces of her life following her husband’s death at Pearl Harbor. Living with her mother-in-law on a secluded farm in Tennessee is far different than the life Ava imagined when she married only a few short months ago. Desperate to get out of the house, Ava seeks work at a nearby military base, where she soon discovers the American government is housing Germans they have classified as enemy aliens. As Ava works to process legal documents for the military, she crosses paths with Gunther Schneider, a German who is helping care for wounded soldiers. Ava questions why a man as gentle and kind as Gunther is forced to live in the internment camp, and as they become friends, her sense of the injustice grows . . . as do her feelings for him. Faced with the possibility of losing Gunther, Ava must choose whether loving someone deemed the enemy is a risk worth taking, even if it means being ostracized by those around her. In the midst of pain and loss, two women must come face-to-face with assumptions about what they thought they knew about themselves and others. What they discover will lead to a far greater appreciation of their own legacies and the love of those dearest to them.
 Reviewer: Adriann Harris If Michelle Shocklee was a baseball player, announcers would be shouting, she just hit a grand-slam home run! All We Thought We Knew is an incredibly evocative heart-wrenching story that will forever remain in my thoughts, and is one of the best books I have read in 2024! This remarkable story centers around Ava Delaney, her daughter Mattie Taylor, and Gunther Schneider, and how two different wars, twenty-seven years apart, affect their lives and relationships. Shocklee, with her exquisite prose, expertly interweaves each storyline delivering a significantly emotional dual-timeline on the consequences of war, secrets, fear, grief, and a touching love story, all written with Christian undertones. Being in the military myself during the Vietnam War era, I saw firsthand how returning soldiers were treated, which was unconscionable. Thus it was hard for me to condone Mattie’s very opinionated viewpoint, even though she was grieving for the loss of her twin brother, and at the same time struggling with her mother dying from cancer. Working on the horse farm with her brother’s best friend Nash, who returned home missing an arm, Mattie’s eyes are opened to other viewpoints during their heart-to-heart conversations. My heart caught in my chest when Fred, who had lost both legs, had no family and was suffering from PTSD, was introduced into the story. How Mattie took charge to make his dream come true, which in turn gave meaning and purpose to her life, warmed my heart and helped endear me to her. All We Thought We Knew is a difficult story to read at times as Shocklee illustrates through her characters how war leaves devastating lasting impacts on not only the lives of those who lived through it but also their loved ones left behind. Shocklee handles with finesse some very tough issues in our history, the internment camps during WWII, and the controversy surrounding the Vietnam War. This is also an endearing love story that slowly builds throughout this awesome book. For those who enjoy reading Christian historical fiction, I highly recommend All We Thought We Knew, a gripping story that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. ***Warning, have a box of tissues within reach for this very emotional story. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale House Publishers via Net Galley through Interviews & Reviews. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, and all opinions are my own. Reviewer: Mindy Houng “We were on different roads, with different circumstances holding us prisoner, but fear, no matter what it looked like, would eventually destroy us if something didn’t change.” What a powerful, poignant, and impactful novel about fear, grief, faith and the repercussions of war. Michelle Shocklee is a master of words, weaving a captivating story of a family that experiences WWII in 1942 and the Vietnam War in 1969. The two timelines fuse together seamlessly and, though there are multiple narrators, the voices blend perfectly to bring forth a tale that will grip your heart and soul. In 1942, Ava had the first-person's voice, while Gunther had the third person's voice. Ava was immensely likeable with her tender and beautiful heart, voice of reason and justice, and hard-working attitude. Gunther was a memorable hero - kind, long-suffering, and ever so faithful. I had not known the treatment the first generation German immigrants without US citizenship endured at internment camps during WWII and learned a lot through Gunther. In 1969, Mattie narrated in first person. She came across as a spoiled, selfish, stubborn, angry, and arrogant young woman for the first half of the book. Her anger understandably stemmed from her blinding and overwhelming grief of losing her twin and slowly losing her mom, but her judgmental ways did not endear her to me until she discovered a worthy cause and a purpose for her life. Though Nash did not have a voice in 1969, his steadfast and loyal heart was quite lovely to befriend and his steadying influence on Mattie was lovely as well. And the secrets! The family secrets will definitely bowl you over. Fans of historical fiction must pick up this newest offering by Michelle Shocklee. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers via Interviews & Reviews and NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.  Reviewer: Ewurabena Wilson
A well-written novel about suffering and new beginnings. Michelle Shocklee’s All We Thought We Knew is one of those novels that asks the age-old question: Why does a good God allow suffering? The novel, set in Tullahoma, Tennessee, revolves around two women connected by birth. In 1969, Mattie Taylor returns to a home she had left years ago upon the death of her beloved twin brother. This is not a sweet reunion as her mother is dying. Mattie’s return home will lead to her confronting her anger with her loved ones, discoveries about her family, restoration of relationships, and new beginnings at a place which she had turned her back on. In 1942, Ava Delaney is a young widow who gets the opportunity to work at Camp Forest, a place that will change her life. It is at this place that she will meet Gunther Schneider, a man who will change her life. What I liked about this novel is how the author incorporated suffering with new beginnings. It was a bit difficult to read some portions of this book in terms of the sufferings of one character. That notwithstanding, this is a very good read. I will recommend this novel to anyone who desires a book that explores beauty for ashes and hope amid suffering. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Tyndale House through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion. Leave a Reply. |
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