A Life of Faith: Millie Keith (Millie's Unsettled Season, Book Review #1)

You can read my introduction to the series here!

 

The A Life of Faith: Millie Keith series is wonderful. I have only read the adapted versions of the Millie novels, not the originals, but I have to say that I love the updated versions. They are humorous, well-written, full of fun, adventurous, dramatic, and Godly. I would recommend the whole series to Christian girls looking for a good, clean read. The Millie Keith books are filled to the brim with hilarious, amazing characters that you won't soon forget. I can't even begin to explain my love for these books.

 

In all seriousness, I owe my love of the Victorian era and my love of historical fiction to the A Life of Faith series (not just Millie Keith, but also the Violet Travilla and Elsie Dinsmore series).

 

*Note: The Millie series ranges from 1833-1844, starting just a few years before the Victorian era. The Elsie series starts in the early 1840s and ends in 1874. The Violet books start just three years after the Elsie series - 1877. The last tale of the whole A Life of Faith series - Violet's Foreign Intrigue - is set in 1886.*

 

I would have to say, though, that out of all of the A Life of Faith book series, Millie's tales would be my favorite. Why? Well, Millie and I are more alike than any of the other heroines, and her story is adventurous, funny, and so enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, both the Violet and Elsie series are great too, and all of them hold a special place in my heart (and always will!), but the Millie Keith novels hold a very special place in my heart.

Here is a review of the first book (be looking out for reviews on all seven other books in the series as well!):
 

Millie's Unsettled Season
(A Life of Faith: Millie Keith, Book One)
By: Martha Finley
Rating: 5 stars
Ages: 10-14

'"Oh, Aunt Wealthy," Millie cried, as Wealthy's boot touched solid ground. "It's decided!"
    "My child, what is it?" asked the older lady, dropping the letter to take the girl's hand and draw her to the sofa. "What is decided?"
         Millie spoke with a determined effort to be calm. "This morning at breakfast, Pappa told us - us children, I mean - he and Mamma had talked it over last night, and you know they have been praying about it, and..."

        "And?" Wealthy clasped Millie's hand to her heart.

        "We're moving...to...to...Pleasant Plains, Indiana."

        "The frontier!" Wealthy gasped, sinking back on the couch.' (excerpt from Chapter One)

 

Meet Millie Keith, a bright and energetic twelve-year-old living in the charming town of  Lansdale, Ohio, in 1833. Her world is about to be turned upside down when her Pappa announces that he is moving the family west to an undeveloped town on the frontier. The eldest daughter of eight lively children, Millie must shoulder responsibility for her mischievous brothers and sisters on the perilous journey and learn to trust God for her uncertain future. Will her Christian faith sustain her as she leaves behind friendships and everything she has ever known?

 

Millie's Unsettled Season is the opening chapter, the first glimpse of Millie's world that we get. Millie's father and mother, Stuart and Marcia, decide to move their family from charming Lansdale, Ohio to Indiana (it's for the best, really). ;) Devastated, Millie is forced to leave behind her beloved house and neighborhood, her friends, and a life of ease and comfort to take the long, grueling trip to an undeveloped town on the frontier - Pleasant Plains.

 

I loved the story of their journey, and I love the way her family interacts, especially the twins, Cyril and Don. They are so mischievous and funny! Honestly, all the times they made me smile or laugh... Cyril is actually one of my favorite characters of the whole series! If you read the books, you'd know why! His story was so awesome and fun! I could almost tear up just thinking about it... ;)

 

It was fun being introduced to a new town right along side Millie. She bravely faced the hardships of finding new friends, meeting and helping Indians, and just adapting to living life in a harsh, unforgiving environment - an environment where there are epidemics about every year, and life can get hard and frustrating. As always, though, there are the charms that make Pleasant Plains a wonderful place to live - such as the wonderful, absolutely superb cast mem-, er...townspeople who also call Pleasant Plains their home, and the vast, beautiful landscape!  

 

The whole story was an interesting and good opening. It was a fantastic novel! It was a delightful, informative look into the strength it took to endure life on the frontier. You really learn a lot about the Victorian era and the Western frontier without even realizing it! Wonderful. Highly recommended!