Guest Review: Passing by Samaria

When the discovery of a schoolmate's lynched body puts her own life in jeopardy, Alena is sent by her parents from her beloved Mississippi home. With thousands of other African-Americans, Alena begins making her way north to the Promised Land of turn-of-the-century Chicago. On the way she meets two men who will dramatically impact her life: James, a young African-American believer determined to establish a newspaper in Chicago, and Pearl, a man with questionable intentions. A stirring novel by an exciting new writer, Passing by Samaria beautifully shows readers the path to truth, purpose, reconciliation, and joy.

I've had this book on my shelves for years. I don't know why I never
read it, nor, even why I bought it. I read it for the publishers
review contest.

It was set in 1919 mainly in the South, and in Chicago during the
riots. You can tell in the first few pages that it will be a book
over racial discrimination. The way the author describes the physical
appearance of the main character, you WILL know she is
African-American.

I love historical Christian fiction, but this book or time era or
author's style was not my cup of tea. It actually took me a month to
read this book. I just could not get myself into it. There were also
some speeches given by the characters that were very wise, but very
long winded. Overall, the story was ok. I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Amy K.

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (December 31, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576736156
• ISBN-13: 978-1576736159
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1 inches