Hannah Rose

Hannah Rose: Book Two of Ahab's Legacy
Author: Gouge, Louise M.
Publisher: River Oak, 319 pages


After wintering with relatives in Indiana, Hannah Ahab returns to Boston with her young son Timothy. There she tries to recreate a new life for herself, away from the shadows of Ahab's legend. She resolves to travel through Europe, but a budding romance with the handsome Captain Longwood grounds her to Bostonian shores, and she find herself at odds with her old friend David Lazarus. Hannah's inner conflict grows when Captain Lazarus presses her to take a stand against slavery. Resolved to maintain her distance from God, she's confronted with the misery of humanity not only in the eyes of the free Negros but also through the torn families of Ahab's sailors.

A well-crafted novel that's rich in detail and characterization, the reader gets a glance at pre-civil war Boston, told through the uncertain eyes of Hannah Rose. Hannah's inner journey takes her from fleeing her troubles to the point of facing them. However, this novel still left me wondering about Hannah's relationship with God, and how her varying experiences changed how she viewed Him. I wish the author would have taken Hannah's spiritual journey deeper and ended with a stronger conclusion.

Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical
Audience: Adults
Language: None
Morality: A sub-plot deals with the rescue of a "woman of the street"
Romance: Light romance illustrated by hand-holdings and kisses to the hand and cheek.
Sex: None
Substance use: None
Violence: Fist fighting, a cat is discovered abused and must be killed

Discussion topics: Spiritual discussion topics are included at the end of the book which address some of the character's flaws and decisions.