Her Father's House by Belva Plain: Book Review

This book was not at all what I expected. My mother recommended it to me, and even gave me her copy to read. It sat on my to-read bookshelf for years. I guess I have learned my lesson...never judge a book--or your mother--by its cover. Wow! I know my mom tends to enjoy sentimentally sweet, somewhat predictable, feel-good stories...kind of like the ones you read at Christmas, or like a Hallmark movie. She also enjoys Christian fiction. So having those things in the back of my mind, in picking up this book and reading the title (Her Father's House...that sounds like it could be her Heavenly Father's house, right?) and in looking at the portrait of the author on the back dust cover, I just made an assumption. A silly assumption.

This is a wonderfully written, engrossing tale about a man who falls hard and fast for a charming beauty in New York City. He's a lawyer who is quickly making a name for himself, climbing the ladder of success, and so forth. Lillian seems to be a perfect match for him, and his life is charmed. Soon Lillian becomes pregnant and things start to fall apart...and he starts to question whether he really knows his wife at all. After some shocking revelations and careful planning, he makes a decision that will change his life--and the life of his child--forever.

The characters are more than believable; it's like they're your own friends, acquaintances, or family members. Belva Plain has extraordinary insight into the human mind and human nature. She writes it and you feel it, you see it, you're there. I felt Donald's pride, his astonishment, his shame, anger, fear, and hope. And I couldn't wait to find out how the story would end. Once I realized this novel was not going to be Christian fiction, I assumed it was a romance. Nope, not that either. I guess the best category for it is general fiction. Very good, general fiction. In looking up information on Mrs. Belva Plain, I learned that she died just a few years ago, at the beautiful age of 95. She wrote many, many novels, of which 22 were New York Times Best-sellers. I am most definitely interested in reading a few more of Mrs. Plain's gems. And I'm starting to wonder if I really even know my mother at all. :) 4.5 stars from me.

Get a copy of Her Father's House from Amazon.