Celebrate Lit Tours: “Tatiana” by Madeline Brock Book Review

By Ruth on March 31, 2020 in book, review

Tatiana Bergman views life through a different lens than most. She says and does what she likes without regard for hurt feelings on the way. Living in the 1840s in rural Pennsylvania, her passionate, impulsive behavior confounds her sisters and appalls her peers.

Life only gets more complicated when Tatiana befriends Jonny Creek, a mischievous young man whose Native American blood puts him on the fringes of society. Jonny is trouble; Tatiana is intrigued. Together they spell out disaster. From being chased by wolves, to bashing around fancy gatherings, the unlikely pair get into one scrape after another.

When tragedy strikes the Bergman family, Tatiana is compelled to leave the security of her childhood home to live in the bustling city of Philadelphia. There, she is forced into adulthood as she deals with a mysterious young coworker and an unsavory employer.

Tatiana struggles to subdue her wild spirit and keep her heart pure while making the right choices and wrestling with her own woman she finds herself in a battle of her will between two young men and the God she serves.

Tatiana by Madeline Brock

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

This is a Christian historical fiction book, and it is completely clean while also being infused with a very strong gospel message. I sometimes was not certain about the authenticity of the historical novel, but since I have not studied this time period, I will assume it was researched and presented correctly.

I was not overly invested in the story over much of the book. I believe it would capture the attention of young adults much more than I, but of course, I don’t hold that against the book or the author. However, even if I had been the target audience, I believe I still would have struggled to connect with the characters since most appeared to be two-dimensional. I kept wavering on my rating of this book.

Thankfully, this book had two major strengths that finally earned it a four-star rating. Tatiana was the most well-developed character in the book, and I’m happy to state that she drove the storyline in a fun and entertaining style.

I also commend the author for the wonderful story of faith included in the book. Tatiana is a devout Christian who has her foibles, but when it comes to matters of the heart, her faith guides her decision. This is an element that resonates with me on a deep level. Sometimes Christian heroines are not as vocal about their faith, but Tatiana cannot do anything quietly.

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AUTHOR BIO

Madeline Brock’s love of people, history, the Lord, and good storytelling flows over into her writing. She was born and raised in Northwest Ohio and came from a homeschooling family of seven. Madeline has loved reading and writing from a very young age.
In childhood, a favorite activity was taking family road trips across the country. Several unique part-time jobs filled her teen years. Among these were: music teacher, nanny, and a historic museum costumed guide. A chocolate factory and a produce stand were also memorable work experiences.

After graduation, Madeline spent two years on a Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. Her primary activity was teaching at a private school. Now California’s beautiful Central Valley is her home. She resides with four cats, her carpenter husband, and their infant daughter.
Two of Madeline’s favorite books are Little Women and Anne of Green Gables. She loves the timeless way the authors relate and portray their characters. Madeline strives to write with the nostalgia and emotion of her favorite authors.