The Orchard: A Vietnam War Homefront Amish Romance

The Orchard by Beverly Lewis is a touching Amish tale. It is well-written with relatable characters. We get to know Ellie Hostetler and her family. Ellie along with her twin brother, Evan and their parents are the central characters. We follow them as they go about their day to day lives during the Vietnam War. Evan gets a low number is the draft lottery. He failed to register as a conscientious objector, so Evan is soon drafted and sent off to war. The Hostetler's live in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania which has a close-knit Amish community. Everyone is praying for Evan to return home safely and return to the fold. Ellie loves her family orchard. If she had been born a boy, Ellie would inherit the orchard she loves. Instead, Evan is the one who stands to inherit the farm, but he is not sure that is the path he wishes to go. There are several subplots. I like how everything worked together. The point-of-view switched between Ellie and her father, Lyle. The Orchard is a good book, but I did not find it as engaging as this author's previous novels. The biggest problem was the pacing which was leisurely (you know the 90-year-old woman with the walker who slowly goes across the road while you are waiting to turn right—that is the pace of this book). It took quite a while for the author to set the stage (introduce the characters, the orchard, etc.). I admit that I did some skimming to get through it (laundry days, all the meals, letter writing). I wish there had been some editing (take out about a hundred pages). I like the characters strong faith. They know that God is watching out for them, and they are firm believers in the power of prayer. I did feel that the author captured how people felt about the Vietnam War and conscientious objectors. The Orchard has a good ending, but I do feel that Evan's story is incomplete. The Orchard is a tender Amish tale with apple picking, pretty peach blossoms, Vietnam war woes, a tender romance, and powerful prayers.