We May Weep For A Time by Sarah Ashlyn (Kimberley Thames)

Comprehensive Absorbing Heart-breaking

Genre: Historical Fiction/Family Drama/Religious Themes

We May Weep For A Time by Sarah Ashlyn ( Kimberly Thames )

The love and protection of family and the knowledge that he was not alone in his confusion and grief had pulled him through his first experiences of loss during his early teenage years. The tidal wave of grief fuelled by the sudden and particularly brutal loss of his only remaining family members, together with the perplexity of pubescent adolescence, were somewhat lessened by the regard in which the townsfolk held his kin, the shelter of his second family, and the love and companionship of his future wife. The loss of his ‘love’ was cushioned by the family that he had created, and his need to move forward, propelled by his children, and support from his surrogate sister. But, it was not being given the chance to save the sixteen year old Luke a second time around, that really broke him more than thirty years on from his own near collision with self destruction. Seeing no option than to revisit that point in his life when he was saved by divine intervention, will it again take a higher power to be his salvation?

I follow many authors on social media, and just so happened to get talking to Sarah (Kimberley) who drew attention to her book. After visiting her page I became aware that her genre of writing was what is known as ‘Christian Fiction’. In my ignorance and because I do not consider myself to be religious, I had actively avoided any books that might be of a religious theme. I expressed as much to this author and informed me that it was really just a story about family life, but it was the synopsis that really persuaded me to read ‘We May Weep For A Time’. Apart from a small number of typographical errors, the writing is in my opinion exceptional, to the point at times I forgot I was reading a book by an indie author. It was easy to read with chapters of an adequate number of pages, that did not feel arduous to read, and the book was of average length. The only comment I would make would be the author going in-depth with her descriptions of characters and their backgrounds, in the middle of a scene. I found that a bit frustrating and quite distracting from what was actually taking place. The religious element of the narrative did not detract from the main story, being Luke navigating his way through an existence that appears to be besieged by tragedy and loss. In fact, the book is very balanced in this way as the author has created a number of characters who believe in their faith deeply and Luke who, if he ever had any faith, is continually given reason to question it. It is an interesting dynamic. Also, I am not a fan of time lapses and the time lapse that occurs at chapter three left me a little disappointed. Although the detail the reader is missing out on is told in flashbacks, the time this takes can be a little frustrating. It felt like a very sudden change as well as the story being moved forward by some time with a lot of change.

This story, I guess explores the values held by members of the older generation according to their religion. Exploring how they deal with experiences and emotions, again influenced by faith, versus a younger generation and the ways in which they avail themselves of those teachings. Brought up from adolescence into adult life, either choosing to live by those teachings, or disregarding them, as well as each generation’s response to the other’s actions. Essentially the reader follows the journey of Luke Winfield who having been brought up in a family until his mid teens who did not practice any sort of faith, he is plunged into a world that is all about Christianity and ‘Doing unto others, as you would have them do unto you’. Being at a challenging age, it is inevitable that he might not take well to this change and Luke’s stubbornness and blatant disregard for anything other than his needs is palpable. However, the change in environment in terms of expectations placed upon him, is something that greatly exacerbates this. His refusal to do what he is asked and his lack of respect for Gail and her situation that his presence has in fact intensified, and despite her seniority and advanced years, evokes a feeling of helplessness in the reader, especially in the stages prior to the second tragedy of the boy’s young life, as you suspect he is on the verge of being burdened with a lifetime’s regret. Through her long held reputation in the town where she has always lived, Luke is to learn just how appreciated she was and it is then that you feel a sense of sorrow that he wasn’t able to recognise and acknowledge all that she was. By this point, the author has also made the reader aware of Luke’s shame in regards to the way she lives, compounding I imagine the sorrow and shame he must have felt. Gail had been keen to impress on him how quickly time marches on and that she would not always be around to care for him. However, at that age, you live only in the moment. The fall out of this particular event leaves him with the predicted guilt and anger, and it is hard to imagine a worse scenario for him. In the aftermath, the family that he then stays with, the Wilders, comprising of two sons and two daughters, the latter having a very strict Christian upbringing, become very much a second kin. With it being Luke’s first time living in close proximity with two girls of a comparable age, although it is awkward for him, I think it was helpful for him to have a steadying female influence that he could perhaps relate to easier. Susan, the elder of the two girls had always told Luke that he should help Gail. She had been brought up to believe that we are put on this earth to help others, but the ears of her adoptive brother, always seemed deaf to this. The way in which they help Luke discover his roots, making him feel more connected to the history of his family was a lovely thing to do.

The story then jumps forward approximately thirty years. I felt sorry for Leah, who clearly wanted to be involved with Luke and his offspring’s life, and yet felt that her advice and assistance was not needed, and that when she can, she is living vicariously through her sister’s life as she needs to feel useful and part of something. Luke’s eldest son is pretty much a carbon copy of his father at the age when his life changed dramatically for the second time. His family have also become a slightly more modern day version of the Wilders, although there are many comparisons to be drawn between Susan and Leah, and Abigail and Karalynn. I feel that handed down values such within families to be a good thing and perhaps something that has been lost over the years.

The way in which Luke deals with his son is to meet trouble with trouble. Luke now appreciates the opportunities he was afforded when he was young and is keen to impress this on his son. He has always been determined that his children should have all the things he wasn’t able to have. Overwhelmed with responsibility, Luke has lost the capacity to really relate to people, including his own family, knocked out of him by past events. Although, the way he deals with his youngest when it is clear that even at a very young age, he has picked up on negativity towards him, it is very touching. I was very sad that the child should feel like that. Feeling out of his depth with parenting, Luke follows very much the way that his parents raised him. I expected Leah’s influence on her nieces and nephews to be quite strict, in line with her upbringing, but in fact, she seems to be quite laid back with them. She doesn’t necessarily feel the urgency to have her own children because she has such a bond with Luke’s. Yet later in the book, Luke says to her that ‘she doesn’t know how he feels because she doesn’t have children of her own;. I thought that was a low blow. I felt empathy for her when she gives up the possible chance of happiness due to feelings for another, only to have them rejected, and yet she still doesn’t look back in the hope that some day it may happen for her.

In the aftermath of the storm, a very poignant moment occurs, when Luke thinks he sees the stuffed brown rabbit. The descriptions of those lost in the storm made me feel very emotional. The introduction of Murray as who you think is a side character role, and his later significance was clever.

When Luke’s youngest crawls into bed with him, and he realises that the child hasn’t grasped the fullness of a recent event in his life, I wondered if, perhaps Luke was hoping he would never have to have that conversation, but he deals with it well, giving the youngster time to process his thoughts and ask what he needs to.

It is around this time that Luke argues with his eldest and is subsequently made to realise that he has never really taken the time to get to know his children properly, he agrees on some ground rules in order to adapt his parenting style, to accommodate both himself and his offspring. When Luke is in public with his eldest, he asks his Dad if he can speak to him in private. The fact that Ty then had to remind Luke once again of this when some time had elapsed, I didn’t think made for great parenting!

Luke discovers that his youngest son has overheard a horrifying part of his and Ty’s argument. The question that Wilder asks his Dad, is not one that I am entirely sure that a four year old would be able to comprehend and be so direct with, but I could be wrong. Luke later returns home from Leah’s, and Wilder is concerned that ‘he was a mistake’, the way in which Luke makes him feel not only that he was wanted but important is moving, especially when he next leaves the house he says to Wilder ‘Be a good boy and watch your sisters’, I did laugh.

There were a few things in the last portion of this novel that I felt were not in line with the character’s normal behaviour or I wasn't sure about, and would like to take the opportunity to highlight:

I was surprised that Leah ran out the door after receiving the telephone call from Luke without a thought for the children returning. There was an adult there, but it was not one that they knew. Indeed the girls did seem annoyed that Leah did that. Wilder isn’t keen to be left with Emily either. But, then I suppose that Leah would have felt she could trust Emily with the children. I assume that this might have been a practice of a religious community

When Leah is at Luke’s gathering clothes to take to him, she asks the question ‘Oh Susan, what have you done?’ I never understood that.

Emily offers to look after Leah’s daycare whilst she is away. Don’t you need to be qualified for that? I was surprised the parents would just agree to this on trust. Again, the issue of leaving young children with someone with which they are not familiar I didn’t think would happen. Again I wonder if this is down to them being a part of a religious community

When Susan is in labour, it puzzles me that she doesn’t just call an ambulance. I suppose it might have been that she lived somewhere rural that an ambulance would have taken a time to get to.

The last big twist in this novel is much too comprehensive to mention, however it eventually brings Luke and his eldest Ty, closer. The teenager has a big decision to make and Luke advises him on good authority, but has he done the right thing for his son, or will it just leave Luke with the guilt he experienced all those years ago? I was impressed with the speech that Gray’s makes when talking to Luke through the bathroom door, and the ending which reinforces Luke’s very profound statement when talking to Leah, ‘I guess life recycles itself in a way’.

I very much hope there may be a sequel to this, as I actually vocally protested loudly at the end of the book, being left the way it was. I very much enjoyed this well constructed, eloquent novel, and will consider reading others from this author.