Writing on the Wall

Publishers Weekly

Bestselling Mormon author Hughes continues the family saga he began in the World War II-era Children of the Promise series with a new series set in the turbulent 1960s. The story begins in 1961, the day the Berlin Wall was erected, and weaves the lives of four teenage cousins into the tumultuous events of the early civil rights movement and the Cold War. Three cousins live in Utah, rooted in the large, loving, faithful, but politically diverse extended Thomas family. Gene is a popular, all-star athlete who dates the one girl who doesn't worship him and faces the challenges of serving a Mormon mission. Kathy is a passionate firebrand who becomes involved in the civil rights movement in the South. Diane chafes against her mother's expectations and must make difficult choices in her dating relationship with a non-Mormon friend. The fourth cousin, Hans, is trapped with his family in East Germany. He suffers a crisis of faith as his family's devotion to their church costs him his chance for higher education and advancement. Hughes is a masterful epic storyteller; his characters embody an impressive array of political, social and religious views within the Mormon faith, and readers will find that they care about all of them. The novel is a sensitive, realistic treatment of history, religion and the dramas of youth coming of age. Its conclusion, a wonderful balance of resolution and suspense, will leave readers hungry for the next installment. (Oct.) Forecast: This first novel in the Hearts of the Children series should continue to solidify Hughes's reputation as a top author in the Mormon market, which tends heavily toward historical fiction. Hughes's previous five-volume series, the Childrenof the Promise, has sold more than 400,000 copies. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

VOYA

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), the extended Thomas family spans the globe from the eastern and western United States to East and West Germany in this novel detailing life during the 1960s. Hughes examines the effect that this tumultuous time has on family members, many of whom disagree on the most moral political stance. The conservative side of the family, represented by Grandpa Thomas, perceives social movements of the time as the acts of communists and atheists. The more liberal side of the family, represented by Smith College professor Aunt Larue, believes that the Civil Rights and peace movements are religious responsibilities. Meanwhile, Hans, an East German cousin, must weigh his religious convictions against the possibilities for personal advancement in a communist regime. The war in Vietnam, the Iron Curtain, and the music and styles of the time serve as the backdrop while young protagonists face personal issues such as religious faith, finding a mate, and clarifying values. Hughes successfully captures the culture and struggles of young people during that period in this first book of the Hearts of the Children series. His protagonists are mostly in their late teens, with adult characters functioning primarily as representatives of the established social order. The book addresses some issues specific to the LDS experience, including the hardships and trials of serving a mission in a foreign country and the positive and negative aspects of dating non
— James Blasingame