Author: Cindy
Thomson
Genre: Life,
familySeries: An Ellis Island Novel
Number in series: 1st (if it’s a series)
My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8 (high)
Type: Historical fiction
Number of pages: 396
Time period: Early 1900s
Publisher and price: Tyndale House Publishers, $12.99
Passage from book: (see first chapter after my review)
My overall opinion: A good book! I absolutely love the cover (and was delighted to discover another angle of the picture, concentrating on the camera, inside!). And I, being a photographer, loved all the parts inside that involved cameras. I was always able to empathize with all Grace’s feelings and impulses regarding them! Grace herself was sweet, funny, and altogether lovable. I’ve made her sound like a doll…she isn’t, she’s a good strong young woman. Who’s also sweet and funny. :) And then Owen made for an excellent hero to counter her! The scenes were fast-moving, set in interesting places, and felt very historically accurate – always a good thing. Remember though, “historically accurate” and “boring” are not the same thing – quite opposites! Unfortunately, I didn’t love the writing, and the conversations especially bugged me sometimes. However, I would read more by Thomson and I would recommend it for anyone with an interest in cameras, Ellis Island, the early 1900s, New York City, or historical fiction.
**Tyndale sent me a copy of this book for review purposes. I wasn’t required to post positively and wasn’t reimbursed for this review. Many thanks to Tyndale for working with me so nicely!**
Now, a few extras…
Go read the first chapter: http://files.tyndale.com/
A Q&A with the author:
1. What
was your inspiration for this book, Grace’s Pictures?
When the Brownie Camera was introduced, it changed photography
forever. What was before expensive and not very portable, suddenly became
available for the average person. I read a contemporary commentary that
expressed the concern that with everyone carrying a camera, someone could have
his/her photograph taken without permission, and what an invasion of privacy
that would be. That got me thinking…what if that happened, and at a time before
there were very many mug shots available of criminals.
I love writing about immigrants because their stories are a part
of who we are today. If not for their bravery and ingenuity, our lives would be
much different today, and probably more difficult.
2. Tell me
about your main character, Grace McCaffery. Was her character based upon anyone
in particular?
Grace comes to America wounded by her experiences of having an
abusive father, being evicted from her home by the police, and then having to
survive in a workhouse. When her mother gets remarried, to a policeman no less,
Grace is horrified. In her mind, avoiding the kind of people who hurt you is
the only way to stay safe. When she is sent to America to start a new life, she
is not certain she wants to go. She wishes for the confidence and joy she sees
in others around her, and she tries to capture it in drawings and snapshots so
she can better study it. I know a lot of people, me for one, who would rather
observe for a while before stepping out and trying something new. But
historically, immigrants could not do that. They were thrust into change and
had to adapt and endure.
Grace, like most fictional characters, is not based on any
particular person. She is a conglomeration of our grandmothers and
great-grandmothers who came to this country seeking a better life, but without
many options to support themselves. They must have been frightened at first by
this vast new country, but somehow they overcame that fear and founded our
American families.
3. What
lessons or truths will your readers find in the pages of this novel?
A lesson that I hope is learned in this story is that God provides
what we need, but many times it requires us to put aside our preconceived
ideas. No matter what disadvantages we start with, we can turn things around,
with God’s help.
4. How do
you expect Grace’s story to resonate with women?
Grace, a young woman who was not nurtured much as a child, becomes
a nurturer. She is a nanny with a role that becomes essential for the children
she cares for. I think most women are nurturers. Unfortunately, Grace had a far
from ideal childhood. I think many women struggle with not having been nurtured
themselves. Grace’s story illustrates the hope that God can turn that around,
and even in unexpected ways. Grace meets someone who cares for her, who just
happens to work in that dreaded occupation—a policeman.
5. As a
writer, what did you particularly enjoy about crafting this story?
I loved learning about Ellis Island, visiting New York City, and
imagining those immigrants of the early 20th century moving along the same
paths I was exploring. I loved writing about how the children Grace cared for
helped to change her. History is fascinating to me, and it's a privilege to be
able to write about it.
6. What is
your hope for this story? How would you like it to impact readers?
I hope readers will be transported to a time in history when
everything was changing at a rapid pace and experience a bit of what their
ancestors’ lives were like. I would like readers, through Grace’s Pictures, to
not only appreciate the sacrifices their ancestors made, but also find the
courage to meet their own challenges—everyone has them.
7. How has
this novel helped you to grow as a storyteller?
Grace was at first a difficult character to figure out. I had a
loving father who passed away a few months before I started working on this
book. Grace, who did not have a loving father, stretched me a bit, but it was
good to explore what life was like for her and try to imagine how someone like
her could not only survive but thrive.
8. What is
it about this time period in history that made you want to write about it?
New inventions were constantly popping up, things that we take for
granted today. For instance, telephones were becoming more widely available,
but immigrants were not familiar with them. Same with electricity. There was a
huge disparity between the rich and the poor, and the middle class was the
minority. Monopolies were not yet forbidden. The rich were extremely rich. The
poor were extremely poor, and the conditions in the tenements were disgraceful.
And yet, this was not overlooked. There were gangs and corrupt police, but also
scores of charities working hard to protect, educate, and care for immigrants.
And it was also a time period of huge numbers of immigrants coming to the
country, most through Ellis Island, so in that way this time period has
impacted a great many Americans today.
9. What
lessons can we learn from the pages of historical fiction?
The Bible tells us, “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask
for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest
for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16, NLT).
Historical fiction uses the power of story to help us find those old
ways. We deceive ourselves if we think no one has experienced the struggles we
have. Someone has. Why not learn those stories and be led by them?
10. What
is one of the best pieces of advice or encouragement you have received?
I’m always open to sound advice. Here is one that has encouraged
me. It’s from a tea bag quote.
“A #2 pencil and a dream can take you anywhere.” ~Joyce A. Meyers
Want to learn more about Cindy? Read her blog: http://cindythomson.blogspot.
