Telling the Truth Tuesday - a review of House of Diamonds by Karen Jones Gowen

House of Diamonds, by Karen Jones Gowen...a review

Usually, a novel has one protagonist the reader can focus on. You follow their journey step by step, wondering what they will do, what will happen to them. You can’t wait to turn the page to find out.

In Karen Gowen’s novel, House of Diamonds, it felt like there were four: Marcie, the mother of seven who secretly yearns to be a writer; Cindy, her sister, whose baby has a brain tumor; Baby Jordan, who has the brain tumor, and the Mormon Faith, which did, indeed, seem like a character in and of itself.

On the surface, it’s a story about a family and its every day travails. As an only child, I was fascinated by the details of what a day in the life of a family with seven children is like. It’s also a story about love and loss and death and grief and above all, Faith.

Gowen masterfully draws us into this family dynamic, showing us the internal and external struggles of both Marcie and Cindy, both as siblings and as individual women and as moms. It is heartwarming and poignant. 

To learn more about about Karen Jones Gowen and to purchase her novel, please visit: http://karenjonesgowen.blogspot.com/

Preorder print book House of Diamonds from the publisher's website and get Uncut Diamonds for free! 


Links: House of Diamonds for the Kindle   House of Diamonds for the Nook   

Summary:

In this sequel to Gowen’s debut novel, Uncut Diamonds, she follows sisters Cindy and Marcie as they reach a crossroads in their lives. House of Diamonds tells the story of two women, one facing opportunity the other tragedy. Can their bond endure?

Marcie pursues her dream of becoming a published writer while Cindy faces a terrible tragedy. In this gripping story of faith, loss and the transcending nature of sacrifice, Gowen gives voice to a beloved baby who has none. She shows the incredible power that comes to families when they pull together to overcome challenges. It is at these times that a house of pain can become a house of diamonds.

Website: karenjonesgowen.com
Blog:      Coming Down the Mountain: A Writer's Blog

The lovely Karen Jones Gowen

Here is some background information on Karen:

Born and raised in central Illinois, the daughter of a Methodist minister from Indiana and a school teacher from Nebraska, Karen has down-to-earth Midwestern roots.

She attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, then transferred to the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. After converting to Mormonism at the age of 20, she transferred to Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, where she met her future husband. She obtained her degree at BYU in English and American Literature.

Karen and Bruce have lived in Utah, Illinois, California and Washington, currently residing near Salt Lake City. They are the parents of ten children. Not surprisingly, family relationships are a recurring theme in Karen's writing. 


Blessings,
Karen