A New Song by Jan Karon

I think A New Song by Jan Karon, the fifth installment in the series, benefited from the change of scenery.

A New Song follows Father Tim and his writer wife, Cynthia, into his retirement, during which he’s agreed to act as interim minister where needed. His first call is to a small island parish on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. It was fun meeting new characters and getting to know a new locale.

Perhaps it’d just been awhile between finishing book four and when I started this one, but I was struck (again) by the beauty of the language. Like the characters, the writing is homey, comfortable. That’s not to say, however, that the stories are a white-washed version of reality, an all-happy look at small-community or church life. Real issues impact congregants and community members, including a woman’s battle with depression and a reclusive next door neighbor. Oh, and the Kavanaugh’s practically adoptive son, Dooley, is arrested.

A great book. I’m excited to finish the series so I can read The Mitford Bedside Companion.

My reviews of the previous books in the series:

1. At Home in Mitford
2. A Light in the Window
3. These High, Green Hills
4. Out to Canaan

The Mitford books website.