Unforgiven by Shelley Shepard Gray
Sarah, our adult programming coordinator, talked about the Adult Winter Reading Challenge in her last review. To finish the challenge, you have to read five books from the categories given by the end of January. I needed a couple more books and chose a book from the New Large Print collection for the category ‘One Word Title’.
Unforgiven by Shelley Shepard Gray is set in Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tabitha Yoder is a recluse and an outcast. She doesn’t leave her house or answer the door except for her sister Mary. The former school teacher was once warm and friendly but that was before Leon Yoder.
Tabitha began teaching at the Amish school when she was 17 years old. Her students, including Seth Zimmerman, loved her. But it wasn’t long before her marriage to Leon was announced and she had to quit. Many in their Amish community knew something was wrong in the marriage but they looked the other way. Then Leon beat her so badly that she was hospitalized and lost her unborn child.
With help from others Tabitha divorced her abuser and he went to jail. The Amish community counseled her to not break her vows and when she went through with the divorce, she became an outcast. She makes baskets to sell to support herself and her only contact is Mary. Mary’s husband doesn’t approve of the divorce and limits Mary’s contact with her. Once a month Mary and her sons bring food and pick up baskets to take to a broker to be sold in bigger cities.
Tabitha has another visitor but doesn’t answer the door for him. Seth Zimmerman comes by and does chores for her. She never answers his knock and sometimes he leaves a note with food or to tell her what he has done.
Seth does chores for those in the community to make amends and because he is a good man. Seth is also an outcast but not because he divorced. He is an ex-con. Seth came to the rescue of a young woman, Bethanne, who was being assaulted. In the struggle, the attacker fell and hit his head on a rock. He died and Seth was charged. Seth didn’t fight it and spent 3 years in prison.
Seth is a few years younger than Tabitha and briefly was a student of hers. He had a crush on her then and still has feelings for her but comes by because he feels she was wronged. His hope is one day she will trust him enough to open the door.
Tabitha can’t help but watch when Seth comes by and her innate kindness and good manners leaves her feeling guilty about not answering his knock. One day she gathers her courage and gets together a small thank you gift and opens the door.
The simple act of opening the door changed Tabitha’s solitary existence. With the blossoming of their friendship Tabitha takes a step toward reconnecting with life. And life involves relationships.
Tabitha only has Mary but Seth has a family even though the relationship is strained. He also has Elias, a friend who stood by him through his incarceration. Elias is now asking him to involve himself with Bethanne’s family. Seth is uncomfortable with their gratitude in saving Bethanne. Her younger brother, Lott, is acting wildly and Elias believes it has to do in part with the attack on Bethanne. Seth is reluctant to get involved until he learns that Lott wants to court Seth’s sister Melonie.
Tabitha is more than willing to provide a listening ear and counsel to Seth and they grow closer. Tabitha is finally becoming more comfortable and starts venturing out into the community. Then she gets a call – Leon is out and may be heading back to Crittenden County. Can Seth keep Tabitha safe or will she even allow it?
I’m not a regular reader of Amish fiction but this was a gentle read with sympathetic main characters and an engaging story. Even though Tabitha and Seth were outcasts from their community they didn’t lose their faith and that is a strong theme throughout the novel.
If you need to fill another category in your Winter Reading Challenge, you might give this quick, gentle read a try.
Review by Patty Crane, Reference Librarian
