Lyle, his wife Peg, their grandson Isaac – beautiful and beloved. And their problematic adopted daughter, Shiloh. The storm in the family is echoed by the snow storm that threatens an old apple orchard. The idea that nothing can be done to save the old trees from the freezing rain is more than Lyle can bear -- and this resonates with me, too. (For all of us who read about the polar bears starving and want to go out there and DO something, Lyle's efforts to save the trees strikes home.) The descriptions of the land and how the family interacts is nuanced and gorgeous and completely fulfilling even if the end leaves one hard pressed.

I was touched by this book I liked Lyle and his wife,Peg.I felt for them in their struggle to keep in contact with their beloved grandson, despite their daughter's religious beliefs. I enjoyed the way the book was written in seasons;how the characters were so grounded in their homeplace. I also felt the ending was abrupt and nebulous - the only thing I didn't like about this book. I will request more by this author.

Faith in modern times, how we lose it and how we find it. Your heart breaks for Lyle, whose conflicts with his daughter threaten the bond with his grandson. This book has warm, endearing and believable characters.

This is a book about faith and family. How it can bring us together and tear us apart. When Lyle and Peg’s daughter joins a radical church that puts their grandson’s health at risk, they have to decide what kind of action to take, if any. Do they save their grandson at the risk of losing a relationship with their daughter? This is kind of an intimate portrait of a family crisis as seen through Lyle’s perspective. It had a rather abrupt ending that I wasn’t prepared for but otherwise I thought it was well written and I liked it.

A New & Noteworthy pick. A daughter and grandson are caught up in a fringe religion in rural Wisconsin. The book is moving and sad and resonant with a strong sense of place. Reminds me of Kent Haruf's books.