Something Worth Doing is a historical fiction based on the real life story of Abigail Duniway. The novel covers the years from 1852 to 1912, from when Abigail was seventeen to when she was seventy-seven. Chapter one begins with Abigail’s family travelling west by wagon train from Illinois. Her mother has recently passed away. Abigail (or Jenny, as was her nickname), felt that the move may have contributed to her mother’s early death. Men ruled in those days. Women had very little choice about anything. So, although her mother, after bearing a series of children, wished to remain in Illinois where “civilization was catching up to them”, her father had said no. He also forbid his daughters to bring anything that they treasured, however they found ways of hiding some of their mother’s possessions to sneak along.
Girls were expected to marry young, to be under the protection of a husband. Marriage had little to do with love. An older sister was forced to marry a man 20 years her senior. Abigail was fortunate to marry a man who did love her. However, she felt that she had no freedoms and a heavy workload, while he was able to enjoy time with his friends. Men had all the rights and women had none. Abigail felt it keenly and saw it clearly. She began to write articles for the paper highlighting the unfairness of it all. Then she wrote a novel to portray her concerns. But people were not reading novels at that time.
Abigail continually found ways to supplement the family income throughout her childbearing years, and her work was always in some way for the betterment of women. She eventually got involved in the suffragette movement, especially concentrating on pushing for womens voting rights. With the assistance of her family she even started up a newspaper, and later toured the country speaking.
After many years some regions gradually changed, but she met with continual opposition, even from an older brother who published a bigger newspaper. Finally, at the age of 77, she saw success and honour, even from that brother.
Persistence pays off is the message I take away from this story. Dont quit. Keep working at “something worth doing”, the worthy cause that has been handed to you.
What should Rachel do? She seems to have no choice in the matter. She decides to take Holly there herself and meet the people who Holly is supposed to live with.
This book is a nice light read and an interesting way to learn about the Amish way of life from the viewpoints of these two main characters who knew nothing about it before being plunged into Holly’s new family. In some ways they find it quite likeable, this tightly-knit family farming community.
But will Holly really have to stay here permanently, away from everything and everyone she has known up till now? And what about Rachel? Holly is her only family and at 35 years old she fears she may never have children of her own.
There is an element of mystery as to what made Holly’s mother leave the community to begin with and an element of romance when Rachel meets Holly’s uncle. A range of emotions are experienced with all the changes being encountered. How does each character handle their new relationships? What is attributed to the Amish protocol and what is due to personality traits of the people in Holly’s new family? You’ll have to read it yourself to find out.
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Francine Rivers is an expert at bringing out all the factors around the situation in a way that captivates and draws the reader into the story. Her writing flows smoothly so this 375 page book doesn’t feel like a long read.
