An Absence So Great by Jane Kirkpatrick

Inspired by the engaging stories told through her grandmother’s photographs taken at the turn of the century, award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick provides a portrait of the tension between darkness and light in the soul of a young woman pursuing her  professional dreams.

Despite growing in confidence as a photographer, eighteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele’s personal life is still at a crossroads. Hoping she’s put an unfortunate romantic longing behind her as “water under the bridge,” she exiles herself to Milwaukee to operate photographic studios for those ill with mercury poisoning. 

Jessie gains footing on her dream to one day own her own studio and soon finds herself in other Midwest towns, pursuing her profession. But even a job she loves can’t keep those painful memories from seeping into her heart, and the shadows of a forbidden love threaten to darken the portrait of her life.

Jane Kirkpatrick is an award-winning author of sixteen historical novels, including A Flickering Light, the first part of Jessie Gaebale’s story, and three nonfiction titles. Known for her unique insights into the exploration of community, family and faith of actual historical women, the Wisconsin native and her husband have called their ranch in Oregon home for the past 25 years.

  I previously had the opportunity to review A Flickering Light; so I was excited when this sequel was available as well.  I enjoyed the  book – I like the approach Ms. Kirkpatrick took to writing this book about her grandmother, and I enjoyed the photographs that were included throughout. I must admit that, if this were purely a work of fiction, I would have been disappointed by the way things turned out toward the end of the story. However, since it is based on the events of her grandmother’s life, I appreciate her taking the time to share the story.  It’s very obvious that much time and research went into the writing of this book.

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This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.