Shakeress

by Kimberley Heuston

After twelve-year-old Naomi loses her parents in a fire and learns of her aunt’s plan to send her to work in a mill, she and her siblings seek refuge in a Shaker village. Because Naomi has some knowledge of herbs and doctoring from her mother, the Shakers assign her to an apprenticeship with the village herbalist in order to develop her skills as a healer. As Naomi matures, she senses that something big is missing in her life, but she doesn’t know what it is. At sixteen she leaves the Shakers to go out into the world. Eventually she establishes a career as an herbalist within a community that offers comfort and security. But that, too, fails to satisfy her growing need for something more. When she meets Joseph Fairbanks, she thinks that perhaps she has found what she was seeking.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Historical, Teen, Religion

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2002

About the author

Kimberley Heuston was born in Provo, Utah and grew up in New York City. As a child, her family frequently visited St. Johnsbury, which became the setting for The Shakeress. She teaches school in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she lives with her four children.

Kimberley is also known as Kimberley Sorenson and Kimberley Burton Heuston.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found The Shakeress to be a well written young adult novel which showed well the complexity and turmoil of life in the early 19th century. The main character, Naomi loses her parents and infant brother in a fire and goes with her three young siblings to live with relatives. When the children are threatened with separation, they run away to join the Shakers at Canterbury, New Hampshire where they are welcomed and offered a clean, safe home and a real place in the community. But Naomi feels she wants more from life than this quiet Shaker world can give her. With the help of her brother she finds a place out amongst the Worlds People where she continues to seek her calling.
This is not a deep novel, but it is well researched and gives a strong sense of the place and time for the two main locations.

[Brittny · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I was at the library the other day with the kids and decided to pick up a book for me. I randomly chose this book from the shelf and headed home. To my surprise, it turns out this is written by a Mormon author and is written about the Shakers in the early 1800's and then eventually about the Mormons. I had to laugh that I picked up a book that involved our religion. I have to say it was interesting to read.

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

After twelve year old Naomi loses her parents in a fire, she must live with her penurious, cold, Calvinistic aunt, along with her older brother and younger siblings. Following a spiritual prompting, she and her family run away to live with the Shakers, where each makes a place. Naomi’s place is to apprentice with the village herbalist because she has learned herbs and midwifery from her mother. However, the Shaker way of life is not ultimately satisfying for her. She leaves the community to build a life for herself as a midwife/herbalist. Her next problem: should she marry the very attractive Joseph Fairbanks, or should she obey the promptings to look for something greater? This very Mormon novel handles spiritual matters sensitively. The novel gives a good picture of Shaker life, as well as life on the edge of the frontier in the early 19th Century. Positive. Good for kids who only want to read Mormon literature, but also recommended for those who like a good historical novel of any kind

[Hailey Kohler · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book The Shakeress by Kimberley Hueston was overall an okay book. At times, it was dry, but at the same time it had parts that were exciting. For example, when the main character Naomi moves in with the Shaker family, their everyday life was overall boring. Yet, when she decided to make her and her family run away from her aunt into the Shaker family was exciting. Also, the part when she once again ran away from the Shakers and fell in love with Joseph wasn't bad either.

The book has a dramatic ending with a big twist. This was not expected. From a historical part, because the book is based off of true events but is fiction (historical fiction) it teaches about life during this time period. It shows about life in the Shaker family and how hard life is for them. Finally, it teaches about how children no matter where they are from how they have to work to stay a float. Overall, the book was dry but it had some exciting parts.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first half or so of the book that deals with the oddities of life as a Shaker and then the setting up of a doctoring practice after leaving the Shaker community. The book became less interesting to me after that event as the novel departs from learning your place in a new community to exploring faith and one's personal relationship with God. I felt very much that the second half of the book did not relate well to the first half of the book and transitioned poorly. It was really weird to suddenly start reading about Mormonism (my faith) in the middle of the book. I kept thinking where did that come from? It was interesting to learn about the Shaker community/culture though and also the missionary work of early Mormonism I just didn't think they fit together particularly well.

[Kirsti · Rating 3 out of 5]

An open look at the spiritual facets of life from the perspective of a young 1800s American girl. I like the different roads the author takes her protagonist as she discovers what is important in life. I especially liked that Naomi (the main character) leaves the man she loves because she knows they can't be married without heartache. Naomi yearns for a more spiritual life while her fiance, who isn't bad, just not interested in the spiritual part of life, is content with life without knowing God. Some books about religion are pushy and awkward, but this book had none of those elements. Although I did feel self conscious as a Mormon reading about a young woman's encounter with the early Mormon church. Well written and worthy of reading and pondering the questioned posed about religion.

[Ezra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was simply incredible. It had so much great factors of writing that I read it all in one day. It was about a girl who loses her mother, father and baby brother in a fire. She had to make choices for the rest of her family as well as herself. I read this book as if I was watching a movie because I was able to picture each point. The author wrote this book as fiction and like I've said before with my other great reviewed books it seemed as if it was non-fiction because of the realism. I believe that this book was very well written since in the end it made me cry a little. The author was very good at explaining the main characters (Naomi's) situations. This book had so many trails, and tribulations for the characters. I recommend this book for anyone, (mainly females)

[Kerstin Olcott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl searches for spiritual peace and a sense of belonging during the 19th century. She joins a shaker community with her family and eventually comes in contact with the Mormon church. A nice read with some lovely descriptions, definitely worth reading if you have a few hours. The historical references were interesting and the characters have several shining moments that really draw you to them. I wish Naomi's journey into mormonism had been expanded upon a little more. There are places in the book that skip over important parts of the story and left me slightly disconcerted. Bernie's blessing was truly touching and really sucked me into Naomi's conversion story but I was disappointed that the other details of what brought Naomi to her ultimate decision were glossed over.

[Angie Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great historical fiction book about the early 1800's. It is a story about a girl named Naomi who loses her parents and youngest brother in a fire. She and her remaining siblings decide to go love with a Shaker community in stead of living with their emotional abusive Aunt who took them in after their parents died. This story deals with Naomi's decision to live with the Shakers and then also with her decision to leave the Shaker community and see what else is in the world. Historically this books covers interesting details related to religion during the 1830's. It is a great read and I really liked it.

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not knowing anything about the Shaker community before reading this book, I found it interesting. I enjoyed learning more about the Shakers and how they live. I had a hard time identifying with the main character though. I felt like the author just skimmed the surface of any real emotion. I didn't feel like the love story was believable. What did he see in her? It seemed like the first time he saw her, he was already in love. I wanted to know more about what happened to her parents and brother and how that affected her. I wanted to know more of her day to day as the only doctor in the area, what was that like?? I just don't think this story went deep enough.

[Samantha97 Stowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a girl who has some tough choices to make after her parents die in a fire. Set in the 1800's she learns her unkind aunt is going to send her to work in a mill. In order to escape this she talks her older brother and two younger siblings into going to live with the shakers. They live there for 4 years before she decides this is not the life she would choose for herself. I was surprised when she comes across the Mormons, I wasn't expecting that but it was an interesting twist. I thought it was an enjoyable light read.

[Queeey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting. I wasn't expecting a book about Mormons so it took be a little bit by surprise. (I seem to have a knack lately of picking up books and reading them and then discovering they were written by an LDS author.) I wonder what non-LDS reactions are to this book. I don't think it is offensive but it is a little bit bold in sharing the Gospel. I don't think I explained that very well. If anyone else reads it I'd like to know what they think.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Naomi and her 3 siblings lost their parents and baby brother in a fire. Now they live with bitter Aunt Thankful and she wants to send Naomi to work in the mills. Naomi and her family flee to the Shaker community to stay together. Even though men and women live seperately, the children have food, training, and love. But the Shaker life isn't enough for Naomi. Now with her healing skills, she has taken a job in a frontier village as the only doctor.

[Annick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting. I wasn't expecting a book about Mormons so it took be a little bit by surprise. I wonder what non-LDS reactions are to this book. I don't think it is offensive but it is a little bit bold in sharing the Gospel.
This book started out as an interesting view of an orphan who is taken in by Shakers, then from out of left field it became about Mormons?!?
I've copied some other's reviews because they said what I was thinking.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a random pick off the library shelf but I realize now that I had seen the title before here on goodreads because Annick had read it and I had even added it to my to read list. This book is similar to any novel you might by at a Church Bookstore but I was surprised find it on the library shelf. Actually it was featured on it's own, facing out so the person browsing could see the cover. I hope readers will want to learn more about Joseph Smith after reading this book.

[Jann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very slim novel---more of a novelette. I would highly recommend it for young adults, and even children who like to read historical fiction. It will give them a good feeling for the Shaker lifestyle, as well as early Mormon history. The author is known to me. She taught my son. I think she has done a good job crafting an interesting story. I wouldn't, however, recommend the book to adult readers who like a "heftier" read.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did a great job telling about Shaker life and the main character's attempts to understand her inner religious life. She became a healer and those parts were well-written and interesting, as was the dilemma she deals with about celibacy and having a family. The end has a twist and I didn't really like how it all played out because it seemed a little forced to me. But overall it's an interesting book and well-researched about the time and place: 1830's Vermont.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the Shaker's community and appreciated the historical aspects of the book. I did not, however, connect emotionally with the main character, Naomi. Other than the first time she left with her siblings to go to the shakers community, I never really felt or understood any internal motivation for why she did the things she did. I didn't feel moved by her belief and drive for any other decisions she made. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable read.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, I found the thought process peaceful and refreshing...

[JR · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sorry, but I thought this book was incredibly boring and I didn't care what happened to any of the characters. Blah.

[Sara K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was also was avery good book and I learned alot, but the ending was not very strong.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out as an interesting view of an orphan who is taken in by Shakers, then from out of left field it became about Mormons?!?

[Therisdons · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read, but interesting since I have Shaker ancestors.

[Starry · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was, in all, a fairly boring book. =/

[Chrisanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

A little Soulless and stiff. Perhaps because of the Shaker angle.

[Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think the title matches the book.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of my ancestors were Shakers,so this was an interesting read for me. I love to read of women with strong character and perseverance.

[Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fair. Glad I nipped it from the school library, and didn't have to spend money on it.

[Meghan · Rating 1 out of 5]

From reading the back cover, there is no indication that the story is ultimately about Mormonism and that Shakerism ends up being pretty irrelevant. The part about faith healing is unrealistic and presents an unsafe message.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I happened upon this book in the Young Adult section of the Mountain View library. I was first drawn to it because I enjoy historical fiction, and I am intrigued by the Shakers. When I read that the author was born in Provo and is teaching in Salt Lake, I thought, "Oh, another Mormon author!" I expected it to be non-Mormon literature written by a Mormon, but it is indeed Mormon literature - something I wasn't expecting to find at my local library!

I enjoyed the book about a strong female character who is driven to make her life better despite the hurdles. I enjoyed the description of a Shaker settlement. But, Heuston's description of Naomi's conversion fails to capture her desire and faith that inspires her to make a great sacrifice; nor does it adequately describe the fulfillment that sacrifice can bring.

In the author's note, Heuston states, "This is not a true story, although it is based on true events." One of the major characters is Erastus Snow, the great Mormon pioneer who founded St. George, Utah. Whenever these true people become characters in books of fiction, I am never sure what is real and what is fabricated. "Shakeress" does not differentiate, so it leaves me a bit cold.