The Last Storyteller

by Diane Noble

One Woman’s Choice, One Family’s Legacy

Taite Abbot has always been a free spirit, and she has the tattoos and piercings to prove it. So when her boyfriend, medical student Sam Wellington, leaves for a fellowship thousands of miles away before he knows she is pregnant, Taite is unwilling destroy his chance of becoming a doctor. Completely unprepared to face parenthood alone, she decides to get an abortion. But without any emotional or financial resources, Taite first seeks solace from her Welsh grandmother, Naini.

“ Do you remember the stories I once told you, Taite? About the family? …
There were some I didn’t tell you…. Some were too hard to tell. ”

From the moment the disillusioned young woman arrives, Naini knows that time is running out, both for Taite and for herself. The aging woman must make her granddaughter understand the heart and soul of their family’s ancient legacy. But for Taite to discover the passion and faith that can keep love alive, Naini must tell the hard stories, one last time.

Interweaving a medieval adventure with the dilemmas of contemporary romance, The Last Storyteller draws ancient grace into modern lives through the powerful telling of stories.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Christian Romance

384 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 2004

About the author

Diane Noble is the award-winning novelist of more published books than she can count: historical fiction, contemporary mysteries and suspense, and romance (written under the pen name Amanda MacLean).

Diane writes from a heart of deep faith that's woven into her stories and nonfiction writings. She often posts on Facebook and Twitter about her journey with Parkinson's Disease and the unexpected gift of learning to live moment by moment with humor, grace, and optimism.

With more than a quarter million books in print, Diane continues to spin tales that touch readers' hearts. Book one of her new three-book mystery series, The Professor and Mrs. Littlefield, will be in bookstores September 1, 2014. It's title? THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING FIGUREHEAD.

Diane is a professed Third Order Franciscan in the Anglican (Episcopal) Church, following the footsteps of Jesus with simpicity, love, and joy as lived out by St. Francis of Assisi. Mother to two beautiful daughters and Gramsy to two cutest-ever granddaughters, Diane lives in Southern California with her wonderful husband and two spoiled cats. Oh yes, and Diane loves

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to clear the air right now, this is considered religious fiction.

However, I read this book when I was 13-14 years old and had such an extreme reaction to it. I love this book. While some may scoff at the faith and references to Christ, I think that if you look at the hidden gems within the text, it is well worth the read, for believers and non.

This book does such a fantastic job combining the contemporary story of Taite Abbott and intervening the historical tale of Taran and Gwynedd.
Having been to Ireland and Scotland, I can more accurately envision some of the emotions and experiences portrayed in the book. I've never felt such an intense desire to travel a country, whether it's the modern city of today or the 12th century country I've been reading about, I need to go.

For those of you off put by the mention of God (and it is definitely a key factor in this story), I urge you to give it a chance.
The ethical debate about stem cell research and the internal confusion over fight or flight, battles with forgiveness, and cohesion within families; are enough plot and storyline to overlook any religious issues a non-believer may encounter.
In the end, it's about simple human fragility and the bonds that we create, destroy, and cherish.

[Becca · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way to ruin a good story with politics.

I had to put this book down about two-thirds of the way through because I just got too annoyed with the politics in this book. Really wouldn't be surprised if this is just a 300 page pro-life brochure that is masking as a book.

I'm not against having abortion as a plot device in a book, and I'm not so hard-core pro-choice that I would be upset if someone considering an abortion decided against it, in fact that is actually what I hope for as someone who is considering an abortion even though I believe that abortion still needs to be an option for people. However Noble didn't just use abortion as a plot device, she droned on about it, had this immense elaborate discussions about abortion between characters when the plot did not need it. And then she would add those wonderful pro-life arguments against abortion like "after x days your baby has a heart beat/spine/brain".

The sad thing - I really was enjoying the rest of the book. The love story of Taite and Sam, wondering about Nanie's health problems, the flashbacks to the 12th century was even intriguing. But when every 10 pages had a long drawn out discussion about the evils of abortion, I just couldn't take it anymore. So I guess I will never know how the story unfolds, but I will move on to a different novel to read for fun, not to raise my blood pressure due to frustrating politics.

[Heather Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this multi-generational story about a grandmother in the early stages of dementia, an estranged daughter, and a granddaughter struggling with an unwanted pregnancy. This novel sure tugs at your heart strings and makes you see the different sides to the issues of abortion and stem cell research. The ending was a little too "Touched by An Angel" (God loves you, everything works out perfectly) for my taste, but as a whole a good book.

[Larisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed how Diane Noble wove family history together with the stories of three generations of today's women.

Throughout the book Diane helps the reader see how God's hand works miracles yesterday, today and tomorrow.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a nutshell, very preachy.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book inspired me to get to know my family roots more than any other book-- The Last Storyteller is a grandmother-grand-daughter story in which the last stories of the family that had not been written down are at risk of being lost forever. One disclaimer though: if you are not interested in reading about a perspective in women's choice/pro-Life debate over abortion, you may not enjoy this book.

[Vivian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I realize that the author was trying to promote her pro life stance. I am also pro life, however, this book seemed very preachy to me so I can’t imagine that anyone who is pro choice would get very far in to it before stopping. That being the case, I really don’t understand the preachy posture. That aside, I didn’t like any of the characters very much. The long ago story was not very realistic with the “shepherd” appearances. The everything works out ending sealed the one star rating.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story of God’s redeeming love and power to change the hearts of a young woman, the father of her child and restore her relationship with her mother, as well as honoring her grandmother. This multi generational story was very heartwarming.

[Jenni Joedeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. I really liked the old Welsh history woven throughout the modern story.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was bored from page one

[Debby Zigenis-Lowery · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I do not read a lot fiction with a contemporary setting, this tale of three women--mother, daughter, and grandmother, was powerful and moving. The story opens as Taite, the youngest of the three, finds herself pregnant, just as her boyfriend Sam is heading back East for Medical Fellowship. From her desire to abort the child, to her startling change of mind, from her Grandmother's diagnosis of Dementia with Lewes Bodies to Sam's wrestling with the ethics of going into stem cell research, and the yawning estrangement between the three generations of women the story is gripping. I let myself read all afternoon to finish the book.

[Kate Ayers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, I just couldn't warm up to this book. The main problem I had was Taite, the central character. She struck me as self centered and unwavering, kind of my way or the highway type. Her anger at her mother seemed built on a weak excuse. In her defense, she does a lot of soul searching, but that also got tiresome. It is heavily Christian, which did not bother me, and the Welsh story woven into it and Taite's family history was actually the nice bit. All that said, it is still worth a read. Maybe you'll find redeeming qualities in Taite that I didn't. And the healing that the three generations of women go through has merit and good feeling.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book switches back and forth between modern and ancient times smoothly and works in a second, yet just as heart-warming tale of love and loss. This is the type book that you want curl up with to dream of olden castles.

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book dove into some really sensitive topics that made me think harder about them, one of them being abortion. I really liked the thoughts the author expressed through her characters. It's been a couple months since I read it, so I hope I'm remembering it correctly, but I liked her views.

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It tangled up family stories from far history with happenings in the current world. A story of how three generations of women come together through the stories of the past. Just thinking about this book makes me smile and think about reading it again.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began this book during the second trimester and finished the majority after my emergency delivery of a baby girl. This book provided thought-provoking moral and ethics issues about stem cell research. At what point does life begin?

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story was fairly predictable but still kept my interest.

[Deborah Boutwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alone and pregnant, a modern day, tattooed/pierced girl turns to her grandmother for support. I loved the mix between the generations.

[Barb]

Didn't read; what I'm reading is Frank Delaney's "The Last Storyteller"!

[Suzan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked this book. Interesting current time and ancient Wales intermixed in a nice family story.

[Rachelle Sperling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story of seeking out answers to the right and wrong of difficult choices. A gripping tale.