Sister Mary Baruch: The Early Years

by Jacob Restrick

Becky Feinstein is well-acquainted with unexpected tragedy. Growing up in New York City during the turbulent 1960s, she has already experienced her brother’s death in Vietnam and her family’s gradual drifting apart. So when her closest friend suddenly becomes gravely ill, this nice Jewish girl decides to give her an unconventional gift by lighting a candle in a big gothic church on Lexington Avenue. Little does she realize, as she passes through the heavy wooden doors of Saint Vincent Ferrer’s, that after this afternoon nothing will ever be the same. For there, lighting a candle for a friend, she discovers someone waiting for her in the “still, quiet place” of her heart . . .

377 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2019

Reviews

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebecca Feinstein is drawn to Catholicism through a friend, and while she's still a college student, she decides to convert from Judaism and, later, to enter a cloistered Dominican monastery. Various family members react in different ways, but a rift between Rebecca and much of her family continues throughout the novel. It's a good story, but it reads as if an elderly man were dictating the book to a transcriber. I was not intrigued enough to continue reading the series.

[A Enwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more of a 3.5 than a 4. Interesting read. Never really read a novel about a conversion story before. (If you know of any that you enjoyed, feel free to post titles under my review) I found it easy to read. It's kind of about a story of divine providence working in an ordinary person's life with unexpected fruit, which is the essence of every conversion story. I liked it enough to want to read volume 2. You're not reading Cardinal Newman here. It relies on cultural stereotypes, not in a bad way, but just in kind of a dumb way.

Other novels I've read about life inside the convent were In this House of Brede by Rumor Godden, which I loved, and the Nun's Story, which I didn't really love because it was basically about a nun losing her faith. Both are novels.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fr. Restrick created a very detailed story for Rebecca Feinstein, the girl who would become Sr. Mary Baruch of the Advent Heart. We know that she becomes a sister at the beginning of the book, but then she goes back and tells her story starting with just before her conversion and the book ends with her being granted permission for final vows. It is one of those stories where the reader knows "the ending" before the story even really begins, however, the path that the character takes to get to the ending was not always the most predictable. I really enjoyed getting to learn about her journey and getting to know her friends and family along the way. It was such a blessing.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters, stories, and writing is good but I'm shocked that this title came from Tan as I have found they can be trusted to offer quality Catholic books following proper theology. This book has the main character reading Thomas Merton who's later books are defiantly not in line with Catholic theology and he is problematic author one should be very careful around. Also, the main character continues to participate in old rite rituals which is a sin. I cannot recommend this book unless you are very strong and well educated in your faith.

[Natalie Votipka · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cozy Catholic read! NYC Jewish girl turns Dominican cloistered nun, and not without some drama. The author managed to include some fairly heavy catechesis in a natural way.