I Am His Daughter

by Emily Steiner

I Am His Daughter Dad was the undisputed leader in our family. Whatever he thought God wanted him to do, he did. His passion for reaching the lost and raising his family for the Lord took us from Minnesota to Utah, Kansas, Texas, and Michigan. As a little girl, I adored Dad. Through my teens, I admired and respected him. In my twenties, our relationship became more complicated, especially after we moved to Virginia and my siblings and I began to socialize with other young people. Dad didn�t seem to realize that we older children were no longer children, his vision for a tight-knit family clashing with our desire to make more of our own decisions. I was still loyal to Dad, but when he wanted me to end my deepening friendship with a young man, what was I to do? I watched my brother revolt against Dad and knew it wasn�t right. Then Dad decided to change churches�again. I Am His Daughter is the fictional story of a young woman and her relationship with two the earthly father she loved so much and the heavenly Father she learned to trust above all.

Genres: Fiction

494 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Christopher Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven out of ten.

As far as novels by Mennonite authors go:
Ten out of ten.

This is the second-longest book I've read in a single sitting (hey, Gideon's Torch). That says something about it. On the other hand, I had a lot of time tonight.

Rachel's story took me a little while to warm up to; the pace is square, practical, and Steiner's prose is in the same category. Then again, perhaps this is the true Mennonite voice.

Yet when I got into it, the story pulled me along. Steiner deals with challenging topics (submission? emotional abuse?), and while she veers a little toward didache in spots, it's easy to see how those spots could have been influenced by a staunch editor. Nor does the book read as a wholesale endorsement of the conservative Mennonite movement.

If practicality has its weaknesses, it has its strengths as well - notably both physical and emotional realism. While I could have enjoyed a touch more psychological development, I related enough to Rachel's family that my eyes dampened a handful of times. Then again, maybe I'm just becoming a softie.

A couple of picks. The epilogue is too sappy. Also, I struggled with a sense that the book is geared toward women - which isn't a bad thing in itself, but I'm not sure it's what Steiner was going for.

Mostly, though, I'm just impressed that anyone from the conservative Anabaptist tradition is writing novels. I can't thank Steiner enough for helping to nudge this gate open.

This book is worth reading, especially for people with traditional family values. Especially for Mennonites. Brethren, you have to read your own.

[Emily Gingrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book. I Am His Daughter is well-written. It pulls you in and wraps your emotions around the people in the story. The main characters are alive, and the changing scenery and tension keeps it interesting. I was not exactly expecting it to end as it did, but it was good. A worthwhile, enjoyable, and enlightening read!

[Aubrie Shank · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like novels, so I loved the fiction aspect of this book. I also really enjoyed being able to relate to some parts of the conservative lifestyle. It was a very long story that felt like it dragged out in some parts. Overall not too bad. It did end in a very typical way, as I expected

[Rose Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is good writing on a difficult subject. The main character was likeable and relatable. Cheers for Rachel finding her backbone (at the mature age of 28) and making the right decision.

[Jane Weaver · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not like.