In the Shadow of the Mountain

Kade Family Saga #5

by Laurel Mouritsen

In this the fifth and final volume of The Kade Family Saga, the story builds to a climatic conclusion against the vivid backdrop of new statehood and the challenges of faith and family during the tumultuous closing years of the nineteenth century. Despite the faith of their ancestors, Rebecca and Rachel must both find their own way to hope and happiness, to redemption and forgiveness, to life and love.

Genres: Audiobook

396 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Michelle Llewellyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the final (so far) installment of the Kade Family Saga, Mouritsen gives us one more story involving a third generation of Kades. This is a LDS historical fiction series about the restoration of the church very similar to Gerald Lund's Work and the Glory but not as well written.
The series follows the story of Christian and Lydia Kade, the patriarchs of the family introduced in Vol I who are now dead and their decendants and their stories namely Lydia's two children from her first marriage-Elizabeth and James who, by Vol 5, are long gone. James's story of coming to Utah with his family and marrying his future wife is told in Vol 3 Between Two Shores. One of Elizabeth's daughters, Jessica, comes out West on an adventure and gets in touch with her Kade relations-Uncle James and his son Ethan. Jessica meets a handsome cowboy and ends up staying. Jessica's story is told in Vol 4 Beside Still Waters which also follows Jessica's cousin Ethan who courts a pretty young woman and ends up marrying her.
So, here's Vol 5: In The Shadow of the Mountain Ethan Kade is now dead survived only by two daughters, his wife also died years earlier. Rebecca and Rachel are fraternal twins, around 20 years old. Rebecca likes to work the ranch and rope cattle, Rachel would rather live in Salt Lake City, work in a hat shop and be a social butterfly. She brings one of her beaus home to watch as the two sisters go through their father's things and argue about the inheritance of the estate and struggling over the issue of selling or holding onto the family ranch with no male heir to help run it.
There's instant attraction between the beau and Rebecca so you can probably guess what happens next but read the book anyway. Mouritsen still manages to tell a good story and if it's been awhile since you've read the previous volumes, the family tree list on p. 252 is very helpful.

[Karna Bosman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this historical fiction series which follows the family of Lydia Dawson, a young mother living on the Illinois Frontier who hears a new doctrine preached by a traveling minister from Oho. When Lydia’s husband dies in an accident she is compelled by life circumstance to pack up and follow her neighbors to Independence, Missouri. Here she meets Christian Kade, himself a young Mormon convert. Together they build a family who’s story is followed through the generations, in the end living in Salt Lake City and beyond. The books are filled with adventure and personal spiritual discovery. While some of the characters are not that well developed that is understandable considering the amount of history that is covered. The author blends the lives of historical and fictional characters and I come away having a greater sense of American History. Insight is given into the US Presidencies from Andrew Jackson to Grover Cleveland, views of the political parties through the years, and a look into the economic ups and downs of the nation and the lives of Mormon people who were driven out of Missouri by an executive extermination order, then out of Nauvoo, Illinois, to settle along Sugar Creek in in what is now Lee County, Iowa. (Fort Madison.Keokuk area). Some of the history is glossed over by jumping from one generation to the next. Lydia and Christian’s Great Grandchildren are in the last generation discussed. Hatred and persecution of the Mormon people is emphasized in the earlier books while the challenges of living on the frontier are more front and center later on as well as the persecution and hatred shown to Native Americans. Woven throughout the books are a people’s relationship with the Mormon faith and how it can divide and unite families.

[B Simmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even to this last book, I still liked the series but again jumped around too much and ahead too much. I would have liked more details but I get it that it's a long time line - still lots of history to have crafted a good historical novel around.

[Sal4gal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have listened to this series this month, I breezed through because it was so good. I especially enjoyed the books after they arrived in SLC. Each book was very good and I really enjoyed each character.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. I think the first one was my favourite. I loved Lydia and Christian's love story best. I did love that in this last book they pulled the history of Lydia and Christian back into the story :)

[Swhe641200 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Series. Read in Ward book group. LuDean bought all books saints coming to Utah.

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book very slow paced, and it tended to ramble. I finished but it just was not my cup of tea. Happy reading and listening!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. So glad I could do a trial on audible to find it. Great story!

[Nicole Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the final book of the saga. I loved this series & am a little sad to see it end!

[Emma Vaillincourt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the first 100 pages. I just could not get into it. After I decided I wasn't going to finish I skimmed around a bit too look for resolutions and it was as I had guessed. These characters just felt so far removed from the Kade family that I had a hard time wanting to finish it.