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A Mormon Family Saga #2

House of Diamonds

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In this sequel to her debut novel, Uncut Diamonds , Gowen follows sisters Cindy and Marcie as they reach a crossroads in their lives. Marcie pursues her dream of becoming a published writer while Cindy faces a terrible tragedy. Through faith, loss and the transcending nature of sacrifice, Marcie and Cindy must learn the incredible power that comes to families when they pull together to overcome challenges. Two women, one facing opportunity, the other tragedy. Can their bond endure?

198 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2011

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About the author

Karen Jones Gowen

11 books131 followers
Born and raised in central Illinois, Karen attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. She transferred to Brigham Young University, where she met her husband Bruce, and there graduated with a degree in English and American Literature.

Karen and Bruce have lived in Utah, Illinois, California and Washington, currently residing in Panajachel, Guatemala. They are the parents of ten children. Not surprisingly, family relationships are a recurring theme in Karen's writing.

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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for Jennifer Lane.
Author 16 books1,432 followers
July 12, 2014
Two Families Healing Through Faith

Karen Jones Gowan has been quite supportive of authors, and it was my pleasure to review the advance reader copy of her novel House of Diamonds. This novel is a follow-up to Uncut Diamonds, which I haven’t read. As I understand, this novel isn’t necessarily a sequel but follows the lives of the same characters, sisters Marcie and Cindy.

The story’s blurb says Two sisters, one facing opportunity, the other tragedy. Marcie, the mother of seven children, has always wanted to be a writer. She joins a local author group and pursues her dream. Marcie seems so at ease as a mother, and I’m stunned she can find ANY time to write with seven children! Marcie’s younger sister Cindy is the one facing tragedy. Her baby son Jordan has a severe medical problem that forces the family to live at the hospital for many months. The mystery of Jordan’s illness was at first intriguing. Then I felt so saddened to find out the exact diagnosis because my friend’s baby died of that illness, and I can’t imagine how awful the situation would be.

This is a story about the trials of small-town domestic life taking place in the 1980’s and the power of religious faith to cope with those trials. As an unmarried career woman, I had trouble relating to the characters’ personalities, values, and concerns.

I hadn’t realized this was a story focusing on two Mormon families, and it was tough to digest the religious aspects of the novel because my spiritual beliefs are quite different.

Elder Maxwell spoke of God’s need to let us go through difficult experiences here on earth . . . That we must accept the difficulties which come our way like an obedient child bowing to the will of a loving father, knowing these things are for our good (p. 32).

I believe in a loving God that doesn’t cause pain but rather helps us through life’s pain. The idea of God purposely giving us travails to test our fortitude and faith is a bit uncomfortable for me. I’m also a feminist and have some difficulty with the role of women in the Mormon religion. It’s good this part of the story provokes such thought and discussion, and it was interesting to see a point of view from a community so different from mine.

The reader can see how much Cindy’s faith bolsters her: Marcie, I thank God every moment for the prayers, the blessings, and for each improvement Jordan makes, no matter how small. (p. 85)

One aspect I totally didn’t connect with was the short story written by Marcie, “My Fat Sister”. Marcie wrote about how her older sister Linda was an overweight child and teen, whose family teased her incessantly. Linda didn’t make the swim team or go to Junior Prom because she was too fat. I think this story was supposed to be funny? Instead, it really angered me. Now that Linda the adult has somehow thinned out, the family continues to laugh about her fat youth. The story seemed cruel and unrealistic to me, but perhaps I’m especially sensitive to this issue due to counseling individuals with eating disorders.

Marcie has some run-ins with a pompous author in her group, Professor Yardley. When he continues to insult her and her writing, she cowers and hides from him. (I was hoping she’d stand up to him more but her most rebellious act is nicknaming him Professor Turdley.) This storyline doesn’t really get resolved which makes me wonder if Karen’s planning a third book in the series.

I did like how healing through faith links the sisters’ disparate experiences, as well as the metaphor of people as diamonds, strengthening and brightening from immense pressure. The writing was clear and easy to follow.

Overall, I personally didn’t relate to the characters and their world. However, those who enjoy spiritual family stories will likely find this book interesting.

(Thank you to Julie from A Tale of Many Reviews for her editing assistance!)
Profile Image for Talli Roland.
Author 19 books302 followers
November 16, 2011
House of Diamonds follows two sisters. One is on her way to achieving her dream of being a writer, despite the chaos in her busy household and her frequently absent husband. The other is struggling to keep it together whilst her newborn clings to life in the hospital. Author Karen Jones Gowen plunges readers into the daily details of each household, holding us at close range and never letting go. The intensity of emotion -- from frustration and fear to joy and faith -- is palpable throughout.

Although generally I'm not big into 'faith' novels, Gowen weaves this into the narrative in a natural and subtle way, and it added to the fabric of the families' life.
Profile Image for Jessica Bell.
Author 75 books497 followers
September 4, 2011
You do not need to be a Mormon to enjoy this book. Nor do you need to believe in a religion of any kind. You do not even need to be a mother, or have experienced taking care of a sick child, or even have a dream you are struggling to achieve. You do not need to be any of these things to become solidly immersed in this story. Why? Because this book makes you feel like you are IN the story and experiencing the lives of these everyday, small-town, mothers, as if you were somehow wearing their skins.

The dialogue is perfect, the descriptions succinct, to the point, and in my opinion, just right. The characterization is spot on. The way the two mothers interact with each other, Marcie and Cindy, who are sisters, is so seamless I sometimes totally forgot I was reading. No matter how simple the story, that takes talent.

And you know, I’m sure some will say that there is nothing “special” about the content of this book. Nothing remarkable or exciting happens to keep you on the edge of your seat. But what is beyond special is the way in which it was told. Realistically. I believed every word of it. I felt deeply for these characters and was hooked from the very beginning, eager to simply discover whether Cindy’s baby Jordan might recover from surgery (brain tumor), and whether Marcie would finally write that novel she’s been struggling to start—and gosh, she has seven kids, who wouldn’t struggle with that?

This was a very wholesome read. It’s the kind of book you can relax into. I recommend it to any woman who can appreciate a story that is real. I’m a sucker for real, so I guess that’s why I enjoyed it so much despite not being at all religious. I’m looking forward to see what else this author has up her sleeve.
Profile Image for Karen.
Author 11 books131 followers
February 5, 2012
Why did I write House of Diamonds? Because I wanted to tell this story:

When the lives of two sisters take a much different course than expected

When one sister is on the verge of realizing her lifelong dream and the other faces a terrible tragedy

To give a voice to a beloved baby who had none

To show the incredible power that comes to families when they pull together to overcome challenges. At these times, a house of pain can become a house of diamonds.

I am grateful to my sister for the use of her journals that she kept during the time of her baby’s illness. Many readers have asked me if this story is true. Although fictionalized, it is based on my sister’s experience with her baby who was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

I hope that House of Diamonds will help others heal who may have gone through a similar experience, and that it will give understanding and compassion to those who are close to grieving parents.

There was no way I could have written this book without my sister’s help and support. So thank you, Jeri and Gentz, the real Cindy and Karl, for allowing me to tell your story. I pray that I have done it justice.




Profile Image for Nicki Elson.
Author 14 books140 followers
September 12, 2011
The scene that gives the book its title is gorgeous, not just for the scene itself, but for how it applies to the whole story. House of Diamonds is a candid look into the mind of a woman attempting to balance all the parts of her life — children, husband, faith, needs of her extended family, and her own desire to write. It’s not a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of tale, but one that moves along at the steady pace of a real life.

I think anyone who's had kids will be able to relate to Marcie's motherhood woes, like when she fights off envy over her husband's opportunity to “get away” on work trips while she holds down the fort, and her reflections on LaLeche guilt.

While the story had a very serious, sad thread, it was balanced by Marcie’s flirtation with another aspect of her life — writing. The meetings with her writing group added a delightful levity to the story. The group comprised entertaining, rich characters, and the on-going discussion of one of the aspiring author’s plot line made for an intriguing story within a story.

Woven into House of Diamonds are thought provoking discussions of spiritual matters. These conversations showed that even though the main characters are people of strong faith, the human condition is to question, struggle against, interpret, and finally succumb to God’s plan.

Something to bear in mind is that the characters live rather isolated lives in a small town in the 1980s, and there are a few moments that, while entirely believable in the setting, could come off to readers as somewhat insensitive, such as an essay titled “My Fat Sister.”

I’ll end with one of my very favorite passages from the book. This is at the end of a scene where Marcie visits her sister's sick baby and her sister in the hospital. The scene obviously had the potential to be heart wrenching, but Gowen instead ends it on a beautiful note of peace:

“The longer Marcie sat in their company, the more aware of that bond she became. She felt it a privilege to be part of it for a time, and she found it difficult to leave the tender aura that enveloped baby Jordan’s room.”

Profile Image for Kerri Cuevas.
Author 8 books31 followers
November 7, 2011
House of Diamonds is a sincere story that will pull at your heartstrings and remind you just how precious life is. It follows sisters Marci McGill, as she raises seven children while trying to attain success in her writing, and Cindy, who is confronting an illness that leaves her young son fighting for his life.

This family goes through inconceivable heartbreak, yet, perseveres through their faith in God and the strength they find within each other. I laughed when the McGill’s were happy and I cried when they were sad. It was easy to connect to the characters and ache with them, as this could be anybody’s family. Karen Gowen has a book with an excellent voice and writing.

Some of my favorite passages:
“Elder Maxwell spoke of God‘s need to let us go through difficult experiences here on earth, experiences to stretch us like violin strings that must be kept taut to play in tune. That we must accept the difficulties which come our way like an obedient child bowing to the will of a loving father, knowing these things are for our good.”

“Until she reminded herself that this man was only a doctor, a pediatrician, he was not God. Only God would have the final verdict on the outcome of baby Jordan‘s life experience.”

“Wanting did not guarantee results. It only meant that you have an ache and a hunger for something, not that you will get what you desire.”
~Kerri Cuevas
Profile Image for Kate Palmer.
Author 18 books70 followers
October 26, 2011
I enjoyed the book. It’s not escapist fare, but rather a slice of life–a realistic slice of LDS family life. I enjoyed it more than the prequel Uncut Diamonds. In an interview I did with Karen, she said she planned on being more plot-driven in her next novel. She delivered on this promise. I like how she alternated chapters to bring out two different plot lines.

The main character Marcie is LDS, has seven young children, and aspires to writing a novel. I think any busy mom with a dream could relate to Marcie. I also cried with Marcie’s sister when her newborn was diagnosed with some serious medical problems.

I admired that Marcie held on to her dreams, but realized that the top priority for this time and season in her life was being the best mom to her children. Marcie was more at peace with herself in this book and that’s perhaps one reason I enjoyed it more than Uncut Diamonds.

I also found a great quote I’ll be hanging on my fridge:

I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down . . . (Nehemiah 6:3)

You all will have to read the book to understand what that’s all about!
2 reviews3 followers
November 5, 2011
House of Diamonds, by Karen Jones Gowen...a review

Usually, a novel has one protagonist the reader can focus on. You follow their journey step by step, wondering what they will do, what will happen to them. You can’t wait to turn the page to find out.

In Karen Gowen’s novel, House of Diamonds, it felt like there were four: Marcie, the mother of seven who secretly yearns to be a writer; Cindy, her sister, whose baby has a brain tumor; Baby Jordan, who has the brain tumor, and the Mormon Faith, which did, indeed, seem like a character in and of itself.

On the surface, it’s a story about a family and its every day travails. As an only child, I was fascinated by the details of what a day in the life of a family with seven children is like. It’s also a story about love and loss and death and grief and above all, Faith.

Gowen masterfully draws us into this family dynamic, showing us the internal and external struggles of both Marcie and Cindy, both as siblings and as individual women and as moms. It is heartwarming and poignant.
Profile Image for Michelle Fayard.
32 reviews4 followers
September 19, 2011
Something is wrong with Marcie McGill’s six-month-old nephew, Jordan. He can’t keep food down. He’s often unresponsive. And his head is too large for his body.

Marcie’s sister Cindy and her husband are pretending everything will be all right. They can’t afford another crisis, not with Cindy’s husband forced to go on strike by his teachers’ union.

Then Jordan is diagnosed with a brain tumor, and the family’s world turns upside down before coming together in an even stronger circle of love.

Set in the Midwest in the 1980s, Karen Jones Gowen’s newest book continues the story of the McGill sisters that was first introduced in Uncut Diamonds. This book will resonate with every parent who has needed faith in order to come through the other side of grief-filled times. Particularly uplifting are the short stories Karen shows Marcie writing for her local paper.
1 review6 followers
November 6, 2011
Well, since I am Cindy, mother of Jordan the baby in this touching book, I ready with my heart and my memory and was transported back to those days so many years ago. Karen truly captured the pain I went through but also the tender mercies experienced throughout this experience. I cried, I laughed and I rejoiced as two sisters learned more about faith, family and letting go. ONe had to let go of her precious baby, the other of her dream of writing for a while. Both of them did so with grace and understanding and I applaud us, I mean them! Good job, Karen; thank you for preserving a piece of my life that has defined so much of it. Our Jordan has been a very real part of our family for thirty years and now we can all read about that sacred, tender time.
Profile Image for Clarissa Draper.
Author 2 books39 followers
November 24, 2011
I really liked this book, as I liked the first book she wrote. It touched me, especially the situation with the baby. I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened with that boy. The only problem I had was the same with the first book, I couldn't wrap my head around some of the Mormon terminology. I could relate to Marcie as she struggles to find time to pursue her love of writing, even after hearing harsh criticism from her writing group. Karen is a very supportive writer, support her back: pick up this book today!
316 reviews3 followers
June 8, 2021
Not our will, but God's will be done

A story of great faith and love between couples and families. Things go better when you trust in the Lord and relieve on Him. What we want is not always what God has planned, but what is best for us. When you trust in God, He will help you prepare for what is to come.
Profile Image for Amy Saia.
Author 12 books6 followers
May 17, 2012
Another engrossing book by Karen Gowen. I don't think I've ever read a family story without murder or sex or some sort of dysfunction and still found myself glued to every page. I enjoyed the honesty of Marcie's narrative; she's a sympathetic character with enough faults to sustain a curious interest in her daily activities. The author did a very good job of pacing the story between Marcie's hectic life of house full of children, and her sister's life with a terminally ill baby. To break some of the more depressing scenes of baby Jordan's struggle with a brain tumor, we were allowed to join in the fun of Marcie's weekly attendance at a local writing group. Though it showed the quiet, heartbreaking struggle of a woman with a dream that lacked time and support, it was also just fun to read and, I thought, extremely well written.

The whole book was expertly paced. It had heart and depth; humor and tragedy. I enjoyed reading it.

Profile Image for Carol Kilgore.
Author 13 books343 followers
April 21, 2012
Karen Jones Gowen's House of Diamonds is a from-the-heart story about the bonds of sisterhood and the importance of family. Gowen skillfully interweaves the stories of sisters Marcie and Cindy as they deal with both sorrow and happiness in their lives. House of Diamonds is also a story about love and faith.

Marcie has seven children - just seeing how that works on a daily basis was eye-opening, as my family is small. The story is about a Mormon family, and their faith plays a daily role in their lives. So I learned a little bit about the Mormon religion as well.

Overall, I very much enjoyed reading House of Diamonds.
Profile Image for Lynda Young.
Author 4 books30 followers
January 23, 2012
While this is not the sort of book I would normally read, I found the characters compelling and real. I read the book in two days, which for me is fast. It's a quiet book--no over the top angst, no surprise twists, no explosions--but this is part of the story's charm. It's a real life story with real life issues. It's honest. Well worth the read.

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