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A review by jeansbookbag
Prairie Silence: A Memoir by Melanie Hoffert
4.0
What a lovely memoir about life, love, and faith from an expatriated small town girl. I have a very good friend who has lived a similar life: a lesbian from a tiny town in conservative North Dakota. She also has been surprisingly (to her) accepted by the people in her hometown, the ones she was so afraid to tell, to speak her truth. And though I know my friend’s story, I felt like this book really gave me even more insight into the struggle her life was for so many years; hiding her true self from the people who mattered most until she was in her 20s. I love when books give me a window into experiences that are different than mine, because it makes me (at least I hope it does) a kinder, more empathetic person.
And while the underlying issue to Hoffert’s crisis of faith is totally different than mine, that aspect of the book really resonated with me. All of her questions about God and what does being holy really mean, are questions I’ve asked as I’ve struggled with my own issues with the church and faith the last couple of years. And I really loved the conclusion she came to on those issues. She wrote what I feel so eloquently, much more eloquently than I ever could say. Overall a lovely memoir for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider in the place that they call home.
And while the underlying issue to Hoffert’s crisis of faith is totally different than mine, that aspect of the book really resonated with me. All of her questions about God and what does being holy really mean, are questions I’ve asked as I’ve struggled with my own issues with the church and faith the last couple of years. And I really loved the conclusion she came to on those issues. She wrote what I feel so eloquently, much more eloquently than I ever could say. Overall a lovely memoir for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider in the place that they call home.