A Family Bond
A River Too Deep by Sydney Betts is a powerful Christian historical adventure romance novel set in 1817. It is a truly compulsive read and a real gem. It is a fictional masterpiece.
There are numerous themes but the overriding one is trust in God. As the novel opens, Alcy is fleeing from Henry, saying “there were only two things I knew for sure – God held me in the palm of His hand, and none of this had taken Him by surprise.” Time and again throughout the novel, Alcy puts her trust in God. As He proves His faithfulness so Alcy’s faith grows and so does that of the people around her. “What is truly valuable cannot be purchased and that real security comes only from God.” Alcy, at just seventeen has learnt what some of us miss in a lifetime.
Much of the novel takes place in a native American camp. It is here that Eyes Like Water (formerly Alcy) shares the Bible. The people had been waiting for someone to tell them about the Creator and they were hungry to hear about Him. As Quiet Woman says “now I know the Creator rather than know about Him.” The novel deepened the people’s faith and it has the power to deepen the reader’s faith. Sydney Betts presents the biblical truths in a very matter of fact way. To follow what God says makes perfect sense, so why don’t we? Each chapter ends with a portion of scripture. The novel is not ‘preachy’ but speaks directly to the reader’s soul.