It is the beginning of the 1800’s. Naomi, her older brother Ben, and her younger siblings Eli and Glory have been left orphaned by a house fire that claimed not only their parents’ lives, but that of the baby as well. They have been sent to live with Aunt Thankful, a woman who does not live up to her name but instead takes everything on herself as a burden and a curse. Rather than being grateful that the four children survived the fire, she complains about the extra work and expense of raising them, and she informs Naomi that she is sending her to work in the factories to bring in more money.
The children have tolerated the emotional abuse from their aunt long enough, and when Naomi gets the idea that they should go to the nearby Shaker community and apply to live there, they agree with her plan. The Shakers take them in lovingly and give them more to eat and nicer clothes than they’ve ever had, and for once in a long time, they aren’t cold and hungry. The Shaker way is very austere, however, and the boys and girls aren’t allowed to live together. Naomi and Glory can see their brothers once in a while, but they must live apart as they have never done before.
Naomi is given the opportunity to continue studying herbs and healing, a talent she inherited from her mother. Working side by side with Sister Martha, she learns how to set bones, deliver babies, and administer to every ailment. But she’s not sure that the Shaker way is for her.
Upon reaching the age of eighteen, she decides that she would rather not take the bonnet and become an official Shaker. Wishing her well, her friends send her off into the outside world, which she finds strange at first. Everyone seems so crude and loud after the quiet Shaker ways. But she finds a market for her remedies and even experiences love for the first time, something she would never find in the Shaker community, as Shakers do not believe in marriage.
I found myself completely enthralled with this description of Shaker life. I never knew anything about that religion until reading this book, and found the information intriguing. But then I read the end of the book in surprise – Naomi goes on to join the early Latter-day Saints. I had meant to read a national book and while this one was published on the national market, it has Mormons in it too. So much for broadening my reading, eh?
If you’ve ever been interested in learning more about the Shakers, other religions in general, or would just like to read a really good story, you’ll enjoy “The Shakeress.”
(This book was published in 2002 by the Penguin Group.)
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