The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon Mondragon {Book Review}
My aunt loves the fiber arts. Yarn in particular. And she likes to knit. She tends to gravitate to fiction books that feature yarn and knitting. So I decided that I would step into her world and read this latest book by Sharon Mondragon about a small church knitting group.
About the Book
A knitting group’s change of scenery changes lives in unexpected ways
Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran had a good thing going: meet every week in the quiet of their peaceful chapel and knit prayer shawls. No muss, just ministry. That is, until their pastor boots them out of the church in his last-ditch effort to revive the dwindling congregation.
Uptight Margaret isn’t having it. Knitting prayer shawls where people can watch is the most ridiculous idea she’s ever heard of, and she’s heard plenty. Prayer belongs in the church, not out among the heathen masses. How are they supposed to knit holiness into these shawls if they’re constantly distracted by the public? But with no choice, the others embrace the challenge. They pack their knitting bags and drag Margaret–grumbling the whole way–to the mall with them. She can’t wait to prove them all wrong when it fails miserably, and show the pastor that she always knows best.
Without the familiar mold the group has been stuck in, their own losses, pain, and struggles rise to the surface. And the people and situations they encounter every time they try to sit quietly and knit are taking them a lot further out of their comfort zone than they ever imagined. Can they find the courage to tackle the increasing number of knotty issues they learn about in the community–or will the tangle be too much to unravel?
My Thoughts about the Unlikely Yarn
I don’t even think I read the synopsis of this book before diving right in. I just decided I would go for it and I wasn’t sure what to expect.
The title is a little misleading but yet again it fits perfectly. You’ll need to read the book to see exactly what I mean because I don’t want to give that away. (Smile)
I loved the characters in this book. A lot of Christian fiction is about 20 something young ladies looking for love in all the wrong places. This book is about middle aged women getting out of their comfort zones. With some of them I could totally relate!
I came to love the prickly Margaret who felt she was running the show. Sweet widowed Fran had my heart as she came out of her grief. Rose struggled to find purpose with the new changes in her life while Jan is dealing with family issues that no mother wants to face.
For those looking for a romance or mystery novel there is precious little of that in this debut novel. But please don’t let that deter you. This is just a different genre but no less interesting and good read. This book has a lot to offer and may even inspire you to start a prayer group among your friends.
And it’s the character you hate (well, dislike) who you come to love by the end.
About the Author
Sharon J. Mondragon is not just a nice lady who knits. She’s the author of award-winning fiction that takes you to the place where courage and kindness meet.
Like some of the characters in The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady, she was once content to live well within her comfort zone. At the age of 19, however, she realized that she would not have much to show for such a life. She accepted the challenge and recklessly prayed for adventure.
The ensuing years as an Army spouse and the mother of five wildly individual children were filled with both thrilling and devastating moments, undergirded by the faithful hand of the God who inspired the prayer.
The Army years are over, but the adventure continues in Midlothian, Texas where Sharon lives with her husband, her laptop, and her yarn stash.
Learn more about Sharon J. Mondragon
Where to Buy
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