I can always tell my stress level by my ability or inability to settle in with a book. If I’m wired, it’s not going to happen. I get distracted. My mind wanders, I fidget, check my phone, readjust my sitting position, then maybe, just maybe, I begin to read. That’s how I began “Ordinary Grace.” I just couldn’t get settled in at first. I could tell I was feeling anxious about ‘stuff’ in general. Then, something kind of of miraculous happened. I began to focus as I forced myself to read. I began to care about the Drum boys, Frank and Jake. I was amazed by the goodness of heart in their father, Reverend Drum. Yes, being a reverend you would think that. But let’s face it, that’s not always the case, even for a man of God. He was good to his core and believed in the goodness of people, which he instilled in his children. I could picture the small town of New Bremen, Minnesota in the 60’s. That time when church and family meant everything, getting a root beer float at the corner drugstore was a huge treat, and long summer days were spent at the swimming hole. Throw in a couple of town murders to solve, human cruelty, and passion, and the ‘ordinary’ of everyday life becomes the ‘extraordinary. Krueger paints a narrative canvas that reflects the enormous capacity to love and forgive.When the story ends, I found myself strangely at peace. A highly satisfying read indeed.
