–Sarah Roberts, San Francisco Book Review
“Many of us have an ancestor with an interesting story. Some also set about to write that story for publication, and most fail to realize that the story is not enough: a full context is what produces verisimilitude and brings the characters to life–in fact or fiction. Claire Gebben has mastered both the story and the context in this work. While acknowledging in her introductory ‘Dear Reader’ note that her work is based on fact, supported by letters and other documents, she states ‘it is one hundred percent historical fiction.’ She freely used her considerable skills as an author and researcher to write of the experiences of Michael Harm, her blacksmith ancestor. He is so clearly a product of his times and society that the novel has the ring of historical authenticity…. This is a thoroughly enjoyable piece of historical fiction…. Kudos to Claire Gebben for making genealogy and fiction work so well together!”
—Eleanor L. Turk, Yearbook of German American Studies, Spring 2015
“The writing quality is superb, the historical and geographic detail utterly convincing, the characters well-drawn, and the dialogue persuasive … Claire Gebben has extraordinary promise. Her prose is quite brilliant; I fully lived within her world.”
—William Dietrich, Pulitzer-Prize winning author
“Claire Gebben delivers an unforgettable narrator, an intimate glimpse of the immigrant experience, and an ultimately uplifting story.”
—Ana Maria Spagna, author of Test Ride on the Sunnyland Bus
“Meticulously researched and lovingly written. Claire Gebben’s new novel is both intimate and epic, following one immigrant’s journey to America but representative of the journeys of millions.”
—Lawrence Coates, author of The Garden of the World
“For a fascinating glimpse into what many nineteenth-century immigrants may have faced, and into the life of a nineteenth-century blacksmith and carriage builder, you’ll want to read this book.”
–Jennifer Singleton, “The Tale of an Immigrant Blacksmith,” The Carriage Journal, March 2014 Vol. 52, No. 2
“A thoughtful and often poignant look at the struggles of immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century, and which are very likely familiar to immigrants today. Kudos to Ms. Gebben for allowing her imagination to take flight and delivering a heartfelt story that is both enlightening and entertaining.”
—Charlotte Morganti, MorgantiWrites Blog
“Claire Gebben writes with clear, concise prose. The historical material enhances her story…. Her characters are well-developed with both virtues and foibles. This is a more or less true story that has been pieced together from a transatlantic correspondence over the generations.”
—Historical Novel Society
“This epic historical fiction novel is an insight into the immigrant experience of Michael Harm and millions of others who came to America to discover their fortune. Through many hardships and very hard work made his way in the world. I found this story to be rich in research of the German people and their love of their heritage. A very interesting story that keeps you turning the pages.”
Tribute Book Mama.
“Readers will enjoy this story of one man’s immigration to America and how he adjusted to life in the new land.”
—Clara Harsh, The Palatine Immigrant magazine
