A triptych of a novel, with three stories set on the same location--The Big Muddy Ranch in Oregon--but happening years apart, this is inspired by true stories. The author ties the stories together by saying that miracles happened in each era and that the land is clearly a magical place. I don't think she manages to pull this off in her telling of the stories and she certainly doesn't make a very good connection between them if she is trying to claim a thematic similarity that inspired her to put them under one cover. The first story tells of Eva and D.L. Bruner through the his trial for the murder of a fellow sheepherder. The second story tells of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers taking over the ranch and town and waging their brand of war on the surrounding people through the character of a young woman member of the cult and her child. The third story, and where the author's intention to testify or proselytize finally completely overcomes the already meager shards of storytelling, tells of the rejuvenation of the ranch as a Christian kids' camp. None of the stories were greatly compelling or all that well written (repetitive anyone?) and as a whole this was less a novel than an extended (and frankly, boring) testimonial. Sadly, not one person in my f2f group liked it and the leader refused to even finish it. Don't waste your time or money on it!

My mother-in-law ADORES Jane Kirkpatrick. Will pass this one on to her.