WHEN THE HEART CRIES

Jill Shellabarger portrays naïve 17-year-old Hannah, who has been raised in an Old Order Amish family. Her depiction of Hannah's feelings of conflict when her secret Mennonite boyfriend, Paul, proposes is especially believable. Hannah feels both joy and anxiety because traditional Amish and Mennonites never mix, and Hannah fears her family's displeasure. Shellabarger's sympathetic portrayal of the ensuing tragedy that changes Hannah's life forever is captivating. She perfectly renders Hannah's questioning of the Old Amish ways, her father's love for her, and her place in the Amish community. But, most of all, she subtly depicts Hannah's doubts about her beloved Paul. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2009]