The Butterfly and the Violin

Kristy Cambron’s debut novel The Butterfly and the Violin is one of the best reads of 2014! She does a remarkable job of pulling her audience into the romance and mystery surrounding a missing work of art from the Holocaust. This is a moving tale packed with second chances and faith born from heartache.

The historical elements of the novel are captivating. This story reaches as far back as 1930 with content relating to the Nuremberg Laws. Author Kristy Cambron uses the motherly Jewish character of Omara to detail the conditions inside Auschwitz-Birkenau from its inception until Adele’s arrival on March 12, 1943. Cambron also chronicles major events in WWII Austria as well as the fall of the Nazi regime in 1945. This work honors the memory of the artists who risked certain death to create beauty amid the ashes.

The modern day storyline including Sera James and William Hanover is emotionally stirring. Sera’s story involves her attempts to fill a void that has been left by the men in her life. A woman with “trust issues” would be the best way to describe her. William is a man torn between expectations that have been placed on him by others and his desire to follow a higher calling. When these two individuals collide the sparks fly.

There is no mistaking that this title belongs in the genre of Christian fiction. The characters within the story clearly acknowledge God at every turn. They pray, seek His guidance, experience despair when He feels out of reach, and worship Him with wild abandon. William, Sera, and Adel all grapple with betrayal and loss in some form. How they choose to bring their secrets into the light of a powerful God is what sets this story and these characters apart from others. As they decide to trust and rely on God – He uses their circumstance to refine their faith and draw them closer to Himself and each other.

Kristy Cambron bursts onto the Christian fiction stage with a stellar performance. I give The Butterfly and the Violin 5 out of 5 stars.