Keeper of the Doves

Keeper of the Doves

By Betsy Byars

2002

 I was so impressed with The Pinballs written by Betsy Byars that when I came across this book a the Library titled Keeper of Doves, I was excited to read it. 

The book begins with a baby, minutes old, awaiting her fate. Of course, she realizes that she couldn’t possibly remember, but the story had been told to her so many times that she assumed it as her own memory.  The child, a baby girl, was born to a man who desperately wanted a son but had 4 daughters already.  In disappointment and disgust, he named her Amen!, later nicknamed Amie. The family took in a stranger who had saved her fathers life, Mr. Tominski (Mr. Tom).  Mr. Tom is mysterious, speaks in German and is the Keeper of the Doves.  The girls make fun of him and fear his mysterious ways, but Amie sees gentleness. 

I really didn’t like this book.  It seemed to drag on, it was full of judgment and I really felt so sorry for Mr. Tom.  I did like that young Amie was an aspiring poet and that her father was supportive of that, and I thought it cleaver that the author had 26 short chapters beginning with each letter of the alphabet.