An Emotional Story of the Roaring Twenties | Review: All for a Song by Allison Pittman

All for a Song

by Allison Pittman

About The Book

Dorothy Lynn Dunbar has everything she ever wanted: her family, her church, and plans to marry the young pastor who took over her late father’s pulpit. Time spent in the woods, lifting her heart and voice in worship accompanied by her brother’s old guitar, makes her life complete… and yet she longs for something more.

Spending a few days in St. Louis with her sister’s family, Dorothy Lynn discovers a whole new way of life- movies, music, dancing; daring fashions and fancy cars. And a dynamic charismatic evangelist… who just happens to be a woman. When Dorothy Lynn is offered a chance to join Aimee Semple McPherson’s crusade team, she finds herself confronted with temptations she never dreamed of. Can Dorothy Lynn embrace all the Roaring Twenties has to offer without losing herself in the process?

My Thoughts

What to say about a book like this? It’s been a long time since a novel stirred my heart the way All for a Song did, different portions affecting me in different ways. From the first page, this book defied my expectations and it was definitely not what I was expecting, in good ways, and sometimes in not very good ways. The subject matter is much more serious than I had anticipated, but at times the storyline was lighter than I thought it would be. I liked Dorothy Lynn Dunbar, as well as her family. I had mixed feelings about Brent; going into the book, I was expecting to not like him, that it would be revealed that he was not good for Dorothy Lynn, but that was not the case. I could. not. stand Roland. Ugh! I wish he had not dominated so much of the book because he got on my nerves so bad.

What I did enjoy about the book is the setting. I love the 1920s! And I also love the small town setting. Allison Pittman can write about small southern towns the way many authors can’t. Heron’s Nest reminds me of the places where my grandparents grew up in the ‘40s and ‘50s and reading about it reminded me of their stories. I liked that Dorothy Lynn was spunky but sweet and that even through her time of wandering, she still held faith in God and that she turned to Him when she made mistakes. And I love that at times we got a peek at Dorothy Lynn on the final day of her 107 years. I’ve always enjoyed reading stories like that; that switch between a person in their advanced age and their younger years. It was so sad to see how she had outlived those that she loved most and was left with people that seemed like little more than acquaintances to her. This is one of the reasons I felt like crying at the end of this book.

While All for a Song left me a little conflicted, I still think it was a well written novel and had moments that I loved. This is a book that I do believe will stick with me for quite some time.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.