The Valley

At 38, Gloria is a vaguely dissatisfied wife and mother. Compelled to return to the family farm after a long absence, she finds that nothing has changed about the strict Mennonite community she grew up in: not the house she grew up in, her mother's no-nonsense work ethic, nor her father's unwavering belief in "trust and obey." Nothing, that is, except the demons of her past that she must finally confront: her estranged best friend, Des, whom Gloria abandoned when Des needed her most; the early love of her life, Gabe, as gorgeous as ever but now married to Des; and the ghost of her beloved twin brother, Jake, whose death as a teenager would deeply affect the lives of everyone around him for a generation. Friesen's first novel for adults is a thoughtful exploration of the subtle complexities of family, faith, friendship, and grief.