In “Mennonite on the Edge,” the newest offering from Pennsylvania Mennonite author Cynthia Yoder, country-girl-at-heart MaryJo hopes to leave behind her identity as a Mennonite by marrying Adam and living a life of adventure in Manhattan. But news from home kicks up memories she had tried to forget. While she begins to question her choices, Adam lands a high-profile job, making a move seem impossible. MaryJo must make peace with her past and her present so that she can live the life of her dreams with Adam. But can she reconcile her craving for a life of country serenity in a city that never sleeps?
Set in both New York City and the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Mennonite on the Edge follows MaryJo as she struggles, as so many young women do, to create a life for herself on her own terms. But the more she attempts to distance herself from her past, the more it seems to pull her back in.
“My goal in writing Mennonite on the Edge was to share with readers an authentic voice from the Pennsylvania Dutch Mennonite community,” said Yoder. “There is so much prejudice and misinformation out there. I want to educate people — and tell a love story too!”
In Mennonite on the Edge, Yoder offers a fresh, fun perspective on age-old themes, including:
The quandary of personal identity vs. the sense of belonging in a community
Relationships and how they shape our identities and decisions
Struggling to find connection with God after breaking from traditional religious ties
The pull of the past: can we can ever truly escape it and start over?
The differences between Pennsylvania Amish and Mennonites
