The book reads like a daily journal of the activities taking place in and around the abbey, and I did have a bit of a hard time getting into the story for the first few chapters.  The characters began to take shape, however, and soon these simple, humble men were faced with a test of real forgiveness.  

I can't say this was a book that really held my attention.  I was drawn in a bit with the mystery of a fire in a nearby town, and what this had to do with our quiet fellas at St. Alcuin's, but the plot never quite thickened enough for me.  I kept reading because, honestly, it was nice to escape into a world of bare necessities and devoted God-followers living in community.  There is a nice lesson in accepting our fellow man and offering healing through forgiveness, so it's worth the read.

NOTE:  Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a free copy of this book for review.