New York Times Book Review

"A poor orphan searches for her way in the world, with the help of plucky comrades and her own stout spirit. As she reaches self-knowledge, the handsome heir of a wealthy family sees past her humble garb to ask for her work-stained hand in marriage. Sound like a fairy tale? Kimberley Heuston's thoughtful and ambitious novel The Shakeress doesn't end there. True love is not the answer for Naomi, the confident heroine of the title. The book's climax comes not with the lover on his knees in love, but with Naomi on her knees in prayer. … As an independent, self-reliant teenage girl, Naomi provides a model for any quickly maturing questioner, even those who don't share her questions. Her quest is recognizable and welcoming. Tolerance for God-related musing and a God-inspired ending are, however, necessary equipment for this journey."

Washington Post Book World

"An original, intelligent, thought-provoking first novel … It's as if Emma had thrown over Mr. Knightly in order to become an Anabaptist. Yet Jane Austen might well have admired Heuston's wit —and her willingness to defy conventional expectations, literary or otherwise."

Publishers Weekly

"Fascinating views of Shakers and other religious movements in the 1820s and '30s."

Kirkus Reviews

"An unusual coming-of-age novel, both for its subject and its focus. … What is noteworthy about this story is the intensity with which it treats spiritual questions; the place of prayer; the path to faith; the meaning and mystery of the divine. Along with trying to find out what she wants to be when she grows up and whom she will love, Naomi longs for spiritual nourishment in a direct and unaffected way. … Engaging as historical fiction and for the honest way it approaches belief."

Booklist

"An introspective story that will attract readers seeking their own spiritual path."

Seatle Times and Post-Intelligencer

"There is a historical basis for this quiet and absorbing novel, set during the spiritual revival of the ‘Second Great Awakening.' It paints an intriguing picture of the Shaker experience and the universal quest for a meaningful life."

Voice of Youth Advocate

"Heuston has an excellent eye for historical detail, and the tapestry of her story is rich with colors, smells, and precise background from this period in American life. Readers who enjoy historical fiction from this period will relish Heuston's novel. Young Mormon readers will love the historical fiction set in a period of their own church''s history."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Heuston skillfully sets thoughtful discussion of spiritual growth and religious choice into a tale that finds and embraces the good in disparate religious traditions, and only diehard romantics who cannot forgive Naomi's broken engagement will rue her choice."