Reviews

Emma Abrams’ deftly weaves a murder mystery, a romance novel and a travelogue into this gripping novel about an MK (missionary kid) boarding school in Quito, Ecuador. What happened there will shake you to your core but the survival of the little girl Andie, the main character in the book, will also inspire you. Abrams also explores the ripple effects that separation from parents at an early age has on a person as they navigate adulthood, marriage and parenting.

If readers think that what happened in “The Dorm” is hyperbole, I assure you that it is not. My brothers and I also attended an MK boarding school and Abrams’ descriptions, unfortunately, ring very true. I highly recommend this book to MKs, missionary parents and all who want a deeper understanding of how missionary life in the past century impacted innocent children who were swept up, through no choice of their own, into that world.

– Dianne

The characters are real, accessible. As an MK myself, with boarding school experience, I loved how Ms. Abrams wove the truth of the experience into the narrative of this mystery novel. Captivating and suspenseful, it was difficult to put down.

-L. Simpson

Very well written book about life in a missionary dorm in Quito, Ecuador. I attended the same school during the same period so I could relate well to the area, and the tourist spots that the characters went to. The book is a definite page turner and highly recommended. My wife also read it and enjoyed it. She grew up in a missionary dorm in Brazil, so the content and the experiences of the main character were highly relatable.

-Ned T.

I first picked up this book because I knew that it was set in the dorm where I also had stayed as a first grader. And it did not disappoint. In telling the story, the author guides us through an exploration of the many facets of life as a missionary kid (MK) – spending more time with peers and other adults than with your own parents; what happens when children try to grow up with minimal adult care; what motivates people to go to another part of the world to “bring the gospel,” often at the expense of their own children; the different kinds of adults that siblings become in spite of having the same parents; and, finally, how do you even know who you are after a tumultuous and disjointed childhood.

For those of us who grew up in these circumstances, struggling through the experience of Andréa can have a healing effect – knowing that we were not alone in our struggles. If you love someone who still can’t figure out who they really are, this may help open some doors of understanding.

-Jeanne S.

Emma is a brilliant writer! She weaves suspense and intrigue in with profound heart issues faced by many MKs. I identified with so much of what she wrote, and wept for those I could not identify with completely. Every MK has different experiences, and yet similar at the same time.

This book is a great conversation starter for those who haven’t been able to talk about their life with someone, particularly in a marriage where one or both are MKs.

-Daniel J.

This was one of the best books I have ever read. I did not want it to end!  As an MK growing up in Mexico, much of this resonated with me.

-Bentybeet

This book is an extreme page turner, couldn’t put it down. It’s very well written and captures your attention.

-Jaclyn B.

Very captivating story giving a glimpse into the lives of MKs living in boarding houses away from their parents.

-DIYer in Idaho

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