The Mennonite Girl

The Mennonite Girl is a story about generational learning. Abigail's initial curiosity about Leah, her great-grandmother's best childhood friend, takes Abigail to the Ukraine. When Leah abruptly passes away, Abigail is invited to stay on to learn more about Leah from those who knew her best. Abigail discovers that Leah is a Ukrainian war hero, and it becomes clear to Abigail that learning about Leah’s life isn’t just about collecting facts. The information she encounters gives Abigail a deeper, more profound insight into herself and is the starting point for her personal exploration. Continuing dialogue with those who knew Leah provokes a journey of self-discovery and inward reflection through which Abigail attains a deeper understanding of life's complexities, and how little one controls one’s path through life. By connecting with Leah's past and reflecting on her story, Abigail is able to clarify her own values and purpose and understand her own identity through powerful moments of personal growth and fulfillment. Abigail’s ability to understand the “wisdom of Leah’s life” and absorb that wisdom gives her a new perspective so valuable to Abigail that she believes it will serve as a guide for the rest of her life.

Authors A.I.'s Marlowe Analysis

Overview - The Mennonite Girl is a historical fiction novel that follows two parallel narratives across decades, requiring substantial reader commitment due to its length and complexity.

Premise / Elevator Pitch - An American Mennonite girl who leaves her commmunity seeking to understand her connection to a legendary Ukrainian war heroine by uncovering the wisdom of the heroine's life.

Potential Readers - The Mennonite Girl will appeal to readers interested in military history, religious communities, and character-driven narratives that explore themes of faith, identity, and service.

Archetype - The Mennonite Girl is most similar to the Man in the Hole story archetype.

Genere & Story Type - The Mennonite Girl is a Military Thriller that combines espionage, war drama, and personal discovery. The story also contains elements of the following:

• Historical Fiction
• Biographical Fiction
• Coming-of-age narrative
• Espionage Thriller
• War Fiction
• Family Drama
• Religious Fiction
• Mystery
• International Intrigue
• Character Study

Word Count - The Mennonite Girl contains about 75,798 words.

While there are no hard-and-fast rules about minimum and maximum story lengths, there are industry traditions and reader expectations. Here’s a quick reference for typical word counts by genre:

• Adult contemporary fiction: 70,000-90,000 words
• Literary fiction: 80,000-120,000 words
• Romance: 50,000-90,000 words (mostly 70,000-90,000)
• Science fiction/Fantasy: 80,000-120,000 words (longer for epic fantasy)
• Historical fiction: 80,000-120,000 words
• Mystery/Crime: 60,000-90,000 words (cozy mysteries are shorter)
• Horror: 80,000-100,000 words
• Thriller: 70,000-100,000 words
• Westerns: 50,000-80,000 words
• Young adult: 50,000-90,000 words

For genre-bending works, the word count should typically align with the genre that has the higher range (e.g., romantic fantasy would follow fantasy’s 80,000-120,000 words). In some cases, indie authors choose to serialize a story — say, three fantasy novels of 40,000 words instead of one novel of 120,000 words.

Trigger Warnings - The Mennonite Girl contains graphic depictions of war violence including battlefield injuries, medical procedures, and combat deaths; sexual assault and human trafficking in the context of military prostitution; substance abuse and sexually transmitted diseases; kidnapping and torture; death of major characters including spouses and close companions; and detailed descriptions of military combat and weapons use. The story also addresses themes of religious conflict and community shunning that some readers may find emotionally challenging.