Paula Vince's Blog: The Vince Review, page 62

'On the Edge' by Theresa Santy

Genre: Contemporary, Christian fiction
For as long as she can remember, Kristen Craemer has been running from something. In high school and college, she ran competitively, until her Olympic dreams were shattered. Now, she runs to escape—from her past, from intimacy, from reality, and from the cold, black mist that haunts her nights.

Desperate to stop running, she turns to therapy, alcohol, and pills—anything to dull the fear—but her struggle intensifies with every passing night. Gradually, the nightmares encroach on her days, until everything she holds dear slips further away.

Kristen’s fears increase when she meets Ethan, a bronze-eyed Jesus freak. The claims he makes about God are too unbelievable to be true, and to Kristen they are more terrifying than her recurring dreams. She can’t open her heart to Ethan, and she won’t open her heart to his faith. Instead, Kristen keeps running, and every time she runs she finds herself standing at the shore of the Pacific Ocean, glaring into the crashing waves and fighting the urge to submerge herself beneath the turbulent water forever.

On the Edge is the powerful story of a “girl next door” who struggled to make it out of childhood alive, only to drown daily in shame and fear . . . until she finally dives over the edge and into redemption.

MY THOUGHTS:
Sometimes you just know a book will be a hit because the main character is so good, and this is one of those. Kristen Craemer won me over with her wry observations and kind heart. In the very first paragraph she throws a challenge to the ocean. 'Go ahead, twinkle until you evaporate, you massive body of water. And keep dreaming, because you'll not lure me in.' Straight away, I knew my journey with this girl would be interesting. 

Kristen is an anxious interior designer who presents a sassy, cheerful front to others, but feels herself to be a mess on the inside. We learn quite a few things about her from the first five chapters. She's been devastated by a wealthy boyfriend who left her, and she's also mourning the sudden deaths of two close friends. She was raised by a drunken mother and drinks herself, mostly to keep away her dreaded nightmares about being pursued by some menace to the brink of the ocean. Kristen battles a strange compulsion to dash into the ocean and never come out again. She also has an inexplicable terror that her dream is blending into reality.

The pace moves steadily, and there is always a feeling that something more is soon to be revealed. Perhaps that's why this novel was the Faithwriters Page Turner winner. As Kristen reacts to unexpected bombshells and confrontations, it becomes evident that she had a rough start in life and is even more courageous and resilient than we first give her credit for.

Her romantic interest, Ethan, has also had a rough upbringing. He is the sort of Christian many of us may have come across. He spouts phrases and religious jargon he's evidently picked up from other Christians to the extent that it's second nature to him and he doesn't realise he's doing it. (Some people call this 'Christianese' but perhaps that word itself fits into the definition.) His talk is incomprehensible to Kristen, who often calls him up on it. For example, when he refers to his 'identity in God', she rightfully replies that she doesn't know what that means. It may be a good wake-up call for Christian readers who tend to do the same, especially since Ethan is clearly sincere in his desire to get to know her better, with no agenda to evangelise.

One thing I really appreciate is the fact that there is no swearing or crude language, and clearly no need for it. People have said there's a place for it in good characterisation, but this novel seems to be proof that a story will always work without resorting to coarse language. Several of Theresa Santy's characters are desperate or despicable people who would surely swear in real life situations, yet you don't miss it when they don't. I wouldn't have even noticed if I hadn't been thinking about it, and then looking out for it.

Altogether, it's an original, uplifting story which I'm glad I read.

5 stars 

'Clancy of the Undertow' by Christopher Currie

 In a dead-end town like Barwen a girl has only got to be a little different to feel like a freak. And Clancy, a typical sixteen-year-old misfit with a moderately dysfunctional family, a genuine interest in Nature Club and a major crush on the local hot girl, is packing a capital F.

As the summer begins, Clancy’s dad is involved in a road smash that kills two local teenagers. While the family is dealing with the reaction of a hostile town, Clancy meets someone who could possibly—at last—become a friend. Not only that, the unattainable Sasha starts to show what may be a romantic interest.

In short, this is the summer when Clancy has to figure out who the hell she is.
Genre: YA contemporary, Australian fiction 
MY THOUGHTS: This YA novel tackles some really sensitive themes and issues in an Australian small town setting. Clancy Underhill is a 15-year-old girl who quietly deals with feelings of being an outcast. Not only is she a member of the nature club, a fringe group regarded as nerds by more popular students, but she has secret homosexual leanings. Clancy has a crush on Sasha, the pretty girlfriend of Buggs, the town bully. Her problems are compounded when her father, a road worker who assists with traffic flow, finds himself on the scene of an horrific smash which kills two teenagers. Although Mr Underhill claims they were driving recklessly, many locals accuse him of negligence, making him responsible for their deaths. Now Clancy’s whole family, including her mother and two brothers, become targets of angry townsfolk bent on vengeance.
The highlight of this book is the strong characters. Clancy’s family is revealed as slightly dysfunctional, but strong and supportive enough of each other to weather storms. Her parents make excellent role models in standing by each other. Although Clancy gets irritated by her older brother Angus and younger brother Titch, it’s obvious that they are all bound by deep affection for each other.
Angus comes across as an interesting young man with a rebellious streak. He’s decided to leave university and set himself the eccentric task of tracking down the legendary Beast of Barwen, which may or may not exist. Another character who tugs readers’ heartstrings is Nancy DeRosa, the new girl in town who makes friendly overtures to Clancy. The plot reveals a heartbreaking history of bullying in Nancy’s past, forcing her and mother to want to make a fresh new start where nobody has heard of them. Nancy’s part of the story shows the deep scars bullying may leave on a person, no matter how far they run. 
Possible plot spoilers.
I thought there were some inconclusive story lines. We don’t find out whether Nancy and her mother manage to assimilate into Barwen and become accepted by locals. Neither do we see Angus reconcile his differences with his father or begin to find his place in the world. Clancy never really reveals her sexual orientation to her parents, even though a few characters closer to her own age find out. Readers are also left to wonder what Sasha will do, now that she’s found out how Clancy feels about her. That’s a few too many loose ends. And since the matter of who was at fault in the crash is quickly cleared up once autopsies are carried out, that main plot thread seems to fizzle out.  
But having said that, if there was ever to be a sequel I'd be happy to read it, to find out what happens to some of the characters. I'd be particularly interested to follow the paths of Clancy's brothers, and Nancy. Maybe I should mention that there's also quite a bit of strong language.
3.5 stars

Five wonderful historical mothers

With Mother's Day upon us, I'm thinking about the impact we have on our children, lingering in the form of fond memories. I'm afraid that if my kids were asked, they'd remember an incident which happened many years ago when they were small. At the end of a long day when everything seemed to have gone wrong, I pulled some taco shells from the oven where they were supposed to be getting warm and crisp, only to find them burned and have them slip onto the floor and smash. It was the last straw. So I did my block and started kicking the fragments of the shells against the wall and stamping the rest into splinters, hoping the destruction would ease my temper. Suddenly my two eldest kids were there, laughing until they were practically doubled over and clutching their sides. Even now, they'll ask each other, 'Do you remember Mum's taco stomp?' or tell their youngest brother, 'You should have seen it!' It's not a very dignified memory, but they love retelling it. 

Some other ladies have more illustrious things to be remembered for. This Mother's Day, instead of honouring fictional mothers, I'll share some tales I've heard about real life mothers from history. 

1) Saint Monica
She was Saint Augustine's mother, and also a saint in her own right. I once owned a little old book of saints which told her story. For years, her son was a party-goer who loved getting wasted and never spared a thought for either the people he might be hurting, or his own eternal destiny. Monica never gave up praying for Augustine, even when such a lot of time passed that other mothers might have given up. It seems praying for her son was one of her main claims to fame.

2) Susannah Wesley
Many of us have probably heard tales about this remarkable lady who bore almost 20 children and raised them in a tiny house with an absentee husband (although he must have been around for long enough to father 19 children). The story goes that whenever the children saw her sitting at the kitchen table with her apron raised over her head, they knew not to bother her. It was her quiet time in which she reflected and prayed. Usually I've heard this anecdote told to convince us that it's never strictly true that we can't get a moment to ourselves. Just spare a thought for Susannah and plug on.

Wikipedia tells us that even though she never wrote a book, preached a sermon or founded a church, she's still known as the mother of Methodism. This is because two of her sons, John and Charles, became famous. One was a great evangelist and the other a renowned hymn writer. We all like to think our good influence rubs off on our kids.

3) Nancy Matthews Elliot
She was Thomas Edison's mother. You might have seen this gem floating around on Facebook. The story goes that young Thomas brought a sealed note home from his teacher. When his mother read it, she teared up and told him they'd decided he was such a genius, they'd run out of resources to teach him. She homeschooled him instead, and years after her death, the famous inventor found the note among her old papers. It really said that he was so addled in the head, they refused to let him attend school anymore.

Other sources claim that the truth was tampered with. In reality, Tom was well aware of their low opinion of him. His mother was a champion on his behalf, making a crusade into school to claim rightfully that he was not a dunce. Rather than being expelled, she pulled him out of school, since she saw that he'd never thrive among their limited and judgmental attitudes. In my opinion, this makes her just as much of a hero as the first tale.

Edison claimed that his mother was the making of him, and her steady confidence in him made him always want to live up to it. What a terrific tribute from a son.

4) Henrietta Seuss Geisel
I read somewhere that this lovely lady used to hold down a part time job at a bakery when her children were small. Because she was expected to memorise all the specialty pies to rattle off to customers, she used to practise in front of young Theodor, making up wacky tunes that made him laugh. She also encouraged his juvenile artistic efforts, giving him permission to practice drawing animals on his plaster bedroom walls. Of course, young Ted grew up to be the beloved Dr Seuss. If my kids would remember me for this sort of quirky help and encouragement, I'd be more than happy. Especially if my own weirdness helped them to tap into their own specific skills.

5) Hannah
Her story is told in the Biblical book of 1Samuel. Struggling with infertility and being taunted by her husband's other wife, she promised God that if ever she bore a son by some miracle, she'd make sure he grew up to be a godly man, and what's more, she'd dedicate him for temple service as a babe. That's exactly what happened, and each year when she made the pilgrimage to the temple with her family, she'd bring Samuel a handmade robe, a size larger each visit. And her son grew to be one of the illustrious Old Testament prophets, instrumental in crowning Israel's first two kings.

I wish all fellow mothers, potential mothers, mentors, and any lady who has ever cared deeply for children, a very happy Mother's Day on Sunday. It's not always an easy role, and our purpose may seem to be the butt of jokes as often as it is offering wisdom. I'd like a dollar for every time I've heard something like, 'Hey Logan, guess what Mum just said. She's so out of touch.' But it's all part of the job description, and proves that we need a sense of humour. 

As always, I'm interested to throw the comments open. If you can think of any other historical mothers (or hysterical in my case) who deserve recognition, please let us know. 

'The Confessions of X' by Suzanne M Wolfe

 

Genre: Christian fiction, historical and biographical fiction
Before he became the sainted church father of Christianity, Augustine of Hippo began a love affair with a young woman whose name has been lost to history. They were together for over thirteen years, and she bore him a son. This is her story.

She met Augustine in Carthage when she was just seventeen years old. She was the daughter of a tile-layer. He was a student and the heir to a fortune. They fell in love, despite her lower station and Augustine’s dreams of greatness. Their passion was strong, but the only position in his life that was available to her was as his concubine. When Augustine’s ambition and family compelled him to disown his relationship with the her, X was thrust into a devastating reality as she was torn from her son and sent away to her native Africa.

A reflection of what it means to love and lose, this novel paints a gripping and raw portrait of ancient culture, appealing to historical fiction fans while deftly exploring one woman’s search for identity and happiness within very limited circumstances

MY THOUGHTS: 
This novel made me do the 'ugly cry.' When your tears are streaming, your face gets all blotchy and your nasal passages get all congested. As a general rule, I try to avoid books which have this effect on me because they're so sad, but this one somehow slipped through. I was waking up in the night thinking about what happened and feeling a bit sick as a result. As I prefer books which take me to a happy, optimistic place, that's the main reason for my lowish ranking. If you're the type of reader who thinks a good ugly cry is cathartic and therapeutic, you might even give it 5 stars.

The narrator of this story is the concubine of St Augustine. Since her name was never mentioned in the annals of history, she manages not to divulge it here either. Other characters sometimes use nicknames they're coined for her, such as 'Naiad' or 'Little Bird.' She begins the story as an elderly crone, and looks back on her life, from the time she was a little girl going around with her father, who was a mosaic maker. It includes bonding with the two males she loved most, Augustine and their son, Adeodatus, both of whom she lost. (This is not a plot spoiler. She lays that out at the start, so perhaps it's my own fault that I wasn't prepared!)

I was hoping the interesting snippets about how Augustine grew to become a celebrated saint might make the heart-rending quality worth it. I found them to be fairly sparse. There were a few passages in the form of discussions about the meaning of life over the table with friends, but for the most part, it was a domestic story about life in the time of gladiators and plagues. I have to say, she and Augustine made a decision which seemed inevitable to them, but I just couldn't see it their way. To me, they simply elevated social standing and personal ambition over the precious family life they shared. Bad, bad decision, surely even in the Roman Empire. Although Augustine came across as a loving partner and father, this didn't make be inclined to be a fan of his.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for my review copy

2.5 stars

'The Smell of Other People's Houses' by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

 
Genre: YA, general market.

In Alaska, 1970, being a teenager here isn’t like being a teenager anywhere else. Ruth has a secret that she can’t hide forever. Dora wonders if she can ever truly escape where she comes from, even when good luck strikes. Alyce is trying to reconcile her desire to dance, with the life she’s always known on her family’s fishing boat. Hank and his brothers decide it’s safer to run away than to stay home—until one of them ends up in terrible danger.

Four very different lives are about to become entangled.

MY THOUGHTS:  

This Young Adult novel is a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, which we don't realise we've completed until the end. The four teenage narrators aren't close friends. Some don't even know each other, and those who do don't necessarily like each other. In addition, there are other characters who could also be considered main protagonists. By the end, the significance of every seemingly random person and event is revealed. It's fun for a reader to be able to say, 'Oh, so that's where he fits.'

Ruth and her younger sister live with their restrictive and distantly remote grandmother. When Ruth accidentally falls into some unexpected trouble, she doesn't know where to turn.

Dora has grown up with a violent, drunken father and learned not to trust people until they prove themselves worthy, even if they look OK. Winning a huge windfall changes her life, but not necessarily in ways she expects.

Alyce feels like a split person, as she lives distinct lives with each of her divorced parents at different times of the year. She's a talented ballet student who can't pursue her passion during the summer months while she lives with her father on his fishing boat.

Hank and his younger brothers, Sam and Jack, have stowed away on a ship to escape from their mother's aggressive boyfriend.

Overall, perhaps it's too short a novel with too many characters and changing points of view to delve really deeply with any of them. It covers a short chunk of time in which several astonishing things happen. Some coincidences and emotional ties are stretched almost beyond credibility at times, but not quite. For example, Hank and Ruth manage to make a deep impression on each other after a chance encounter when they don't even exchange words. However, other things are well left out. We don't get to actually see how badly the boys were treated by their mother's boyfriend, but since all three brothers are unanimous in their desire to escape, we don't need much detail. As it's written to be a hope-building, optimistic novel, I'm glad the details were sketchy.

Dora's habit of pessimism is an interesting theme. It's so deeply rooted, she finds it hard to stop thinking of herself as a person who attracts bad luck, even when she wins the Ice Classic raffle. As it turns out, there are negative aspects to her stroke of good fortune, which she naturally highlights in her own mind. It's good to read the ways in which Dora realises that she needs to live with a more optimistic outlook for her own sake.

The novel provides a great insight into the lifestyles of Alaskan teenagers, which is guaranteed authentic because it's based strongly on the author's own past. Readers learn a lot about the fishing industry, with its beauty and superstition. And it's interesting to find out why not everybody was overjoyed when Alaska was included as one of America's 50 states.

I was pleased to see some really praiseworthy fathers. Dora's hostile, destructive dad is outnumbered by the loving, considerate fathers of Dumpling and Alyce, and the fond memory of Ruth's. It's great to come across a Young Adult novel with so many positive male role models.

What possibly draws many readers to this novel is the title, which does have some significance. In the very first chapter, Ruth reflects that you can guess a lot about other people by the different smells of their houses. The smell motif recurs often for all four narrators, emphasising the fact that everyone has their unique stories. It's handy for bringing descriptive passages to life too. And there's a wider application for the way we choose to spend our lives. Even when we grow so used to the smells of our own houses that we no longer notice them, it may be wise to remember that they are fresh impressions for the people we meet.

3.5 stars 

'The Smell of Other People's House' by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

 
Genre: YA, general market.

In Alaska, 1970, being a teenager here isn’t like being a teenager anywhere else. Ruth has a secret that she can’t hide forever. Dora wonders if she can ever truly escape where she comes from, even when good luck strikes. Alyce is trying to reconcile her desire to dance, with the life she’s always known on her family’s fishing boat. Hank and his brothers decide it’s safer to run away than to stay home—until one of them ends up in terrible danger.

Four very different lives are about to become entangled.

MY THOUGHTS:  

This Young Adult novel is a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, which we don't realise we've completed until the end. The four teenage narrators aren't close friends. Some don't even know each other, and those who do don't necessarily like each other. In addition, there are other characters who could also be considered main protagonists. By the end, the significance of every seemingly random person and event is revealed. It's fun for a reader to be able to say, 'Oh, so that's where he fits.'

Ruth and her younger sister live with their restrictive and distantly remote grandmother. When Ruth accidentally falls into some unexpected trouble, she doesn't know where to turn.

Dora has grown up with a violent, drunken father and learned not to trust people until they prove themselves worthy, even if they look OK. Winning a huge windfall changes her life, but not necessarily in ways she expects.

Alyce feels like a split person, as she lives distinct lives with each of her divorced parents at different times of the year. She's a talented ballet student who can't pursue her passion during the summer months while she lives with her father on his fishing boat.

Hank and his younger brothers, Sam and Jack, have stowed away on a ship to escape from their mother's aggressive boyfriend.

Overall, perhaps it's too short a novel with too many characters and changing points of view to delve really deeply with any of them. It covers a short chunk of time in which several astonishing things happen. Some coincidences and emotional ties are stretched almost beyond credibility at times, but not quite. For example, Hank and Ruth manage to make a deep impression on each other after a chance encounter when they don't even exchange words. However, other things are well left out. We don't get to actually see how badly the boys were treated by their mother's boyfriend, but since all three brothers are unanimous in their desire to escape, we don't need much detail. As it's written to be a hope-building, optimistic novel, I'm glad the details were sketchy.

Dora's habit of pessimism is an interesting theme. It's so deeply rooted, she finds it hard to stop thinking of herself as a person who attracts bad luck, even when she wins the Ice Classic raffle. As it turns out, there are negative aspects to her stroke of good fortune, which she naturally highlights in her own mind. It's good to read the ways in which Dora realises that she needs to live with a more optimistic outlook for her own sake.

The novel provides a great insight into the lifestyles of Alaskan teenagers, which is guaranteed authentic because it's based strongly on the author's own past. Readers learn a lot about the fishing industry, with its beauty and superstition. And it's interesting to find out why not everybody was overjoyed when Alaska was included as one of America's 50 states.

I was pleased to see some really praiseworthy fathers. Dora's hostile, destructive dad is outnumbered by the loving, considerate fathers of Dumpling and Alyce, and the fond memory of Ruth's. It's great to come across a Young Adult novel with so many positive male role models.

What possibly draws many readers to this novel is the title, which does have some significance. In the very first chapter, Ruth reflects that you can guess a lot about other people by the different smells of their houses. The smell motif recurs often for all four narrators, emphasising the fact that everyone has their unique stories. It's handy for bringing descriptive passages to life too. And there's a wider application for the way we choose to spend our lives. Even when we grow so used to the smells of our own houses that we no longer notice them, it may be wise to remember that they are fresh impressions for the people we meet.

3.5 stars 

Popular settings which have an impossible number of stories

 

However much we may love these settings, trying to collect several stories creates a bit of a reader's dilemma. Wanting to buy into all of them would be impossible in the mutually exclusive sense. If we get emotionally invested in any one of them, it would mean there's no way the others could have taken place. It may have to come down to choosing our favourite and sticking with it.


1) Biblical and Historical Novels
I'm talking about the type which adopt actual, historical figures from the Bible or later times as their main characters. If Nehemiah was staying with this particular family while he was organising the building of Jerusalem's wall, then there's no way he could have simultaneously stayed with these other people from a different novel. It's simply because he can't have been two places at once. If Mary of Bethany had a crush on a particular fictional man, then the attachment she made to another fellow in this other novel, when she was supposedly the same age, couldn't have happened.


The next setting is very far away and intriguing, and I've noticed it's had a lot of popularity in recent years.

2) The surface of Mars
It's a barren place in reality, but apparently a very fertile one for the imagination. One author may have it populated with the traditional little green men we see in funny cartoons. Yet another may imagine settlers from Earth venturing to create colonies there. A third author may choose to have aggressive Martians deciding to attack Earth (think The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells). And the fourth author may have just one hapless hero stranded on the Mars we know from photos and science books (think The Martian by Andy Weir). They can't all be true!

The third setting becomes impossible because of the sheer volume of literary characters who supposedly paid for passage. They couldn't have all fit.

3) The sinking of the Titanic
It was certainly a huge ship. Nobody who has watched the Hollywood blockbuster with its built to scale model could deny that. Just the same, the number of characters from different sources who supposedly set sail could surely fill a dozen Titanics. There are scores of main characters who either perish or get rescued. There may be even more side characters whose authors decide that having them board the Titanic is a convenient way to kill them off. All these doomed passengers are not merely in novels but movies, comics and soap operas set in the turn of the century. Who would have believed in 1912 that this sad setting would take off so many years later?

With the Titanic, maybe we can choose several of our favourite stories to be true simultaneously. It was big enough that the main characters of different novels would've been strangers to the others on board. I guess it's only when enough of them choose historical, named figures such as the captain and staff, that it gets mutually exclusive. Or maybe if there are too many fictional characters supposedly holding down the same positions simultaneously.

Anyway, I think books with well-loved settings are all great fun to read, and just because some novels cancel others out, it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of each one at the time. Maybe you wouldn't want to be reading two of them at the same time, but I don't do that with novels anyway. Why do you think some settings just fire off plot ideas for so many different authors? And while we're at it, can you think of any other settings which might fit this list?  

'Career Advice for the Lost Soul' by Rebecca Hayman

 

Genre: Christian contempory fiction, Australian fiction.
Pastor Lydia Waters has a career plan. It is straight-forward, logical and more than likely to succeed. That is until she is stymied by her boss, the slightly sinister, can’t-quite-put-my-finger-on-it-but-I-wish-he’d-stop- smiling-at-me-like-that— Reverend Gordon Bates.
Lydia flounders and she doesn’t have a plan for floundering. Loss of a job she can handle, but loss of belief in the job she is qualified to do? What does it mean to pastor a church anyway?
In the lull answers come unexpectedly. Sid and Viv Vincent, with their awkward kindness, reinstate church as that place where you get a cuppa and a biscuit afterwards (sometimes even cake). Her mother Phyllis Waters leads Lydia into the wide expanse of Australia’s interior, where Luke’s Gospel demands of her an exploration of self. Then there is Malcolm Preston who can’t be dismissed quite as easily as she first thought. 

MY THOUGHTS: 
At first I expected this to be a bit like one of those lighthearted church chronicles with amusing anecdotes. Think the Vicar of Dibley. It didn't take long to realise this novel was going to delve far deeper. It's not the sort of story where every plot thread is neatly tied up, but more like real life, where some may fizzle out while others shoot off suddenly into unexpected directions.

Lydia Waters is the burned-out associate pastor at a prosperous city church. On the surface, it would seem she's tired just because she works hard. But Lydia has misgivings that maybe there's something rotten at the core of the system itself. Senior Pastor Gordon Bates has left a trail of destructive actions behind him, but they're hard to bring to the light of day since he's a control freak who covers his tracks. And few people dare to question him anyway.

Another main character is Sid Vincent, the good-natured elderly janitor. He didn't want to make waves when his wife was unfairly treated, but now he's been asked to do something else which messes up his conscience. And there's Phyllis, Lydia's estranged mother, who regrets living her life for nods of approval. She's set off in a campervan as a grey nomad to figure out who she really is at last.

The book is all about social undercurrents, which are as prevalent in the City Church as anywhere else. The characters have several quiet revelations which may make us stop and wonder, 'Is this true for me too?' Is sheep mentality alive and well in intelligent people who claim that we think for ourselves? What are our real motivations for the good things which we do? Is the Kingdom of God really as simple as stopping our mad rush for validation to be with others?

Different readers may have different takeaways. One of my favourites is that life may not pan out exactly as we expect it to, based on our hard-earned credentials and careful plans. In fact curves in the path may appear even less prestigious in the eyes of the world, but still be exactly right.

For those who enjoy Bible study, it might be good to read this along with the Gospel of Luke, since several characters are wading through it and it spurs their personal revelations.

Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy.

4 stars

The Sneaky Plot Spoiler

 

We all know book reviews are way different from plot summaries. Their purpose is to give readers an idea about whether or not they might enjoy a particular book. If we love a book, we want to sing its praises. And if we find ourselves let down, we may want to give others the heads up before they commit. Since they're for people who haven't read the book, giving away too much of the story line is a big no-no. It's generally recommended that nothing which happens after the 50% mark should be written about in great detail. Some say it should be only 25%.

I know some people who are walking, talking plot spoilers (most definitely talking). My husband is King Plot Spoiler. He only needs to mention the name of a story and our nephew has learned to poke his fingers in his ears, shout out, 'LaLaLaLa,' and dash out of the room. My husband is the sort of person who shouldn't write reviews, and thankfully he doesn't.

I make an effort to stick to the 50% guideline when I write reviews, but on rare occasions someone will respond, 'Thanks for the plot spoiler' or some equally snarky comment. It's easy to feel chastened, but I've come to believe that spoiler accidents are a peril that goes with the territory of book reviewing.

It's a problem that seriously bothers some people. I've met several lovely ladies, who are courteous, considerate and understanding in the normal course of a day. Yet if they think they've got the whiff of a plot spoiler, they turn into raging beasts. It's like waving a red flag in the face of a bull. They hurl abuse at the poor reviewer as if she's gone on a killing rampage rather than let a few details about a story slip.

But I believe we would be kind to cut reviewers a bit of slack, if they are genuinely trying hard to do the right thing. Just as chocolate bars come with the warning, 'There may be traces of nuts', perhaps book reviews should have similar disclaimers. 'While great care has been taken to keep this review spoiler free, there may be traces of story line due to the nature of the processing'. I've read a number of articles about the art of writing excellent reviews. Here are some random snippets of advice which might help to prove how murky the waters can get when it comes to making reviews completely uncontaminated.

1) Tell us who your favourite character was, and why.
Well, just say the author planned him to be a red herring. From what we know of him in the first few chapters, he may well be a heartless criminal. And maybe that's exactly what the author intends us to wonder at that stage. Yet if enough reviewers write something like, 'I really loved Alex,' then surely we approach the book with a bit of a spoilerish impression that he'll be sound.

2) Explain why the book made you laugh or cry.
I picked up a novel that seemed set to be a whimsical, light-hearted comedy. Yet a few reviewers had written, 'The ending was absolutely gut-wrenching.' Even though no specific details have been revealed, isn't it still verging on spoilerish when we know from the outset that we have to brace ourselves for something?

3) What was your favourite part of the book?
Here's my warning to reviewers. If it happens to come after the 50% (or even 25%) mark, you should tread very carefully indeed. Don't be fooled by the community of seemingly docile readers. They may well take your vague impressions like a whiff of blood.

If you are trying your best to stick to the rules when you're writing reviews, I wouldn't feel too devastated if somebody accuses you of spreading plot spoilers. Read over it to see if they have a point, then either edit it, delete it, or ignore it. And readers, if you're the sort of people who need a guarantee that everything is completely spoiler free, then maybe you should treat all review forums as a bit of a land mine area and stay out. Or if you do enter, do so at your own risk.    

'Replicate' by Adele Jones

 

Genre: Young adult crime fiction, medical fiction, contemporary science fiction, Christian/mainstream fiction. 

Having read and reviewed Integrate the first book in this trilogy, it was great to get hold of Replicate. After the first book release, I even had an interview with Blaine Colton, the hero and teenage survivor of mitochondrial disease here.    

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Blaine Colton is pulled into a chilling conspiracy when he discovers embryonic clones with his name on them.
Suspecting the research has breached ethics agreements, he brings close friends, Sophie and Jett Faraday, in on a scheme to find answers. Immediate threats reveal not everyone is happy about his discovery. The reappearance of an identity from Blaine’s past unsettles him further, and then a crisis fractures his world. Convinced his research objections and the tragic events are linked, Blaine pursues justice. But someone is watching him. Someone wants him dead.
Replicate continues the story of Blaine from Adele Jones' Integrate.

MY THOUGHTS:
What an ethical can of worms the premise of this story opens. Living human flesh is being harvested for experiments, but even if the ultimate intention is to benefit humanity, does that make it okay? It all comes back to the question of whether one being should be sacrificed for the greater good. In this situation, the even deeper question is whether living entities should be created especially for the purpose of being sacrificed.

For the most part, we experience the story through Blaine's bewildered point of view. He has no idea what exactly is going on within the walls of the medical centre, but once again, it deeply affects his life. It's a medical drama, it's a crime drama, and the lines blur into each other. We know that Blaine, his parents and the Faraday family are totally trustworthy, but as for all the other characters, well they could be anyone's guess!

It might have been good to see Blaine argue the ethical issues with even more fervour. Why was the cloning such a reprehensible deed in his opinion? Taking his stand made the stakes so high and impacted his life so adversely, yet his main objections seemed to be along the lines of, 'That's my genetic material, they didn't ask my permission, and it's illegal.' Several readers might be in favour of cloning for possible far-reaching medical benefits. Would the strength of his argument be enough to convince them that he was right? I guess it depends on each individual reader.

Overall, it's a real nail-biting, fast-moving thriller, with several twists and shock revelations that are impossible to foresee. At one stage I was telling my husband, who'd read the book before me, 'You should have warned me.' With this sort of action to follow, I'm sure whatever happens in the final book, 'Activate' will be bound to astonish and take us off guard.

4.5 stars