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Resurrecting Randi
A troubled young student demolishes a professor's carefully arranged life in this disturbing yet compelling story of love and loss. Since the death of his daughter, Randi, professor Travis Harrison has built a sheltered life for himself. Only now, things are taking a turn for the better as he is engaged to be married and his first novel is climbing the best-seller lists. Enter 19-year-old redheaded waif-fatale Layla Sommers, who notices Travis giving money to a homeless man and latches onto him as a savior from her chaotic self. Apparently, she has no one else in her life, and in a spectacularly ill-advised move, Travis agrees to take Layla into his home to help her. When it finally dawns on Travis that Layla physically resembles Randi, his deceased daughter, his emotions become even more raw. He is confused by her mixture of sexual come-on and little-girl lost vulnerability and unnerved by his responses. Yet even as things deteriorate to the point of Layla effectively turning his life upside-down, she also produces moments of incredible tenderness, compassion, and love. And above all, she is able to help him see the devastating truth about the death of his daughter, Randi. As Kirkus said about this sterling debut, Lalya mesmerizes with her hair-trigger mood swings and manipulativeness; the fiancee is both a controlling monster and a friend in need; Travis walks the tightrope of propriety while longing to lose his balance and topple over into a world of feeling and desire. With the deeply-etched characters and the many unexpected turns, the reader will find Resurrecting Randi impossible to put down, and the ending impossible to forget.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 4, 2008
On the first day of the new semester, Professor Travis Harrison’s life is starting to look up. His first book has been published, and is jumping up the best sellers list, and he is engaged to be married to a wonderful and supportive woman. Life is no longer constantly reminding him of the tragic death of his daughter Randi in a car accident ten years ago.
Then he met Layla Sommers. The troubled nineteen year old, latches onto Travis, and soon he is fending off her unwanted advances (including an inappropriate sexually explicit e-mail). She seems to see Travis as someone who can save her from her chaotic life. After Travis responds to her phone call pleading for help, he seems to be her savior. He did keep her from committing suicide. Travis on the other hand, finds himself a temporary father figure as he agrees to sponsor Layla, and let her live in his home during the month of recovery time the hospital wants a suicide watch kept on her.
Already battered by Layla’s previous advances, Travis struggles with his feelings of attraction to this confused girl child. When he realizes how much Layla physically resembles his lost daughter Randi (and what she might look like at this age) Travis is hit with the submerged grief he has for his lost daughter. During the month that Layla is a part of Travis’s everyday life he sees his life change. His girlfriend leaves him, he struggles with feelings of attraction towards Layla as a young woman, and guilt because she reminds him of what his daughter might have grown to become had she not died at age nine. Travis and Layla’s relationship quickly deteriorates, eventually leading to his arrest as the murderer of Layla’s abusive ex-boyfriend.
Despite all the drama that Layla brings into Travis’s life: The upheaval of his re-emerging grief, the pushing away of his fiancé that happens with Layla living in his home, and the eventual destruction of his career as a writer and as a professor after his arrest. Travis finds positives to Layla’s presence in his life. She brings moments of tenderness, compassion, and love into his life. She lets him feel like a father again. Layla helps Travis face the grief he feels over the tragic loss of his daughter’s life.
Resurrecting Randi is author David P. Shepherd’s debut novel. It is an extremely well written story with highly developed characters. I enjoyed the twists and turns the plot took and was completely surprised with the ending. This book takes its readers deep into the psyche of Travis and Layla, and is an extremely well written psychological drama. I enjoyed Resurrecting Randi very much and look forward to seeing what this author writes in the future.
Then he met Layla Sommers. The troubled nineteen year old, latches onto Travis, and soon he is fending off her unwanted advances (including an inappropriate sexually explicit e-mail). She seems to see Travis as someone who can save her from her chaotic life. After Travis responds to her phone call pleading for help, he seems to be her savior. He did keep her from committing suicide. Travis on the other hand, finds himself a temporary father figure as he agrees to sponsor Layla, and let her live in his home during the month of recovery time the hospital wants a suicide watch kept on her.
Already battered by Layla’s previous advances, Travis struggles with his feelings of attraction to this confused girl child. When he realizes how much Layla physically resembles his lost daughter Randi (and what she might look like at this age) Travis is hit with the submerged grief he has for his lost daughter. During the month that Layla is a part of Travis’s everyday life he sees his life change. His girlfriend leaves him, he struggles with feelings of attraction towards Layla as a young woman, and guilt because she reminds him of what his daughter might have grown to become had she not died at age nine. Travis and Layla’s relationship quickly deteriorates, eventually leading to his arrest as the murderer of Layla’s abusive ex-boyfriend.
Despite all the drama that Layla brings into Travis’s life: The upheaval of his re-emerging grief, the pushing away of his fiancé that happens with Layla living in his home, and the eventual destruction of his career as a writer and as a professor after his arrest. Travis finds positives to Layla’s presence in his life. She brings moments of tenderness, compassion, and love into his life. She lets him feel like a father again. Layla helps Travis face the grief he feels over the tragic loss of his daughter’s life.
Resurrecting Randi is author David P. Shepherd’s debut novel. It is an extremely well written story with highly developed characters. I enjoyed the twists and turns the plot took and was completely surprised with the ending. This book takes its readers deep into the psyche of Travis and Layla, and is an extremely well written psychological drama. I enjoyed Resurrecting Randi very much and look forward to seeing what this author writes in the future.
July 20, 2008
Resurrecting Randi
I feel that an excellent writer makes a book that is only as good as the reader. One that creates an experience that catapults the reader into examining their own lives and experiences through the characters and their journey throughout the story. It becomes a personal experience rather than a fictional walk with the author. A mirror viewed through a kaleidoscope of possible lenses. A shared journey down a familiar path with creative opportunities for thought along the way…David Shepherd is that writer and his writing allows this opportunity…
In this book, Randi can be viewed as the reader’s deepest feeling, thought, regret, hope, experience, etc silenced deep from within that is allowed the opportunity to be Resurrected or re-experienced for a moment in time with a different audience, the characters in the story.
As I read the reviews for Resurrecting Randi, I see that a reader simply cannot put the book down once they begin to experience the story. Another common association, “Avid Readers”, write the bulk of these reviews filled with themes of “Hope”, “Thought”, “Emotion”, and an overwhelmingly positive mark for the Author.
I concur.
P.B. Neathery
Exceptional
I feel that an excellent writer makes a book that is only as good as the reader. One that creates an experience that catapults the reader into examining their own lives and experiences through the characters and their journey throughout the story. It becomes a personal experience rather than a fictional walk with the author. A mirror viewed through a kaleidoscope of possible lenses. A shared journey down a familiar path with creative opportunities for thought along the way…David Shepherd is that writer and his writing allows this opportunity…
In this book, Randi can be viewed as the reader’s deepest feeling, thought, regret, hope, experience, etc silenced deep from within that is allowed the opportunity to be Resurrected or re-experienced for a moment in time with a different audience, the characters in the story.
As I read the reviews for Resurrecting Randi, I see that a reader simply cannot put the book down once they begin to experience the story. Another common association, “Avid Readers”, write the bulk of these reviews filled with themes of “Hope”, “Thought”, “Emotion”, and an overwhelmingly positive mark for the Author.
I concur.
P.B. Neathery
Exceptional
November 13, 2013
The book was good, I admit. Though the lead character being a history professor and all, didn't seem to know much about human behavior. I was pretty angry at the ending though. So the hospital lets her leave with the one person that was responsible for her issues in the first place?! What the hell? Not only that, but why would her character want to make amends with her father, the man who raped her and killed her mother!?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2007
this was an "unputdownable" book. I really didn't know what to expect, especially as I kept on reading. What you thought might happen, didn't. The depth of the characters builds throughout as well, which really draws you in.
July 21, 2008
An excellent work. Not my ususal read, but I was intrigued from the start. The ending was truly unexpected.
Highly recommended to all!
Highly recommended to all!
August 7, 2008
For a professor with a Doctorate he certainly is stupid!
It's like watching one of those predictable horror films, you keep saying don't do it, you're such an idiot and he does it anyways!
It's like watching one of those predictable horror films, you keep saying don't do it, you're such an idiot and he does it anyways!
August 18, 2008
I got a free copy, signed by the author, by responding to a Craigslist ad. It's an OK story and a very quick read.
October 21, 2008
I really enjoyed this book....it's a new author and very good!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews