Review of Deceptive Calm
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Manuela tobon
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- Latest Review: Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper
Review of Deceptive Calm
[Following is a volunteer review of "Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper.]
The book Deceptive Calm, written by Patricia Skipper, is a novel that takes us back to 1968 and presents Vanessa Condon, an orphaned girl who, at a very young age, starts dealing with different challenges within a social, political, and economic context where racism remains a compass that shapes society. Here, race determines what a person is, who they can socialize with, and what they are destined to become in life. In addition to that, and in parallel, Vanessa faces the emotional growth of a teenager who begins to experience the first feelings and emotions of love, yet doesn’t quite know how to feel or handle them.
Regarding grammar and spelling, the book is very well written and edited. However, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because, at the beginning, in order to set a local tone, the author uses expressions specific to South Carolina, which might be a bit difficult to understand for readers whose first language isn’t English, or for those unfamiliar with this kind of regional sayings and expressions. This made me feel a bit stuck and less interested in the first part of the book.
Nevertheless, as the story moves forward, the language becomes much easier to follow and more familiar, with less Southern slang, and the plot starts to get more and more interesting and engaging. The reader leaves behind that little girl and starts to welcome a brand-new woman who tries to let go of her past and opens herself up to discovering the world beyond Charleston. She experiences what it means to be an independent woman, making her way into a professional world that has yet to fully embrace the idea that women can hold positions equally important to those of men. However, she succeeds.
The sexist context is something Vanessa also has to deal with in her personal life, despite being in San Francisco, one of the biggest and most developed cities in the United States. Vanessa enters high society and discovers that even there, the conception of women still dates back to seeing them as a sort of decorative object or trophy for men, expected to be devoted to them and to household duties.
All these experiences and encounters with different people shape Vanessa and force her to face situations that challenge her inner peace and stability. However, she always moves forward and matures in an inspiring way. This drama allows us to see the main character at her most vulnerable, facing a world of appearances and falsehoods, while also offering a beautiful lesson about the refuge Vanessa finds in some of the people around her.
As the book nears its end, the plot becomes incredibly gripping, exciting, and romantic. Another reason I gave it 4 stars is that, in the end, there’s an abrupt break in the plot, and the story suddenly ends, leaving me with a lot of questions and a strong desire to know more about what would have happened next
******
Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The book Deceptive Calm, written by Patricia Skipper, is a novel that takes us back to 1968 and presents Vanessa Condon, an orphaned girl who, at a very young age, starts dealing with different challenges within a social, political, and economic context where racism remains a compass that shapes society. Here, race determines what a person is, who they can socialize with, and what they are destined to become in life. In addition to that, and in parallel, Vanessa faces the emotional growth of a teenager who begins to experience the first feelings and emotions of love, yet doesn’t quite know how to feel or handle them.
Regarding grammar and spelling, the book is very well written and edited. However, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because, at the beginning, in order to set a local tone, the author uses expressions specific to South Carolina, which might be a bit difficult to understand for readers whose first language isn’t English, or for those unfamiliar with this kind of regional sayings and expressions. This made me feel a bit stuck and less interested in the first part of the book.
Nevertheless, as the story moves forward, the language becomes much easier to follow and more familiar, with less Southern slang, and the plot starts to get more and more interesting and engaging. The reader leaves behind that little girl and starts to welcome a brand-new woman who tries to let go of her past and opens herself up to discovering the world beyond Charleston. She experiences what it means to be an independent woman, making her way into a professional world that has yet to fully embrace the idea that women can hold positions equally important to those of men. However, she succeeds.
The sexist context is something Vanessa also has to deal with in her personal life, despite being in San Francisco, one of the biggest and most developed cities in the United States. Vanessa enters high society and discovers that even there, the conception of women still dates back to seeing them as a sort of decorative object or trophy for men, expected to be devoted to them and to household duties.
All these experiences and encounters with different people shape Vanessa and force her to face situations that challenge her inner peace and stability. However, she always moves forward and matures in an inspiring way. This drama allows us to see the main character at her most vulnerable, facing a world of appearances and falsehoods, while also offering a beautiful lesson about the refuge Vanessa finds in some of the people around her.
As the book nears its end, the plot becomes incredibly gripping, exciting, and romantic. Another reason I gave it 4 stars is that, in the end, there’s an abrupt break in the plot, and the story suddenly ends, leaving me with a lot of questions and a strong desire to know more about what would have happened next
******
Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper
