Review of Deceptive Calm
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Katelyn Johnson 5
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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.]
Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper is a thrilling and adventurous tale about the life of a young Black woman set in the 1960s. I have always had a personal interest in historical romance tales, and the fact that this story has a suspenseful and adventurous tone made the read much more interesting. The author does a great job of keeping the reader hooked from start to finish, thanks to an action and drama-packed plot. My overall impression of the book is that it is a finely written historical tale with an undercurrent of romance, combining the perfect amount of believable fiction and an accurate representation of both the time and the struggles of racism and sexism.
Throughout the story, we encounter numerous historically accurate details of the Deep South, and several strong themes are present, as befitting the time. The author does a fantastic job of portraying both the setting and morality issues represented throughout the American Civil Rights Movement.
The main character, Vanessa, is a light-skinned orphan raised by a charismatic and lovable nun who runs the orphanage where she resides. Vanessa goes through many trials in her youth and eventually, with the help of her best friend Trisha, finds herself assuming the identity of a deceased White baby girl to disappear and start her life anew without the restrictions her race would afford her. Eventually, after time has passed, Vanessa's tragic history threatens to catch up with her when her child comes down with a case of sickle cell anemia. Her now-husband, being from a powerful and wealthy family, discovers her identity, and therefore all chaos breaks loose.
This book is unique as I have never read something quite like it. I was intrigued from the start, and by the end of the book, I felt a kindred spirit with Vanessa and her friends. The pacing of the book is slow to start, but by the end, it is very fast-paced. I believe the author did rush the final 15 percent of the story. However, all loose ends were tied up, and there were no major plot holes that I could see. I also did not notice any grammatical errors during my read. I would give Deceptive Calm an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, as I couldn't put the book down; however, I was disappointed with the ending, which seemed to wrap up too quickly. If the author had devoted more time to the book's ending rather than its beginning or middle, the ending's impact would have been much more substantial and emotionally charged, providing the reader with a better sense of fulfillment or satisfaction. I enjoyed the story overall and recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction or historical romance.
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Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper is a thrilling and adventurous tale about the life of a young Black woman set in the 1960s. I have always had a personal interest in historical romance tales, and the fact that this story has a suspenseful and adventurous tone made the read much more interesting. The author does a great job of keeping the reader hooked from start to finish, thanks to an action and drama-packed plot. My overall impression of the book is that it is a finely written historical tale with an undercurrent of romance, combining the perfect amount of believable fiction and an accurate representation of both the time and the struggles of racism and sexism.
Throughout the story, we encounter numerous historically accurate details of the Deep South, and several strong themes are present, as befitting the time. The author does a fantastic job of portraying both the setting and morality issues represented throughout the American Civil Rights Movement.
The main character, Vanessa, is a light-skinned orphan raised by a charismatic and lovable nun who runs the orphanage where she resides. Vanessa goes through many trials in her youth and eventually, with the help of her best friend Trisha, finds herself assuming the identity of a deceased White baby girl to disappear and start her life anew without the restrictions her race would afford her. Eventually, after time has passed, Vanessa's tragic history threatens to catch up with her when her child comes down with a case of sickle cell anemia. Her now-husband, being from a powerful and wealthy family, discovers her identity, and therefore all chaos breaks loose.
This book is unique as I have never read something quite like it. I was intrigued from the start, and by the end of the book, I felt a kindred spirit with Vanessa and her friends. The pacing of the book is slow to start, but by the end, it is very fast-paced. I believe the author did rush the final 15 percent of the story. However, all loose ends were tied up, and there were no major plot holes that I could see. I also did not notice any grammatical errors during my read. I would give Deceptive Calm an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, as I couldn't put the book down; however, I was disappointed with the ending, which seemed to wrap up too quickly. If the author had devoted more time to the book's ending rather than its beginning or middle, the ending's impact would have been much more substantial and emotionally charged, providing the reader with a better sense of fulfillment or satisfaction. I enjoyed the story overall and recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction or historical romance.
******
Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper
