Review of Deceptive Calm

[Frances Rendino]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper was a very easy read and hard to put down. It takes place in the southern United States in the 1960s where there was still a very prominent issue with racial discrimination. I find this an intriguing setting, and the author did a fantastic job portraying how things were back then. Public places were very much divided based on skin color, and the characters in the book expressed concern about the repercussions of going against the rules.
The author portrayed realistic views of characters on either side. The characters involved were from a range of different backgrounds. It is interesting how the author portrays the poor and the wealthy, whether black or white, and shows how they interact based on those differences. Each chapter kept my interest and always had me trying to predict what would happen next. I admire the determination and strength of those discriminated against. In my opinion, it has the perfect amount of drama and the characters are relatable and easy to empathize with. There are a decent number of historical facts throughout the book, which is necessary for plot and character building, but those were the parts I found myself reading faster over, as history is not my best subject. It is impressive of the author to know and to recite that much detail about American history.
There was a twist at the end which I did not see coming. The author makes it obvious from the beginning who the bad guys are and I found myself growing slightly emotionally affected by the nasty ones. The ending was emotional, but well-written. It leaves you with a feeling that justice was served. I didn't notice any errors or typos until the second to last page, where there were a few.
I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 because it had minimal errors, it kept my interest, and unraveled the plot smoothly. Overall, I applaud the author and recommend this book, and any other by Patricia Skipper. I will be searching for her work for my next read. Hopefully, there will be a sequel.

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Deceptive Calm
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