Overall rating and opinion of "Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper

[Elizabeth-Tush4Christ]

The author did an excellent job with the descriptive writing, which I appreciated. I liked how the author effectively engaged the readers throughout the story, making it easy to stay hooked. The characters are all relevant to the plot, with no one feeling out of place, and the pacing of the story is well done.

[Alarict surt]

I liked it for its exciting exploration of complex issues such as race, identity and social expectations, in the context of the civil rights movement of the 60s I give it a 4/5...

[Liam Patel]

I'm rating the book five out of five-stars. It is a book that has many twists and turns and will keep readers engaged till the end.

[Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis]

I just finished reading Deceptive Calm, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am going to rate it 5 out of 5 stars. The book not only showed black people's struggles but also the consequences of living a lie. The truth always comes through at the end, one way or another. I enjoyed the author's writing; it flowed through the pages, and she did not use a lot of complicated words to try to impress you. There was a happy ending, as you knew there would be, where you thought, finally they are back where they belong!

[Julie Marie Basil]

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be a very engaging story. The only aspect of the book that I did not enjoy was the sexual content. The first sexual scene caught me off guard because I did not remember reading anything in the book’s description that hinted at or warned of sexual content. By the time Vanessa was married I anticipated that there would be more sexual content and was more mentally prepared, but I would have enjoyed the story more if it hadn’t included explicit sexual scenes.

[Lahars_little_library]

I'm sorry to disagree with most on here but there are so many books that discuss these themes so much better! I rated this book 1/5 stars which I almost NEVER do, but I felt like there were some really problematic elements to this. If you liked this book I would highly recommend The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett or the middle Grade novel Orphie's Ghosts By Justina Ireland. Read my review for more details.

[Rishaunda Lynnette Britton]

I think this is a great read, judging by all the parameters that make a great literature. So I am giving it a five out of five stars rating.

[Hager Salem]

The cover photo of the book gives off great calming vibes. Its colors are great. The reflection of the bridge might be a symbol of our own reflection of ourselves. It might represent our truth compared to how people see us. If that's true, I really like it. Sis Rosalie's character, which is witty and funny, is admirable. The issue that the book discusses is important, and I hope for one day when racism doesn't exist.

[Varisha Khanna]

I would give the book a 4/5 rating. I found it to be a wonderfully written book and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I found the cover to be nice as well.

[Joshua Sawders]

The book is endearing and easy to read. I also appreciated the thoughtfulness put into designing the book cover, it gave an extremely calm appeal, which piqued my interest in the content of the book when I compared it with the book title.

[Diana Lowery]

I rated this four out of five. I deducted a star because of the rushed ending. I was left wondering what happened to many of the characters.

[Faith Williamson]

overall, I can say that the plot and storyline of the book are truly unique, and the author did a good job presenting it in writing. For me, this is a highly recommendable book and I certainly look forward to more from the author.

[Nikhil Mishra 2]

Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper is a good read, with so much throughout that abounds with racial identity, belonging, and resilience against the backdrop of 1968 America. The most compelling part of it had to do with the unravelling of Vanessa's journey, even though at times it felt slow. The writing style was well thought out and descriptive, merging historical fiction with personal drama. The cover and title are fitting for the tension within the story. The greatest lesson learned from the novel is how the past can still inflict its impacts on people even after so many years. I would recommend this book for its richness in portraying personal and social struggles through a very stormy period.

[Sandra Engelmeyer]

I really enjoyed the plot and suspense of the story. It solidly held my attention. As far as labeling it a romance, it just didn’t work for me. There was little atonement or growth from Barry which was disappointing.

[Jodi Townsend]

I'm currently reading this book and I'm wondering if I'm reading the same book everyone else has. Was this book even edited? There are scenes and conversations that don't make sense, have no detail or background, and there are times where you even wonder who the speaker is talking to or where they are because there's so little context. Only after a few more sentences are you able to figure out who the person is talking to or what they are referring to. Also, the writer doesn't know how to engage a reader. For example, instead of describng a mood or a reaction, we're simply told the character "feels concerned". Writers reveal, they show, they don't tell. If it was just about plot, everyone could be a writer. And there's a couple of these "characters" that are blatantly contrived. I will go into more detail when I write my review, but right now, this is downright painful to read. I hate starting a book and not finishing it - and that's the only reason I'm finishing this book.