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

[Glory chukwuemezie 1]

I would rate "Deceptive Calm" a 4.5 out of 5. As a Black woman, this book provided me with a meaningful perspective on the progress made in creating a safer and more accepting world for people like me. It deepened my appreciation for my identity and skin color, offering a new sense of pride. The story itself is truly beautiful—there’s no exaggeration in saying that. It effortlessly straddles multiple genres, including historical, romance, tragedy, and fiction, excelling in each category. This versatility is a testament to the extensive effort and meticulous craftsmanship involved in its creation. The narrative’s ability to blend different elements so seamlessly reflects the author's skill and dedication. Moreover, the depiction of romantic scenes in the book was particularly striking. The author’s detailed portrayal allowed me to fully engage with and experience the emotions and moments depicted, enhancing my connection to the story. Overall, "Deceptive Calm" stands out not only for its rich storytelling but also for the depth and care that went into crafting such a multifaceted and engaging work.

[Kimberly Burgess 1]

I am halfway through this book and enjoying the author's perspective and writing style. I am really interested to see how it ends and weaving my thoughts together about the conclusion!

[Kimberly Burgess 1]

Despite only having read half of the book, I can already understand the cover and title. The intricacies of the backdrop visuals are something I find appealing, and I believe both are appropriate.

I would have to agree, he backdrop visuals really add to the aesthetic of the book and help build the story.

[Naghma Qureshi]

I would rate it a four out five stars because of how it showed the true struggle of a black woman

Going by what others have talked about the book, and the fact you mentioned that it's about the true struggle of a black woman, I am tempted to give it a go. Thank you for your share.

[Diana Lowery]

RE: Would I recommend this book to someone else? Because I found the erotic content too graphic, I would probably not recommend this book.

[Amanda Brouillette Gladden]

I would taste 3 out of 5. I liked how the author portrayed the problems regarding race but I struggled with the pacing and especially disliked the ending because it felt incomplete.

[Hattush Reschly]

I'm about half way through the book. I really like how we get to follow Vanessa from childhood to adulthood. So many books are focused on just one aspect of the character's life, so its been fun to get to see her grow and change.

[Martina Sette]

I really liked the cover, but also the story is very interesting. I really like Vanessa and her personality.

[Devesh Patel]

The literary style is smooth and interesting, with an appropriate blend of descriptive text and dialogue. Skipper has a gift for crafting vivid situations and emotions that pull the reader into the story, making it easy to lose track of time while reading.

[Ann Gibson]

I personally wasn’t a fan. It was very rushed and the ideas didn’t have a full chance to develop. As a black woman, it showed no real struggle of what African Americans endured at the time period it was supposed to be set at.

[Karry Eugene Garmon]

Like I did previously as I would again, I will rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars, any time any day. This novel did educate me and elicited emotional response from me, I felt the pain and anguish Vanessa had to go through in her life, including when she met Tod. It broke my heart seeing that Vanessa haven’t had a complete free and happy life in over 30 years.

[HollyPerry]

I must say that I differ from most of the other replies in this topic. While I found the book an easy read, it was less engaging than I thought it would be. Instead of describing events and drawing the reader in, I felt like Patricia was simply telling the reader what was happening, making it less engaging. There were also inconsistencies in her reference of the characters, especially in scenes where there were multiple characters involved. I wonder if anyone else also felt the same way?

I felt the same. While the topic was interesting and the characters understandable and likeable, I felt that the writing style was clunkier than I prefer or would expect from a published book. It is hard to put into words. I think the author did a good job setting the scene and describing the racial tensions of the era. However, I was never fully immersed in the world.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

I finished the book two days ago but needed that time to think about my rating. I'm officially reviewing it too. I loved the story and was really satisfied with the ending. But, as a historical novel, some of the facts were wrong. I think if an author is going to include such well known things as the assassination of Martin Luther Kind (April 4 not april 3), and the Jimmy Carter 'killer rabbit' incident (did not happen on the Potomac), made me reconsider my perfect rating so I'll be giving it 4/5 stars.

[Naghma Qureshi]

I love the book's cover and the element of mystery in it given through the picture of a birth certificate combined with the name of the book. I am still not done reading it but I like the storyline. I would recommend this book to fiction lovers.

[cindyk56]

4 of 5 because it was confusing and hard to understand at times.