Deceptive Calm Review

[Lauren Johnson 13]

Deceptive Calm was a very interesting read. The combinations of history, romance, violence, and suspense in one book is genius. The events that occurred in the story were relatable to real life. There are a lot of people who fall victim to "love at first sight." This book reminded me how important it is for parents to be involved in who their children have
relationships with. Parents usually only focus on the "birds and the bees," when it comes to discussing relationships. More conversations about the concept of love, how to control your hormones, respect and boundaries in relationships are needed. Barry Hale is a perfect example of lacking discipline with hormones. His father is another perfect example of fathers turning a blind eye to their son's lifestyle, regardless of the ramifications. I used to enjoy teenage love stories, but I do not enjoy them now that I am older. It doesn't matter if it is a book, movie, or television show. Majority of these stories lack involvement of the parents with their offspring and the offspring's love interest. I will admit that being a mother, myself, makes me bias to the situation.

Deceptive Calm used colorism in an enlightening way. Vanessa was a mixed child (black and white) and considered an outcast by both communities. I've had conversations with people in my life that experience outcast treatment from the white and black community because they are mixed. I found it interesting reading black people would not marry someone if they couldn't tell if the person was black or white. I was not born in the south, nor did I live during the times of banned interracial relationships. It is hard for me to believe that a black man falls in love with a beautiful woman and denies her marriage because she looks white. Reading Deceptive Calm has given me a new perspective on a colorism.

Blood and gore are not my forte, so the details about the abortion and the stabbing, for example, was too graphic for my taste. However, reading the insert about the abortion almost made you feel like you were there watching it or experiencing it. It aroused my fear, sadness, and anger. I had to sit the book down for minute after reading about the abortion. There were a few times I caught myself talking to the characters saying things like, "Why would you do that?"

Overall, a book that brings out all my emotions, is a great read. The only thing I would have wanted was closure on what happened with the villains. What was the punishment for attempted murder? Besides the closure, I enjoyed the read. I think it was enjoyable because the characters and the events in the story felt real.

[Georgia Lyonhyde]

I found your take on the book interesting. I thought the book reached a satisfying conclusion,although the blurb might have been more carefully considered. I was not really expecting a love story, and expected the story to focus more on race in a crude way, mixed with a lot of politics.

I didn't really consider the real villains in the story, as I was satisfied with the climax and the ending as it was. I wasn't quite expecting it to play out that way.