Official Review: Journey to the Past by Holly Hunter

[kislany]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Journey to the Past" by Holly Hunter.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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As I am interested in learning about past lives, I have read many fiction and non-fiction books on the topic by authors like Brian Weiss, Carol Bowman, Tom Shroder, and Michael Newton, so when I saw Journey to the Past by Holly Hunter on offer to review, I grabbed it right away.

The book follows Aster Snowden, a middle-aged woman who meets Jack McFadden, a past-life regression therapist who invites her to his next session. Together they uncover several common past lives and embark on a journey of self-discovery, exploration, and the search for a love that transcends lifetimes.

The story shows us that love can be eternal, and souls will go on long after a person’s death. Aster’s story reminded me of Michael Newton’s first book, Journey of Souls, albeit as a fictionalized account. Both authors talk about the Akashic records, soul groups reincarnating together, soul contracts, and soul mates. At its heart, however, Journey to the Past is a profound love story.

Holly Hunter fleshed out her main characters well. I like that Aster and Jack are not some gorgeous young people ready to model for an international agency. Both are rather pudgy, on the downward slope of the age bell curve, and far from perfect. Aster has an OCD type personality, and she can’t stand a messy home, while Jack’s house is extremely messy. Because of her complicated past growing up, Aster has trouble trusting people and letting go. Jack, on the other hand, knows exactly what he wants. They must learn a lot about each other and remove many mental blocks to grow spiritually.

I found their journeys to their various previous lives interesting, and I enjoyed the many synchronicities that occurred following their regression sessions. Knowing how regressions work, I did find some things slightly too convenient, such as the quick and easy way Aster went under during hypnosis, and I had to remind myself that this is a fiction book using artistic license and not an actual regression with a professional therapist.

The author’s writing style is melodious and descriptive, especially when talking about places like New Mexico and historic London. Through her tale, I got a clear and vivid picture of all the places Aster was visiting in her visions.

In terms of grammar, this must be one of the best-edited novels I have read this year. I haven’t encountered any spelling or punctuation mistakes. I only came across a few tiny typographical errors that can be easily overlooked. Thus, for all the reasons above, I award Journey to the Past 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to people who enjoy reading romance novels and to readers who like books with a spiritual, slightly new-age slant. If you do not believe in reincarnation, you can still enjoy this book if you count it as a fictional tale of love and treat the topic of past lives as merely a device the author used to tell her story.

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Journey to the Past
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[Kanda_theGreat]

A blend of romance and spirituality is a skill that only the best authors have mastered. I am now interested to read how this book has been artistically woven to create a perfect blend. Thanks for this review.

[kdstrack]

It's refreshing to discover books that are well written and that fit into one of your preferred genres. I liked your description: "This story shows that love can be eternal." Great review.