Review of Deceptive Calm

Post by **twinkle09** » 17 Jul 2025, 23:59

'Deceptive Calm' is a historical fiction set in 20th century America following a mullato girl Vanessa. Through her portrayal, the author highlights discriminations faced by persons of colour in America and women moreover. I would like to read the book to know more. Thank you for a beautiful review!

Malik Bakare · Post by **Malik Bakare** » 18 Jul 2025, 00:07

Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper powerfully portrays the challenges faced by Vanessa, a mulatto girl raised in Saint Paul’s Orphanage, weaving a vivid narrative of racial tension and societal obstacles in 20th-century America that feels both heart-wrenching and authentic.

Diamond Igwesi · Post by **Diamond Igwesi** » 18 Jul 2025, 00:47

I am a black woman and I know even though this is the 21st century that I am going to relate with Vanessa's experiences on her physical features. It is as sad as it can get.
However I am kind of hoping that the abusive partner part has nothing to do with Vanessa's and Barry's relationship. That would be a tragedy if it were so.
Congrats on BOTD.

Aqdas Ulde · Post by **Aqdas Ulde** » 18 Jul 2025, 01:32

Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper is a deeply emotional and realistic historical novel that left a strong impression on me. Set in 1968 Charleston during the civil rights movement, it opens with a shocking Klan attack but focuses more on the quiet strength and courage shown by the characters afterward.

Dr. William Hale, a Black neurosurgeon, must operate on a white girl in a segregated hospital — a moment that truly stayed with me. His son Barry displays incredible bravery, and Sister Rosalie brings honesty and warmth to the narrative. I especially appreciated the tender and risky friendship between Trisha and Vanessa, which felt genuine and moving.

The writing is clear and emotionally grounded. While some historical details slow the pace, they add depth and authenticity. Readers who enjoy meaningful, well-researched fiction will appreciate this balance.

I would give Deceptive Calm 4.5 out of 5 stars — not for being fast-paced, but for being powerful, thoughtful, and full of heart. It’s a moving story about race, love, and quiet resistance that lingers long after the last page.

Post by **Kibet Hillary** » 18 Jul 2025, 02:02

I have just read the book sample on Kindle and I liked how the author demonstrates the wide-reaching consequences of racial bigotry, even in the transportation sector. I am happy that the book highlights other important themes such as friendship and gender discrimination, among others. The author's writing style is also exceptional. Thanks for the informative review, @Huini Hellen.

Post by **Idah_Kenei** » 18 Jul 2025, 02:06

This book carries a lot of depth. It covers racial segregation which Vanessa went through living in a predominantly white country. It furthers it plot by also covering gender bias. This are issues that happened in the past and are still happening

Bema Snr · Post by **Bema Snr** » 18 Jul 2025, 02:10

"Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper, a book I have read, thanks to onlinebookclub, is insightful. The review mentions "cliffhangers to build up the racial tension," a very brief example or two (without spoilers, of course) might make these points even more concrete for someone who hasn't read the book. Similarly for the "abusive marriage partners" point. This is a very minor suggestion, as the review is already quite detailed. All in all, it is a great book. Great BOTD

Post by **Stephanie Gail Stephen** » 18 Jul 2025, 02:29

I also read Deceptive Calm and totally agree with you—Patricia Skipper’s storytelling really pulls you in. I loved how she wove Vanessa’s personal story into the larger issues of race and society at the time. It was powerful and honestly heartbreaking at times. Sister Rosalie really stood out to me too—such a strong, steady presence through everything.

I also appreciated how the book didn’t shy away from tough topics like gender inequality and abusive relationships. It made the story feel real and authentic. I’ll admit, the ending felt a bit rushed for me, but overall, I really enjoyed the book and found it very thought-provoking.

Tina Thomssen · Post by **Tina Thomssen** » 18 Jul 2025, 02:45

I read this book in its entirety. I have to disagree with you on the grammatical errors; I found more than eight. The last few pages of the book also switched perspective. For example, instead of "Vanessa looked," the book said "Vanessa looks." It was quite odd, and there were many holes or weird skips. I enjoyed the plot, but think it could've been written better.

Chinazo Anozie · Post by **Chinazo Anozie** » 18 Jul 2025, 02:49

Vanessa's journey sounds like one to embrak on. Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper seems like it would be a great read for fans of historical fiction. The plot is quite intriguing!

Post by **Soma Ezenwanne** » 18 Jul 2025, 03:27

I enjoyed reading "Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper because Vanessa’s story was interesting and I liked seeing her grow up and push through everything, even when things got really hard.

Ohanele Chinonyerem · Post by **Ohanele Chinonyerem** » 18 Jul 2025, 03:43

"Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper seems like a great story about love and struggle, and I would love to read it because Vanessa’s life sounds tough but inspiring.

Jack Winnick · Post by **mrlefty0706** » 18 Jul 2025, 03:44

“Deceptive Calm” by Patricia Skipper is a story about human’s need to be accepted. The sample was an incredible story about the Catholic School bus being attacked by the South Carolina Ku Klux Klan in 1968. The black students were placed in the center seats since they would be the targets of the brainless white supremacists that attacked the school bus with bricks and baseball bats. Trisha, a white girl sitting by a bus window was seriously injured by a brick and almost died from cranial trauma and loss of blood. She was operated on by a black neural surgeon in a black hospital and this doctor saved her life. Having lived through the riots and Klan attacks this story brought back many memories. Vanessa, a young lady at the orphanage that was never adopted was a very good friend of Trisha and she was a wonderful example of succeeding in a very poor environment. Vanessa was black but potential adopters felt she was too white skinned to fit in with a black family. The official review revealed that Vanessa took a dead child’s identity and moved to California where she passed as a white girl, fell in love and was married. When she had a baby that had evidence of sickle cell disease and her husband divorced her for not revealing her history to him before they were married. My favorite character in this story was Sister Rosalie, a tough nun that took no grief from anyone. She had been at the Catholic School for many years and she was an excellent teacher. I liked the way she told the police that her students were not going to ride in police cars to school like criminals after the bus was totaled getting away from the Klan. It is sad that white supremacy is still very strong in the U.S. and these people will never let the Civil War end. White Supremacy exists at our highest level of society, not just poor whites that feel cheated in life and blame it on civil rights. Our president, a self-declared white supremacist is determined to roll back our government to the days before the civil rights movement and he had killed the DEI program and is giving Ivy League universities a tough time since they give minority scholarships. This is part of his revenge and retribution program. This is a wonderful book that should be enjoyed by all members.

Bookish_Tropes · Post by **Bookish_Tropes** » 18 Jul 2025, 03:56

I had to put this book down because thought, among many other things, that it was wildly unacceptable for a white author to be openly using racial slurs so casually. This story was not hers to tell especiallu in the way it was told.