9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Honest and Original without being Sensationalistic, January 10, 2002
This review is from: Beneath a Southern Sky (Beneath a Southern Sky Series #1) (Paperback)
To consider just the concept of this book brings to mind mid-day talk shows and tabloids instead of an insightful work of fiction. But it simply proves that Deborah Raney is an extremely talented author who can tackle a bizarre situation without succumbing to the error of sensationalism.
The story of Daria, Nathan, and Colson moved my spirit deeply as she confronted fears many women face -- that of losing the love of their life, of being alone and the grief and pain it brings. The tone of the book, on first impression, is tragic, but the genius is the hope it inspires. There is nothing we humans can do that will mess up God's plans. We can't fail so badly that He shakes His head and says, "Well, I have no idea what to do now." Instead, this book shows that even a huge mistake can be used by God to bring blessing and a deeper understanding of His love and compassion.
I'd like to correct some errors made in a previous review by an anonymous reader. She felt that Daria's behavior at her husband's memorial service showed a lack of genuine feeling because she wasn't behaving in a completely devestated way. I think the author is actually trying to show 1) that a person who has given control of her life to the Lord has a joy and hope that transcends even the darkest moments of life, and 2) people in mourning need all the opportunities to smile and feel like "their old selves" that they can obtain. It's part of the healing process, and is natural and healthy.
Second, the other reader felt that Daria's relationship with Colson was inappropriate and unrealistic so soon after her husband's presumed death. She refers to the quote on page 62 about Colson's touch being "strangely intimate" as if Daria's attraction to him began there. This is out of context. The idea was that the "strangely intimate" contact was unpleasent to her, not that it attracted her. Her daughter was nuzzling the man, trying to nurse! The entire episode would have been painfully embarrasing, not romantic. By page 83, all Daria has done is tearfully confessed to her mother that she LIKES Colson, and she feels a good amount of guilt over it.
Perhaps it is more romantic to think of people pining for their lost loves the rest of their lives, but reality is that most people do move beyond their grief. And for Daria, it seems that the need to heal would have been especially pressing considering she had a child to think of as well. Her loneliness and desire for companionship seems to me to point more to the depths of her grief and loss rather than to a lack of feeling.
The rest of the reader's review is not worth comment, except to say that she attempts to distort the true path of the story into something it is not.
I highly recommend Beneath a Southern Sky for anyone who has ever wondered what they would do if their spouse was taken suddenly from them. Despite Daria's lack of heed to the Lord's voice, her story is one that shows there IS life after the death of a loved one, and that healing is possible as well as a fulfilling peace in the aftermath of a tragedy.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a FIRST CLASS romance novel!, March 1, 2002
This review is from: Beneath a Southern Sky (Beneath a Southern Sky Series #1) (Paperback)
I'm a romance reader, but most of the books I read are not Christian romances. Still, that was a complete non-issue to me in enjoying this book. As a romance novel, I thought it was really top notch.
First of all, the writing style. It's a carefully written book that provides a rich atmosphere. But it never gets bogged down in dull detail or caught on insignificant events. It keeps moving and pulling the reader along. I never once got bored.
Secondly, it's an EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT book. Everything that happens in this book - you feel it. When something sad happens, your heart will sink. When something surprising happens, your jaw will drop open, and when something romantic happens, you will have a big silly grin on your face. It is a right-brained book as well as left-brained. It's a book you can feel right down to your bones.
As far as romance, the book is an absolute dream. I can't say too much without giving away some secrets about the plot. But I wanted desperately for "us" (the heroine and me) to marry the hero. I adored the men in her life. And even though the book was tasteful, I found that the author could give me chills by mentioning just a few gestures, a few powerful words. It definitely gave me romantic flutters.
Another thing I loved was the honesty in the minute, routine observations made throughout the book. When the heroine has an argument with her husband once, the authors says that for just a moment, she kind of hated him. I appreciated that honesty! I know exactly what she's talking about - that moment when you're in an argument with someone you love, when your "I've got to win this argument" feelings are so strong that you lose all affection for the person for one moment. It's so real. And yet, their love went on - it wasn't a big deal. There were a number of things the author mentioned which occur in real relationships, in real marriages. Some of them, I'd never seen expressed on paper before. It really made me feel good to relate to those moments, and to see that the couple could just keep moving on past them.
As far as the Christian aspect, as I said, that's not usually my thing. So did the Christian theme interfere with my enjoyment? Not at all. In fact, it added a lot to the story. This was not a book about wholesome, "perfect people" who were so devout and angelic that I wanted to roll my eyes at every turn. Not at all! They were just normal people with normal problems (OK, some unusually dramatic problems as well), and I was able to understand their Christianity through their eyes ... how it affected them as characters. And it was not a shallow Christianity that was presented here. It was a more thoughtful, profound kind of Christianity. The kind where I could say, "OK, I guess I've had religious experiences that felt a little like that. I kind of know what she means."
Finally, without giving away the ending, I want to say that I was really impressed by the parallel drawn at the end of the book between one of the main character's fates, and the story of Jesus. As literature, that was well done. It was a rich and beautiful parallel that really shed light on both stories (This one, and the story of Jesus's sacrifice). Again, I don't think you have to be a Christian to appreciate how well done that was. It was good writing.
I recommend this book to any reader of romance. I recommend it to anyone who likes high quality popular fiction. And personally, I have actually had dreams about the ending of this book, that's how much it affected me. So I am putting myself on the waiting list for this author's next novel.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great depth, July 10, 2005
This review is from: Beneath a Southern Sky (Beneath a Southern Sky Series #1) (Paperback)
With Beneath a Southern Sky, Deborah Raney has created a cast of characters with a depth and maturity we can all hope to achieve. At first, I assumed this was a typical "triangle-type" love story - but there is nothing at all typical about this tremendous story! By the end of the book I was gasping, crying and cheering. I look forward to reading all of Deborah Raney's books.
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