Customer Reviews

A River of Stones

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Kathy Jones has done an excellent job of directing the reader along the various twists and turns of her book through the eyes of a child. As I read the first couple of pages, tears flowed. It's hard for me to understand how an adult -- father to this family -- could leave his children behind without a second glance. But despite my anger, I know it happens every day. Without giving away too many details, let me suffice to say my heart was breaking. Especially when the confused children begin to realize what has just taken place.

A River of Stones will make you think like a child, remember like a child, and hurt like only a child can.

I suppose my expectations for this book were too high. While I thought much of the insight was realistic and the characters were somewhat likable, overall I wasn't as impressed as I thought.

More than divorce, I found it to be a catalyst to promote Mormonism.

I was confused as to whether it was supposed to be written from a child's perspective or an adult-looking-back perspective. There were times when the vocabulary was too large to be from an 11 year old and the sometimes drippy prose was definitely not a child-like quality.

What I did appreciate was the lesson that a step-brother, no matter how 'dorky,' can be a great addition to the family. Hopefully, it will help kids reading this book not to see 'new' relatives as a threat or negative.

A River of Stones approaches the painful topic of divorce and emotional longing for a father's love with great depth of understanding and honesty. Kathryn Jones poignantly portrays the story of Samantha, a young girl struggling to understand her parent's divorce and her mother's subsequent re-marriage, without much outside help. As the years pass she grows to understand why it happened and where the healing and peace can come from. Most importantly she begins to understand where love has a place in her life and in her heart. I recommend this inspiring novel for anyone who wants to understand the impact divorce and abandonment has on children and young teenagers. Samantha is a character that every young person can relate to in some way. Read it and be nurtured.

Samantha Gregory is eleven-years-old when her mother tells her and her brother, Luke, their father has left and is never coming back. Like most children, Sam has a hard time understanding this and thinks her father left because he didn't like her.

June and Bruce, Sam's neighbors, are the only children willing to be her friends. Sam has feelings for Bruce she hopes will be returned, but she doesn't see how they can be when her own father doesn't love her.

June is heavy into hypnotism. She asks Sam if she can hypnotize her and Sam can only laugh. Sam's unbelief in hypnotism causes such a rift that June refuses to speak to her. Sam loses yet another friend when she has so few, and the belief that she's unlovable only grows stronger.

Sam's mother remarries and her new father has a son named Joshua. Joshua is very fat, and as a result, he is shunned by people too. Sam and Josh form a friendship because both of them understand each other's feelings of being unloved.

June makes friends with another girl named Tracey who is a devout Mormon. Tracey is always friendly and nice, and Sam hates her at first because she feels Tracey took June's friendship away. But Tracey doesn't give up. She continues reaching out to Sam and eventually, wins her friendship. Sam starts asking questions about Tracey's religion and as a result she is given `The Book of Mormon.'

Sam's mother is very upset when she sees this book and calls it the book of the devil, but Sam's step-father is very understanding and allows Sam to keep the book.
As a result, Sam learns to pray and feel some peace and love.

A River of Stones is the first book by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones. It is written on a child's level, and geared toward those who are suffering the loss of a parent from divorce. It deals effectively with the issues that a child might go through with this, unfortunately, too-common issue of finding acceptance and a personal religious course in the world.

"River of Stones" is a poignant novel presenting the emotional pitfalls and trials faced by children of divorce. Unfortunately, divorce, with its accompanying tearing of families ties, is an ever growing societal curse. Readers may not be able to slow down the divorce rate but through Jones' book, readers may come to understand the emotional strain, loss and guilt experienced by children of divorce.

Once in awhile a book comes along which demands attention. "A River of Stones" is such a book. It tells how a young girl copes with the divorce of her parents, from her viewpoint.

When adults divorce it can be a bitter experience. Those who are not directly involved in the proceedings can often get a distorted view of why the divorce occurred. Adults trying to protect their children from being hurt will often withhold certain facts about the divorce from them.

Children are the innocent bystanders in an adult world that can be harsh and cruel. They have not yet acquired the tools that would help them understand complex social situations. All too often they blame themselves for what has occurred.

Samantha is one such bystander, caught up in the turmoil of divorce. She fails to understand why her father, whom she dearly loves, would suddenly abandon her. It left her feeling hurt and confused inside, as if he tore a part of her heart from her body.

When troubled and having the need to be by herself, Samantha's refuge was the swing in the school playground. There she could confront her fears and doubts by asking God for his guidance. He never failed to comfort her in her time of need.

Her mother claimed she did believe in him but did not need to go to church with what she called, the fake people, to worship him. Every night Samantha prayed to God that she would wake up taller and more mature. She felt that if this occurred it would enable her to help her mother.

Life can often present a challenge to both adults and children when they least expect it. So it was with Samantha when told she had a stepbrother named Joshua, after her mother married Carl. Her immediate reaction was that of anger; by keeping such a fact from her she felt betrayed by her mother and her stepfather.

Luke was not disappointed in finding out he had a brother. He now would have a comrade in arms with which to seek adventure. Samantha decided not to love Joshua at all, as he now had Luke's total attention and he was fat.

Kathryn Elizabeth Jones has written a warm and wonderful tale about divorce and growing up from a young girl's point of view. Her writing takes the reader back to a time most have forgot, as Samantha reacts to the ever-changing structure of her world. It is a tale that will attract readers of all ages back to it again and again.

"A River of Stones" is the product of a gifted writer. One who shows an uncanny perception about the development of what makes all of us unique, which is our soul.
It is a book that I highly recommend.

Review by Warren Thurston - Author of children's book "Gladiss and the Alien"
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"Could someone just decide one day not to love you anymore?" Those words jumped out at me as I began to read this marvelous book. And it echoed throughout the story as Samantha sought to set her topsy-turvy world back on track.

Samantha tells us her story in the plain language of a child hurt by her Daddy's abandonment, hopeful that her "new" daddy will keep them all smiling, and trying to understand why adults stop loving each other.

Written with such realism, readers of all ages will be touched by the hopes, dreams and fears of lonely Sam as she searches for illusive answers on a journey of self-discovery. A must read for everyone!