Customer Reviews

South Pacific Journal

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First a disclaimer -- I attended law school with David. But, as a lawyer, I'm not easy to please; nor do I give-out accolades irresponsibly. So, take this for what it's worth.

You must read this book. It is a heart-warming and thought-provoking juggernaut. The writing is excellent. It reminded me of two books -- one about Vietnam that I read as part of a speech and writing course at Harvard ("The Things They Carried") and the other, a popular, best seller ("The Testament"). In my opinion, South Pacific Journal is a better piece of literature than "The Testament" and has a more powerful message than "The Things They Carried".

If you do not want your life changed, don't read this book because you cannot read it and stay the same. I read it all in one day and must admit that toward the end, I was brought to tears. I'm still thinking about the message. The story actually increased my own confidence and faith. I cannot wait to send copies to my friends.

I have David French as an instructor for one of my law school classes & have had numerous opportunities to listen to him speak. Not only does he tell great stories (his students LOVE listening to him tell stories), but he & his wife have done an incredible job at carrying over this wonderful skill into writing. As I read the book, I kept forgetting this was their first novel. The story is so compelling & well-told that in spite of all the reading I had to do for my law classes & the sleep I definitely needed to get, I stayed up late reading into the early morning hours. The more I read, the more I wanted to keep reading & the harder it was to put the book down. The ending will definitely touch you... as I read the last couple of chapters, tears rolled down my face & the events caused me to really think about my faith. I will be sending this book to my friends... it's definitely worth reading!

Think about all of the people you've known in your life. A few will stand out from all the others. Something about them makes you want to spend time with them, to get to know them more intimately, to learn from them. Sarah Lavine is like that. She is the main character of this book and, as I read the book, I found myself wishing I could sit down and talk to her, even if it mean sharing her very dangerous circumstances. Like the few people you've met who were worth knowing, Sarah has something at her core (in her soul) that is important, alive and true. She knows something that maybe you don't. So you need to spend time with her and learn from her. It's only 216 pages. It won't take you long. In fact, it's too short. It left me wanting to learn more.

South Pacific Journal captivates from the first chapter. The fear, the pain, and the intense emotional rollercoaster of war was painted so realistically. Sarah's spiritual journey and introspection grabs the heart resulting in one's own examination of faith. Well done!

I just finished reading the wonderful story South Pacific Journal by David and Nancy French. I recently started reading Christian fiction as I am so sick of the filth in secular reading. This story made me smile and cry and praise the lord all at the same time. It was beautifully written and the characters all seemed alive to me. If more of our young people would read these kinds of books maybe the world wouldnt be going to hell the way it is!!. I hope these fine new authors will publish another story soon. I will rush to the bookstore to get it!! May God Bless all who reads this wonderful book.

I don't believe I've read a more compelling book! It was purchased from a bargain table as something to read while recovering from a foot injury. The therapy for my soul and mind was worth far far more than the few dollars I paid.
So many times I've been disappointed in the quality of "Christian Fiction." Not so with "SOUTH PACIFIC JOURNAL." The characters are believable and very interesting. Descriptive passages place the reader on location in the South Pacific. I've never read such compelling "flash-back" passages. Even though the narrative left many unanswered questions about the characters (What happened to the lieutenant? How did Sarah try to contact her family? When and how did she return to Manila?) I feel as if I really know the characters personally. I hope David & Nancy French write a sequel.
My gratitude goes to the authors for such excellent writing and to the publisher for printing this book.

About the second world war, this book clearly describes the troubles of a female living in Manila in that time period. It is so hard to put my review into words for fear of forgetting minor details, although you will never forget anything after you read the book. Some parts are touching, some gruesome, but it still reflects one idea throughout the story: the love of God.

I will not soon forget this book. It gives the most vivid impression of actually being in a war torn situation that I have ever read. It seemed so real. The spiritual thought process of the young woman is very believable. It would be especially interesting to a Jewish person. I did feel that the end left a lot of questions that I wish had been expanded on, but not to the extent that it was bothersome. I would recommend it.

It brought me to laughter, then tears! Excellent ending! Loved it!

South Pacific Journal moved along so swiftly. No parenthetical passages that never brought you back to the point. Beautifully written. It can hold its own against seasoned fiction authors. In truth, better than a lot of others. The story brought out the great mercy and grace of God during the worst of times. It touched my soul to its very depths.