Speak Through the Wind (Crossroads of Grace #2) [Paperback]

Allison Pittman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2007

After a lifetime of mistakes…can Kassandra ever be forgiven?
New York City, 1841

When Reverend Joseph plucks a gravely wounded child from the mean streets of Manhattan’s rough Five Points District, he intends to give her a real home. And though Kassandra flourishes in the preacher’s house, learning Bible verses at his knee and going to school, as a young teenager she makes the first of many devastating decisions, running away from the only haven she’s ever known.

What follows is a waking nightmare: life in a tiny room above a brothel, the loss of a child, a lover’s rejection, and finally, life as a prostitute. As circumstances lead her further and further from the reverend’s secure home, an ashamed Kassandra is certain that neither God, nor Joseph, will ever forgive her.

Feeling as though she has nothing left to lose and nowhere to go, Kassandra leaves behind her hopes of redemption and heads west to California, where she is transformed into the woman known as Sadie. Unfortunately, nothing in her life is pointing to a happy ending, and Sadie is forced to grapple with the question: Once you’ve passed the point of no return, can you ever go back?

Editorial Reviews

Review

“In Speak Through the Wind, Allison Pittman guides her heroine down the dark alleys of New York and through the bustling streets of San Francisco on a harrowing journey toward wholeness. Carefully chosen details and realistic dialogue brings the gritty scenes to life as Cassandra spirals downward, even as her day of redemption draws near.”
- Liz Curtis Higgs, bestselling author of Grace in Thine Eyes

“While Speak Through the Wind is beautifully written, wonderfully moving, and a testament to God’s love, it suffers from the following: It is highly incompatible with mascara (waterproof or otherwise), getting one’s children to school ahead of the tardy bell, and putting dinner on the table. I simply could not put it down.”
- Tamara Leigh, bestselling author of Perfecting Kate

About the Author

Allison Pittman is a former English teacher in Texas. In 2005, she was awarded the Harvard Prize Book in recognition of her teaching excellence. She also serves as the leader for her church’s Theater Arts Group, writing and directing worship drama. Whenever possible, Allison enjoys going on dates with her husband of seventeen years, Mike, or just hanging out with their three sons–which usually means spending a lot of time at soccer fields and baseball diamonds.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books; 1ST edition (April 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590526252
• ISBN-13: 978-1590526255
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 1 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #559,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

As far as I know, I have always been a writer. Before I could put words to page, I would dictate stories to my mother. I have always lulled myself to sleep by crafting stories--a new chapter each night. When God called me to write, I was thrilled to answer His prompting. And so it was, after a long conversation with my husband, I left a 20-year teaching career to pursue a new direction. It called for a HUGE step of faith, but God has kept me and our family safe.

I count every single one of my readers as one of God's blessings in my life, and I like to think of my stories as being the first step in a conversation. Please visit my website, www.allisonpittman.com and send me an email. It is one of my greatest joys to hear from you!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even better than the first!, May 18, 2007

By 

K. "daisy4given" (Northern Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Speak Through the Wind (Crossroads of Grace #2) (Paperback)

"Speak Through the Wind", is an utterly fantastic novel, from start to finish. I very rarely give out a rating of five stars, but I don't hesitate for a second to give Allison Pittman's second novel all of the credit that it deserves!

While her first novel, "Ten Thousand Charms", was an enjoyable book that I passed on to others, I still wondered what Pittman could possibly write about 1800's prostitutes in the West in her second book that wouldn't be repetitive. However, I was completely shocked when from the first page, I was hooked on Kassandra and her colorful story. I was delighted to find that Pittman didn't shy away from subject matter that is usually taboo in Christian novels - she told her main character's story so vividly and realistically, not skirting the issues any more than necessary, that there was no way you couldn't fall in love with Kassandra. Pittman's characters were multi-dimensional, with REAL sins, and lived lives that could have ACTUALLY happened, unlike the characters in most Christian novels who seem to live softened, dumbed-down versions of what life is really like. I cried with heartfelt anguish, and rejoiced at Kassandra's triumphs; I identified with her rationalizations of sin and running from God, and I saw a little of myself in her. The novel reads like an epic movie, touches your heart like a classic, and can move your soul in way that can only be orchestrated by God.

My only complaint was that it seemed to wrap up rather quickly. The resolution to Kassandra's story came about rather abruptly, although I suppose it had been brewing for most of the novel. I wanted the story to go on forever, and I wanted those last couple of chapters to draw on longer, so I could better savor the ending! "Speak Through the Wind" is one of the BEST books I have read in a very long time, and possibly one of the best books I have EVER read.

Grade: A+

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping and Gritty with a Breathe of Hope, April 19, 2007

By 

Kelly Klepfer (Iowa) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Speak Through the Wind (Crossroads of Grace #2) (Paperback)

Allison Pittman pens a powerful novel in "Speak Through the Wind."

I've read plenty of prostitute fiction from the same time frame. You'd think I wouldn't find a story that would touch me anew.

However, Kassandra's story is heartbreaking and a little too real. The tale requires that the reader suffer and learn along with the whisp of a child through the dank reality of adulthood. At times gritty and gut-wrenching, Pittman manages to tell the truth with just enough detail that the book pulls the reader into the setting. Weak-stomached, weak-kneed, or those who don't want to read about the reality of a fallen world might find the sensory experience of this read a little too costly.

I see myself in Kassandra's story.

No, I've not lived the life of a prostitute. But I have swallowed Satan's lies and made some pretty ugly messes that God had to clean up. I've not sold myself for money, but I've sold my self-respect to gain a friend, or my common sense to feel a little better for a brief moment.

Through poignant prose, Kassandra lives and breathes on Pittman's pages.

As a fan of Francine Rivers, I've always been more inclined toward The Last Sin-Eater because of the haunting loneliness of the characters than to Redeeming Love's perfect Hosea. Pittman manages to paint a haunting character in Kassandra and a beautiful picture of redemption in "Speak Through the Wind." I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it and meet Kassandra. I think I could even say that her life changed something within my soul. Isn't that what Christian fiction is supposed to do?

[...]

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Incompatible, April 28, 2007

By 

T. Leigh (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Speak Through the Wind (Crossroads of Grace #2) (Paperback)

While "Speak Through The Wind" is beautifully written, wonderfully moving, and a testament to God's love, it suffers from the following: It is highly incompatible with mascara (waterproof or otherwise), getting one's children to school ahead of the tardy bell, and putting dinner on the table. Simply could not put it down.