11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Huh, men have feelings too?, June 5, 2004
This review is from: There is a Wideness (Paperback)
This beautifully written novel is told from a male point of view, something I found to be very refreshing. The lives of two broken, emotionally bankrupt men accidentally collide. Initially wary of one another, but perhaps sensing a kindred sprit, the two men gradually share one another's story and in doing so, facilitate a healing and growth which had eluded them for many years.
The plot evolves around a terrible, true tragedy that occurred in East Texas in 1937, the New London school explosion, where 300 people, mostly children, were killed. The horror of such tremendous human loss evokes thoughts of recent public tragedies in America and led me to consider how the lives of these two men might have been different had a tragedy of that scale occurred in the present day. It gave me an appreciation of just how much the support system and legal environment of our society has changed.
In addition to the school explosion, the author interweaves other historical events from the twenties, thirties, and forties, thereby creating a wonderful sense of time and place. This book enthralls the reader from the very start. Besides the fascinating historical elements of the story, you will witness redemption and spiritual healing, all achieved in a non-preachy manner.
This is the kind of book that stays with you for a long while. I find myself recommending it to every discriminating reader I know.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Touching Story, October 1, 2005
This review is from: There is a Wideness (Paperback)
I happened upon this book while I was an evacuee during Hurricane Rita. I evacuated from Sugar Land to Wimberley and listened to the author speak at the local library. I love hearing about history, but I don't read very many historical novels. However, just listening to the author talk about the true story of the explosion and listening to a survivor who now lives in Wimberley, made me anxious to read the book. I wasn't disappointed. I was like one of the other reviewers - I had a hard time putting the book down. The main characters had secrets and I needed to know what they were. Be prepared to shed more than a few tears.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Heart-Cleansing Experience, July 1, 2005
This review is from: There is a Wideness (Paperback)
I stayed up until four in the morning reading Mark McAllister's There Is a Wideness, a nominee for a 2005 First Novel Christy Award.
The opening line is incredibly poetic. Who could fail to be captured by these words?
"Memory leaks out of an old man like fine sand from a burlap bag, and so I must write down Luke Robertson's story before the details sift away and become lost."
No car chase. No explosion. No whiz-bang dialogue. Just a promise of a life-changing story to come. I couldn't put it down.
This is a wonderful book. If you know anyone who suffers from deep bitterness or who blames God for some terrible personal tragedy, this book will surely minister to that individual. For any reader, it is sure to be a heart-cleansing experience.
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