Customer Reviews

The Touch

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Even though it's not Christmas, I picked up Patricia Hickman's holiday-season novella, The Touch, because I've read and enjoyed many of her other books. The story is based on a picture by Ron DiCianni, which is a modern depiction of the biblical account of the sick woman who touched the hem of Jesus' robe and was healed.

In this story, Sydney, a young mother of two, is on the run from her abusive husband. She feels she has no one to turn to, since her father Wade, a pastor, "had never been able to embrace all of her, but rather just the presentable parts, the ones that looked good to his church." To survive, Sydney works as a maid in a seedy motel and befriends one of the prostitutes who live and work there, while attempting to shield her children from the sleazy atmosphere. (By the way, the details of the prostitution operation are not at all explicit.)

Sydney's parents receive a vague indication that all is not well with their daughter. Although for a time Wade tries to ignore his feelings of guilt and concern, he eventually decides to go after her, but he must endure some painful and humbling experiences on the way.

Something I found odd about this book is that it seems to have two protagonists. I still have no idea if the main character is supposed to be Sydney or Wade. I understand that the story is about both of them, but I felt a bit yanked back and forth between scenes.

While I don't feel that this story is Hickman's best work, it is an enjoyable read, full of vivid descriptions of characters and circumstances, natural-sounding dialogue, and a touch of humor. The ending is satisfying without being unrealistically perfect.

The Touch was a book about a young woman on the run, with her 2 children, from an abusive husband. She tries to reach her
father, then becomes afraid to ask him for help because of standards that she saw her father putting on her (her father was a preacher). The father then looks for his daughter and grandkids and they are all reunited.

I liked the humor in the book. Being on the run from an abusive husband is serious business, but the humor did lighten up
the husband. I liked the bantering between Isabella and Wade (the preacher father), Wade passing out in the mall, the church
catching on fire, Wade being roped into marrying a couple at the airport, etc.

I know that this book was meant to be a shorter novel. However, it would have been nice for the book to be expanded another
100 pages. It would have been interesting to find out more about the abusive husband, Sydney's childhood, and the
reconciliation between Sydney and her father. Also, I thought that there was too much stuff at the beginning of the book
about Wade trying to decide whether or not to find Sydney and Wade trying to get out of the church, but not enough towards
the end of the book about Sydney's and Wade's reconciliation.

All in all, this was a pretty good book about grace and forgiveness. Patricia Hickman is a wonderful writer. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.

I've been on a fiction kick lately - first Gideon's Gift, then The Lullaby, and now The Touch! This book will take you only a couple of hours to read, but there is SO much there! The book was inspired by the picture painted by Ron DiCianni which depicts the woman who touches the hem of Jesus' cloak and is healed.

A young woman is fleeing an abusive marriage with her two young children. She lives in a sleazy motel, being a housekeeper there in order to have a place to live. Meanwhile, her father is dealing with issues of his own. The way it all comes together is beautiful.

This was my first book by Patricia Hickman and I will definitely be looking for more.