Customer Reviews

Wrapped in Rain

5 star:		(83)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wrapped in Rain is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It is a compelling, authentic story of humanity's good and evil. The southern setting is an almost cinematic backdrop, the characters so strong and authentic, that I will carry this story--and these people--with me for a long time to come.

Tucker Mason never received affection from his wealthy, abusive father. He does have a few happy memories of his childhood. Time spent with his half-brother Mutt and his childhood girlfriend Katie. And, of course, Miss Ella, the housekeeper who was like a mother to him and the only secure source of love Tucker ever knew.

Now Tucker is a world famous photographer and has done his best to leave his difficult, painful childhood behind him. But when Katie comes back into Tucker's life with her little boy, Jase, and Mutt escapes from the mental hospital where he has lived because of his schizophrenia, Tucker comes to realize that maybe there are some memories that can't, and shouldn't be, left behind. Through the ever-present voice of Miss Ella, Tucker realizes he has a choice. He can continue to let his hatred--the sins of his father--control his life and the decisions he makes; or he can lay it down and choose the harder path of love and forgiveness instead.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of this book narrated by Tom Stechschulte and it was riveting. Very highly recommended.

Is it possible to forgive those who are unable to ask for forgiveness? Can the hurts of our childhood be redeemed? Can we ever sacrifice too much?

Charles Martin tackles deep questions like these in his sophomore stand-alone novel, WRAPPED IN RAIN. As he did in his debut novel, THE DEAD DON'T DANCE, Martin masterfully blends lovely prose, interesting characters, well-integrated faith themes, and a moving plot to create a powerful story that will long linger in the mind of the reader after the last page is turned.

In rural Alabama, two abused boys find their only comfort and hope in the 45-year-old childless widow Miss Ella Rain, the only daughter of the son of an Alabama slave. She stands as a solid force between them and their evil, alcoholic, and wealthy father Rex. Beaten bloody by her boss and paid only minimum wage, she sacrifices her own aspirations and dreams to ensure that both Tucker and his half-brother, Matthew ("Mutt"), know they are loved --- by her and by God.

Despite her best efforts, the boys' relationship with their father leaves terrible scars. Long after Miss Ella has died and Tucker has found fame as an international photographer, his bitterness toward his father makes it nearly impossible for him to lay the ghosts of the past to rest.

Thirty-three-year-old Mutt is now a schizophrenic, obsessive-compulsive paralyzed with fear at the thought of contact with germs, and committed by Tucker into a mental health facility, Spiraling Oaks. Mutt tries to scrub out his past failings by scouring everything around him clean with bleach and Windex --- cars, water towers, houses, his room at Spiraling Oaks. Kudos goes to Martin for his handling of the damaged character of Mutt, who evokes disgust, fear, sympathy, and finally deep compassion.

Tucker and Mutt's lives are about to intersect with their childhood friend Katie, now an abused wife fleeing her husband, and mother of the endearing little boy Jase. The relationship between Tucker and Katie unfolds sweetly and slowly, in one of the better romantic portrayals in Christian fiction. Wisely, Martin resists the need to tie up all the loose ends of their relationship, which has grown more complicated by the book's end. He leaves it in a strong moment --- with a love on Tucker's part that eerily echoes the sacrificial love of Miss Ella. And indeed, the ghostly voice of Miss Ella, speaking in italics to Tucker, is never too far away. "Forgive men and your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you don't, you're the one who will suffer."

Martin has a lovely way with words, thought sometimes a bit long-winded: "South of Jacksonville, the river's waist bulges to three miles wide, sparking little spurs or creeks peopled by barnacled marinas and long-established fish camps where the people are good and most of their stories are as winding as the river." In his hands, even a description of the residents of Spiraling Oaks and their medications reads like poetry: "Only a handful were ingesting lithium plus three. These were the lifers. The go-figures. The no-hopers. The why-were-they-borns."

Readers will have a few quibbles. Martin's greatest strength --- his characters --- is also his greatest weakness. He takes delight in drawing them for us, right down to the smallest detail, and the results are often rich, vivid, and compelling. We come to know them intimately --- what motivates them, what their dreams are --- and we care about the outcome of their stories. However, the descriptions of minor characters, such as Missy and Bessie, often get more than their rightful share of page space, right down to the toe rings, which slows the story. In his attempt to portray the evil Rex, Martin overdraws him in a way that strains credibility. Readers also will find an occasional contradiction (the "wait time" at Clark's seafood restaurant "never dipped under an hour," yet later, characters are seated in 20 minutes).

But these are small problems. Martin's tremendous talent is evident throughout, as he shows the power of forgiveness and of sacrifice. The choices to do both are presented as painfully difficult, counter-intuitive --- choices that can only be made with the power of God behind them. And that is the beauty of WRAPPED IN RAIN --- that we can make these choices, with the help of God, if we dare let go of our bitterness, our anger, and our grief over the hurts of the past. This fine novel exemplifies many of the best elements of evangelical Christian fiction.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Wrapped in Rain is one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Parts of the book made me laugh out loud and others made me cry. The characters were well developed and real. Mr. Martin used a variety of techniques such as flashbacks that allowed me to better understand and relate to Mutt, Katie, Miss Ella, and Tucker. Mr. Martin has a way with words; his descriptions of the characters, various situations, and setting allowed the reader to get more involved in the book. The book was crafted in such a way that I quickly got lost in the story and was deeply moved by all the emotion the book possessed. The book's messages of love, forgiveness, and healing were touching.

This book wrapped me in tears, laughter and healing. Although I have read and been blessed by both non-fiction and fiction books about abuse and recovery, very few have spoken to my heart with the depth and power of this one. Martin writes so vividly that reading it was like watching a really good movie. My eldest daughter is also an avid reader, so when I finished it, I went and handed it to her. With tears dripping off my chin, I hiccuped and said, "You GOTTA read this!" She cocked an eyebrow and said, "Happy tears?" I nodded and sniffed, "Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

This beautiful novel brought me to tears many times during the course of reading it. Unlike many novels today, it actually has likable characters that I enjoyed spending time with and will miss now that I've finished it. Martin's descriptions are powerful and full of depth. The title has several meanings that come gradually through reading. This isn't a book with lots of action or suspense. It's a book about true life with real people where sometimes the most dramatic things are the truest. I wish I knew a Mama Ella. Mutt's dream is possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever read. Read this book and pass it on to your friends.

Of the 30+ books I read so far this year, Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin outshone them all. This southern coming home novel is filled with compelling characters, bittersweet moments, and a lesson for all of us.

At the age of six, Tucker Mason's secluded life at Waverly Hall becomes a little more bearable. His father, Rex Mason, arrives one night with a boy in tow and offers eight words of introduction. "This is Matthew . . . Mason. Apparently, he's my son." The two boys are left in the care of Miss Ella Rain, a local woman hired by Rex to keep them out of sight.

As adults, Tucker and Mutt (Matthew) now struggle with the memories of a childhood at the hands of a father who didn't want them and memories of "Mama" Ella's death.

Tucker returns home from a photo shoot late at night to find a woman and child stranded on the side of the road. He offers them shelter for the night and puts them up in Miss Ella's house, only to discover the woman is Katie, a childhood friend now running from an abusive husband.

When Mutt escapes from the mental hospital, Tucker is faced with the decision to place Mutt in a more secure facility. Against medical advice, Tucker chooses instead to take Mutt back to Waverly Hall.

Can their former childhood home help ease the voices in Mutt's head, and can Miss Ella's soft promptings help Tucker reconcile his past and place a hope for a future in his heart?

Wrapped in Rain had me laughing out loud one minute, and crying the next. Charles Martin has a gift for bringing his characters to life and placing them firmly in the reader's heart. My heart broke many times for Mutt. His antics were both funny and poignant, and helped me understand the mind of someone battling a mental illness. From Miss Ella, I learned that strength resides in the meek. This woman of faith was strong under adversity, and her legacy to the boys was one of soft spoken words to guide them and endless hours on her knees in prayer. And then there was little Jase, the son of Tucker's old girlfriend, Katie. His sweet innocence was both refreshing and heartwarming.

If you only read one book this year, read Wrapped in Rain. Let it soothe your heart and bring you before the Throne Room.

I truly appreciate Charles Martin's ability to tell a difficult story without all the vulgarity common in today's books. He gives enough of the details to let the reader understand the story, but keeps the focus on the people who made a difference. All of the author's books stay with you even after you're done.

Wrapped in Rain is a poignant story of two bastard brothers raised by a woman, not their mother, who loved them enough to teach them the important things about living day to day. The depths of emotions in the this story pull you to deep thoughts of your own and in places have you in tears. Martin brings the happenings and incidents in the life of Tucker and Mutt into balance and Mama Ella is the counterweight. I found it one of the best books I have ever read and a book that was hard to put down.

This book was amazing. The characters and richness of depth in which Charles Martin weaves the story took me emotionally from one end of the spectrum to the other. It is hard to find a book that you can say after reading it - "this book was really good." There are even fewer books that are "A must read!". Wrapped in Rain is one of those books. It should be on every Christian Book Discussion Group's list to read. It is definately going to be my #1 gift to give this year at Christmas.

An inspiring story of the power of love, struggle and, ultimately, redemption. As the author of eight novels, myself, I understand the complexities of capturing such a powerful, quiet story. And one of the things I admired most about Martin is that his writing technique, always critical but so often underdeveloped in many, has been honed to a high degree worthy of respect. It's a skill that takes great dedication, work, and not a little natural talent. I admired Martin's style almost as much as the story because he has cultivated the art of saying so much of a story with so few words - one of the most difficult tasks for any writer. Congrats, Mr. Martin, you've done a man's job, sir .... REVIEW by JAMES BYRON HUGGINS, author of "NIGHTBRINGER ..."