Silent Star (Paperback)

by Tracie Peterson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Come home to Haven, Pennsylvania, for an inspiring Christmas. Peterson tells a moving tale of grieving wounds and redemptive healing." -- romantictimes.com

Product Description
In the 1940s, the small Pennsylvania town of Haven is rather subdued with their young men facing battles in far-away Europe. Young Andy Gilbert, burdened with his job of delivering telegrams bringing the news of those missing or killed in action, faces the coming holidays with dread and discouragement. With each new message he must deliver- met by screaming mothers, grief-stricken wives, and weeping families--he longs to join the ranks of the numbered dead. Only one elderly woman recognizes the pain and suffering tormenting Andy--and it is through her wisdom that the stars again can shine for Andy and for a town that desperately needs the hope those stars represent. A touching novella book from a bestselling novelist.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; PF edition (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764228242
• ISBN-13: 978-0764228247
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #345,308 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming historical with a unique twist on love...., December 31, 2005

By	Michelle Sutton (Arizona) - See all my reviews

I see the story in a different way than the previous reviewer. Sometimes I think it's a disadvantage to read previous reviews and at other times an advantage. I didn't see the Jesus/Andy theme referred to at all. I believe the author's intention was to show the life of someone who has lost everything (his entire family.) Because of his job delivering telegrams, he lost even the love most people receive as part of everyday life, and more importantly, the human contact people need to feel loved. He was ostracized, which made him bitter toward God, who he believed took his family and left him with nothing but a depressing way of life. Some days he didn't care if he lived anymore. Then in walks the older lady who treats him like a normal person with the need for care and concern, and things start to turn around for him in his heart. I thought it was a beautiful illustration of how the love of one person can change the future of another by instilling hope into the person's life. In regards to how the story was written, I found it a bit blah with two much backstory up front in the very beginning (about his parents) but once the older woman entered the scene it picked up from there and even got my eyes watering at one point (which rarely happens when I read.) It was definitely worth my while, though I probably won't read it again.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Predictably Sweet Story..., July 26, 2006

By	Mercedes L. Johnmeyer "The Most Happy" (Kingsland, GA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I finished this book in about 2 hours. It's a sweet little story about a boy (Andy) in 1944 who's lost both of his parents at a very young age, and is burdened with being the bearer of bad news. Andy works for a telegram company, and has the daunting task of delivering war telegrams to the family's of dead/missing soldiers.

Because of his job, the towns people of a small Pennsylvania town have come to fear, and ignore him. They look at him as a curse, and with his parents dead, his loneliness reaches an almost breaking point. But a sweet old widowed woman sees he's in need of a friend, and makes it her mission to turn this young boys life around.

While this was a charming little story, I was surprised at how religious it was. It's not that apparent in the beginning, but by the end of the book, I felt I was practically reading the bible. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, I felt it took away from a story that was already thin. If your looking for a spiritual uplifting, or a light quick read, then I definitely recommend this...but other than that, there's really not much here.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Depth of Emotion, May 15, 2006

By	Valerie Allen "Author: Write, Publish, Sell!" (Melbourne, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Silent Star was well written and captured the depth of emotion experienced by those surviving WW II - those at home, waiting and praying. This book explores the impact of war on a typical young man who did not fight in the war but was left to struggle with his own doubts and fears. It offered a glimpse at the positive, spiritual renewal of a soul lost to despair.