Of Stillness and Storm was an interesting book. And I say that as the most sincerest compliment. I tire very quickly of books that unfold too predictably, and Of Stillness and Storm was anything but predictable.
It tells the story of a missionary family - led by father Sam's vision - and the toll it takes on everyone involved, most notably the thirteen year old son, Ryan. Lauren is the long-suffering and weary mom who tries to hold everything down in a foreign country, with a sullen and angry son, while her husband leaves them for two weeks at a time. When she gets the chance to reconnect with an old friend on Facebook, their shared messages become her lifeline during a period of time that is becoming more and more intolerable.
When the situation with Ryan reaches a harrowing head, Lauren and Sam must make some seemingly impossible decisions; decisions that they'd really been avoiding making all along.
Of Stillness and Storm is not a pretty book. It doesn't necessarily make one feel good when reading it. But it is gripping and raw and real, all of my favorite characteristics in a good book. Phoenix is outstanding at writing believable dialogue, and the Facebook messages between the two friends were particularly compelling. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and while it is fiction, it speaks to a very real issue for some very real families.
I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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