Review of Deceptive Calm
Posted: 22 Feb 2025, 18:42
[Following is a volunteer review of "Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper.]
Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper tells the story of Vanessa, a stunning girl with skin so light, she is often taken as a white woman. It chronicles her journey from a Black orphanage in South Carolina to California as the wife of a wealthy family. However, all that glitters is not gold, and Vanessa’s life is filled with loss and tragedy that she navigates with the help of her best friend.
I’ll start with what I liked about the book. The depiction of female friendship in this book was very nice; there was no jealousy, tension, or unnecessary drama, just a beautiful, supportive friendship. I also liked Trisha’s character a lot. She was humorous and relatable, and she kept the main character grounded. I also appreciated the humour in the book. The characters could act nonsensically at times, but I thought it worked to create funny moments. There was a lot of historical information sprinkled into the story, particularly concerning the Civil War and the South, but it made sense for the characters. The story itself was very interesting, and I enjoyed reading it. The author made me invested in the characters and their stories. I felt Vanessa’s grief and her happiness while reading. The characters were also nicely developed and unique from one another.
I did dislike some things, too. I mentioned the historical information delivered through dialogue and narration. While it made sense for the characters to say those things, it got a bit excessive. The time spent on the history of the Civil War could have been used to further develop some characters or advance the story. I also felt like more time should have been spent creating suspense in the later part of the story, and there could have been more focus on the falling action. While every part of Vanessa’s story was interesting, I would have liked more focus on the ‘after’ than the ‘before’ in her life.
There are some triggering topics to be aware of before reading. Firstly, multiple background characters use the n-word as a slur. Their actions are demonised by the main characters. There are also mentions of anti-Catholic sentiment by the same background characters. The Ku Klux Klan and other hateful groups are mentioned. As for the more graphic stuff, there is a rape scene that could potentially be triggering.
Overall, I would rate this book a 4 out of 5. The plot itself takes the book from a 3 to a 4. I would recommend it to people who enjoy historical fiction.
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Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper tells the story of Vanessa, a stunning girl with skin so light, she is often taken as a white woman. It chronicles her journey from a Black orphanage in South Carolina to California as the wife of a wealthy family. However, all that glitters is not gold, and Vanessa’s life is filled with loss and tragedy that she navigates with the help of her best friend.
I’ll start with what I liked about the book. The depiction of female friendship in this book was very nice; there was no jealousy, tension, or unnecessary drama, just a beautiful, supportive friendship. I also liked Trisha’s character a lot. She was humorous and relatable, and she kept the main character grounded. I also appreciated the humour in the book. The characters could act nonsensically at times, but I thought it worked to create funny moments. There was a lot of historical information sprinkled into the story, particularly concerning the Civil War and the South, but it made sense for the characters. The story itself was very interesting, and I enjoyed reading it. The author made me invested in the characters and their stories. I felt Vanessa’s grief and her happiness while reading. The characters were also nicely developed and unique from one another.
I did dislike some things, too. I mentioned the historical information delivered through dialogue and narration. While it made sense for the characters to say those things, it got a bit excessive. The time spent on the history of the Civil War could have been used to further develop some characters or advance the story. I also felt like more time should have been spent creating suspense in the later part of the story, and there could have been more focus on the falling action. While every part of Vanessa’s story was interesting, I would have liked more focus on the ‘after’ than the ‘before’ in her life.
There are some triggering topics to be aware of before reading. Firstly, multiple background characters use the n-word as a slur. Their actions are demonised by the main characters. There are also mentions of anti-Catholic sentiment by the same background characters. The Ku Klux Klan and other hateful groups are mentioned. As for the more graphic stuff, there is a rape scene that could potentially be triggering.
Overall, I would rate this book a 4 out of 5. The plot itself takes the book from a 3 to a 4. I would recommend it to people who enjoy historical fiction.
******
Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon