Review of Deceptive Calm
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Emilia Carolina
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- Latest Review: Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper
Review of Deceptive Calm
[Following is a volunteer review of "Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper.]
Patricia Skipper leads readers directly into the chaotic 1968 North Charleston, South Carolina, through Deceptive Calm, her book. When I scrolled through the first page, I got transported beyond reading into an experience where I felt like I was observing Trisha and Vanessa sweating on that bus as the story unfolded harshly before me. At the start, the reader encounters a tranquil yet misleading underwater scene of bottlenose dolphins performing in the Lowcountry marsh before the coming racial uprising begins. The title itself foreshadows this dual perspective, which created an immediate and powerful impact on me.
The story follows white teenager Trisha and Black orphan Vanessa after they interact one day, which completely destroys their quiet, racially segregated community. The story begins without delay because Patricia Skipper establishes everything right from the start. The first chapter of the novel immediately submerges readers in 1968 America's racial conflict. "Father Kelly wants all the coloreds to sit in the middle seats. Absolutely no Negroes are to sit by the windows. Got it, losers?" said Gordy, while being clearly biased. The journey carries symbolism beyond school purposes since it passes through the heart of a society that simmers with discrimination.
The story becomes more complex when Barry Hale enters as a handsomely attractive Black teenager and Sister Rosalie introduces a powerful speaking voice and Charlestonian personality as a colored nun. Sister Rosalie immediately caught my attention because her big personality and historical story-telling skills brought comfort to the escalating tension. Sister Rosalie used her classroom that traveled between towns to ask Charleston historical questions at lightning speed such as "Heavens to Betsy Ross, how many of Charleston’s native sons signed the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776?" These rapid questions created a short yet genuine getaway from the approaching conflict.
The deceptive calm shatters violently with the Klan's attack on the school bus. The author portrays the scene with raw emotional intensity. "Before he got the last 'day' out of 'Mayday,' a huge rock crashed through the front windshield, sending broken glass soaring toward him." The imaginary glass shards flew toward Trisha while she suffered the sharp impact of a brick hitting her. The bus and its occupants experience extreme terror and fear because the attackers launch rocks along with bottles and burning torches. Barry maintains his composure like a master. He maneuvers the bus as if he were born to do it in these dangerous conditions. "Amazingly, it was as though he had trained for this his entire life." The way Barry maintained his composure against such intense hatred made a profound impact on me.
The story presents both the harsh realities of racism and the surprising instances of kindness from others without hiding from them. Trisha's acceptance of treatment at Cannon Street Hospital demonstrates human decency because it showcases how the hospital served as an institution that provided care to colored people despite the potential dangers involved. Doctor Hale demonstrates complete professionalism, and Captain Long shows supportive leadership, which enriches this part of the story. "You really think my dad would turn down a high school bus attacked by the Klan?" The question Barry poses reveals how racial prejudice becomes ridiculous when people endure pain because of their ethnic background.
The historical recreation of the story captivated me throughout; however, I occasionally wanted the author to reveal more about Vanessa's emotional processes. The story briefly examines how being an orphan and her identity challenges manifest through her dialogue with Barry, yet I believe more exploration of her emotional journey post-plot would have strengthened the character development.
The author demonstrates exceptional writing skills when she displays dialogue and action scenes. The Charlestonian dialect that Sister Rosalie spoke brought authenticity to the characters and added distinctive qualities to their dialogue. The pacing structure in the story worked very well by starting slow and then increasing battlefield tension before showing both dramatic action and emotional connections.
The editors performed an exceptional job on Deceptive Calm because the book shows no sign of any errors. No grammatical mistakes or typos appeared throughout my reading experience, making it clear the book's editors paid close attention to details during production.
The book receives a rating of 4 stars out of 5. A deduction of one star exists because I recognize the opportunity for Vanessa's internal turmoil to be explored more deeply to reach an even higher emotional impact. The book stands strong due to its precise historical depiction alongside its dynamic characters, intense action sequences, and perfect editorial work.
I strongly advise readers to read Deceptive Calm because it presents historical fiction that confronts serious social matters with absolute truthfulness. People who want to read about courageous people enduring challenges along with stories of friends bridging social gaps through time will discover this book especially fascinating. This story will remain vivid in your mind after completion because it encourages deep contemplation about racial heritage and demonstrates why compassion should be vital in life.
******
Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Patricia Skipper leads readers directly into the chaotic 1968 North Charleston, South Carolina, through Deceptive Calm, her book. When I scrolled through the first page, I got transported beyond reading into an experience where I felt like I was observing Trisha and Vanessa sweating on that bus as the story unfolded harshly before me. At the start, the reader encounters a tranquil yet misleading underwater scene of bottlenose dolphins performing in the Lowcountry marsh before the coming racial uprising begins. The title itself foreshadows this dual perspective, which created an immediate and powerful impact on me.
The story follows white teenager Trisha and Black orphan Vanessa after they interact one day, which completely destroys their quiet, racially segregated community. The story begins without delay because Patricia Skipper establishes everything right from the start. The first chapter of the novel immediately submerges readers in 1968 America's racial conflict. "Father Kelly wants all the coloreds to sit in the middle seats. Absolutely no Negroes are to sit by the windows. Got it, losers?" said Gordy, while being clearly biased. The journey carries symbolism beyond school purposes since it passes through the heart of a society that simmers with discrimination.
The story becomes more complex when Barry Hale enters as a handsomely attractive Black teenager and Sister Rosalie introduces a powerful speaking voice and Charlestonian personality as a colored nun. Sister Rosalie immediately caught my attention because her big personality and historical story-telling skills brought comfort to the escalating tension. Sister Rosalie used her classroom that traveled between towns to ask Charleston historical questions at lightning speed such as "Heavens to Betsy Ross, how many of Charleston’s native sons signed the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776?" These rapid questions created a short yet genuine getaway from the approaching conflict.
The deceptive calm shatters violently with the Klan's attack on the school bus. The author portrays the scene with raw emotional intensity. "Before he got the last 'day' out of 'Mayday,' a huge rock crashed through the front windshield, sending broken glass soaring toward him." The imaginary glass shards flew toward Trisha while she suffered the sharp impact of a brick hitting her. The bus and its occupants experience extreme terror and fear because the attackers launch rocks along with bottles and burning torches. Barry maintains his composure like a master. He maneuvers the bus as if he were born to do it in these dangerous conditions. "Amazingly, it was as though he had trained for this his entire life." The way Barry maintained his composure against such intense hatred made a profound impact on me.
The story presents both the harsh realities of racism and the surprising instances of kindness from others without hiding from them. Trisha's acceptance of treatment at Cannon Street Hospital demonstrates human decency because it showcases how the hospital served as an institution that provided care to colored people despite the potential dangers involved. Doctor Hale demonstrates complete professionalism, and Captain Long shows supportive leadership, which enriches this part of the story. "You really think my dad would turn down a high school bus attacked by the Klan?" The question Barry poses reveals how racial prejudice becomes ridiculous when people endure pain because of their ethnic background.
The historical recreation of the story captivated me throughout; however, I occasionally wanted the author to reveal more about Vanessa's emotional processes. The story briefly examines how being an orphan and her identity challenges manifest through her dialogue with Barry, yet I believe more exploration of her emotional journey post-plot would have strengthened the character development.
The author demonstrates exceptional writing skills when she displays dialogue and action scenes. The Charlestonian dialect that Sister Rosalie spoke brought authenticity to the characters and added distinctive qualities to their dialogue. The pacing structure in the story worked very well by starting slow and then increasing battlefield tension before showing both dramatic action and emotional connections.
The editors performed an exceptional job on Deceptive Calm because the book shows no sign of any errors. No grammatical mistakes or typos appeared throughout my reading experience, making it clear the book's editors paid close attention to details during production.
The book receives a rating of 4 stars out of 5. A deduction of one star exists because I recognize the opportunity for Vanessa's internal turmoil to be explored more deeply to reach an even higher emotional impact. The book stands strong due to its precise historical depiction alongside its dynamic characters, intense action sequences, and perfect editorial work.
I strongly advise readers to read Deceptive Calm because it presents historical fiction that confronts serious social matters with absolute truthfulness. People who want to read about courageous people enduring challenges along with stories of friends bridging social gaps through time will discover this book especially fascinating. This story will remain vivid in your mind after completion because it encourages deep contemplation about racial heritage and demonstrates why compassion should be vital in life.
******
Deceptive Calm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Deceptive Calm by Patricia Skipper
