Official Review: A Faith Unbroken by Richard Biggs

[Caroline Anne Richmond]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Faith Unbroken" by Richard Biggs.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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A Faith Unbroken by Richard Biggs is the third instalment of a trilogy of books. It can be read as a stand-alone novel. The story follows the life of Emma, a young woman from Rogersville, Alabama. The story is a Christian based book that focuses on faith leading you in the right direction.

This short, 46-page book begins in Alabama. Emma is working in a local hair salon owned by her friend Blanche. Realising she has a talent for hairstyling, Emma attends one of the best beauty schools in the Midwest. After taking the long train journey, she arrives in Missouri and goes to the school to register. She meets Clara, and they soon become firm friends.

Clara lost her husband and has a 2-year-old son called Ritchie. Clara suggests Emma should move into her house whilst studying at beauty school, and help to take care of Ritchie. The girls work hard at college and enjoy time at home, but Emma soon becomes suspicious about an older boy called David who lives next door. Ritchie finds himself in dangerous situations since meeting David, and Emma unravels some worrying information.

Emma makes other long journeys once she has graduated from beauty school, knowing her faith will carry her through. The power of her beliefs gives her the strength and determination to navigate her life towards fulfilment, success, and happiness.

The book contains some unexpected twists and turns that keep you intrigued as a reader, but a lot of the story is a description of Emma’s life experiences and her journey to build her future. It could be described as a memoir of someone’s life. Because of this, some parts of the book felt more descriptive and didn’t pique my interest as much as the more exciting parts.

There is a religious theme throughout the book which advocates the power of faith. Also included are guardian angels and accounts of Christian churches and praying. I think a Christian religious reader would prefer this book, but the religious content is not overdone or preachy, so it may not stop a non-believer from enjoying the story. The principal character went through traumatic events as a child, and her faith is her guiding force to succeed in life and give her strength. I admired her determination and steadfast beliefs that allowed her to achieve her goals.

The setting of the book is from the time of the Great Depression and up to the Second World War. I enjoyed the insight into how life was at this time. It was clear how people and the economy struggled and how people were affected by the war. A family member of a character in the book served in the navy, and the author provides details about his accounts of his service during the time of Pearl Harbour and also seeing the American flag raised on the beach of Iwo Jima. These additions add an interesting historical aspect.

I enjoyed the story and seeing how Emma’s life prospers, and I appreciated a pleasant surprise at the end, but I found the story more descriptive, and it didn’t always hold my attention. Unfortunately, there are a few errors in the text and some formatting issues. At the beginning of each chapter the first letter of the first word is on a separate line from the rest of the word. There are also unnecessary line gaps throughout and random sentences at the end of paragraphs consisting of words that don’t make sense. I don’t think the book has been professionally edited, and I think the book would greatly benefit from this. With all things considered, I rate the book 2 out of 4 stars. The book is suitable for adults and teenagers and would be enjoyed the most by Christian readers. Older children may also enjoy the light story, as it is easy to read, and it doesn’t contain any adult themes or profanities. The ending is especially nice and will appeal to those who enjoy nice sentiments.

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A Faith Unbroken
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[El_limitless]

Faith-based books are always refreshing and inspiring to read. This would be very helpful to people looking to build their faith up. Great review.