Elizabeth Musser's Words Unspoken ~ Reviewed

Words Unspoken
By Elizabeth Musser
Published by Bethany House
ISBN 978-0-7642-0373-2


Description:

Lissa Randall’s future was bright with academic promise until the tragic accident that took her mother’s life—and brought her own plans to a screeching halt. Eighteen months later, she still can’t get back behind the wheel. A casual recommendation to Ev McAllistair’s driving school sets in motion a cascade of events . . . until Lissa begins to wonder if maybe, just maybe, life isn’t as random as she’s thought.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Lookout Mountain, TN, Words Unspoken weaves together a vibrant cast of characters whose intertwining stories of courage, choice, heartbreak, and hope will hold you captive until the final page.


Review:

Elizabeth Musser is one of my favorite authors, having penned works like Swan House, The Dwelling Place and Searching for Eternity. But she's outdone even herself. Words Unspoken unfolds like a rose, one layer at a time, revealing the beauty within. Filled with diverse, memorable characters, you meet one then another, until the cast grows to where wonder how all these people are connected. Then, when the first relationship is revealed, it's an Ah-Ha moment. I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading to discover the next connection. And each one was just right—never "convenient" or contrived. Filled with twists and brilliantly written, Words Unspoken is a must read. As one of those books whose characters linger in my mind, it receives a five-star recommendation from this reviewer.

Reviewed by: Ane Mulligan, editor Novel Journey

Bonus Review:


4/5 Stars

When as a reader you approach a novel by Elizabeth Musser, one often knows not to expect a light read. Her books are full, filled to the brim with emotion and relatable experiences. As with another novel "The Swan House", that I also loved, this story deals with the difficult intricacies of depression. When speaking of her novel, she states it well, this book is about depression, but is not depressing. That is something very hard to come by. The topics are heavy, but necessary and relatable. As a reader who personally does not like to read contemporary fiction because of the realistic pain of stories involved I highly enjoy the "recent historical inspirational fiction" here. The negative aspects of reality are found within the pages of the novel, but the spiritual message peaks through and becomes a much stronger presence than all of the negativity with each continuous page and chapter. One can finish the pages of this novel with hope and going forward. As was stated in a press release,

(While this hard-hitting approach can be interpreted by some as negative, Musser disagrees, saying "I write what I call 'entertainment with a soul'. I want the reader to find not only a good story but also real characters and themes that touch their hearts and force them to think, to laugh and cry and hope. To be entertained way down in their souls." )

As an avid reader and reviewer, I can tell you that Musser made her goals with this novel.



Reviewed by: Margaret Chind