A book that honors a mother's faith: My review of Letters from War by Travis Thrasher and Mark Schultz
Publisher: Howard Books (September 6, 2011)
Based on the beautiful song written by Mark Schultz, Letters from War captures the story of a mother, Beth, who refuses to give up hope that one day she will again see her son, James, who has been missing for 2 years from his tour with the infantry in Afghanistan. Beth is able to face each day by writing a letter to James, while trying to be a support to his wife and son and James' sister as well. Beth clings most of all to her faith in God. The story follows the emotional journey of Beth as she must decide whether to give up hope and move on, or hold to her belief that James may still be alive.
Letters from War provides a beautiful picture of what a mother's faith in God can accomplish in the darkest of moments. The story honors men and women who give their life in service to their country, honors bravery and selflessness, and for that reason alone the story is worth the read. The characters are well-developed and realistically portrayed, and their interactions create an intensely emotional read. However, readers who most enjoy face-paced, action-packed dramas or thrillers should prepare themselves for a slower read if they are going to pick up this book. Both my wife and I love the song the book is based upon and were hoping to love the book as well, but the book just didn't capture and hold our attention the way we were hoping it would, resulting in the rating I have given the book. Despite that fact, the themes of the book are important ones and this book is likely to be a meaningful read for many people, especially those who have loved ones actively serving their country.
I mildly recommend this book and give it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher for the purposes of this review.
I always feel mildly insulted when books come out like this. Because I feel that they are a marketing ploy and that's it. (And the few I've read were less than memorable.) The publishers emphasize Mark Schultz's name, but I would be very curious to know how much of the book, if any, he wrote. Or was it just the idea from the song that can be credited to Schultz and the book to Mr. Thrasher?
ReplyDeleteSchultz writes amazing emotional lyrics. And sometimes, when they try to milk more money out of people by performing book stunts such as this, the publishers end up leaving a sour taste in one's mouth when it comes to the song AND the book.
But this is only my opinion. ;)
I agree that there is that danger of something like this being a marketing ploy. However, I do get the sense that the authors were sincerely trying to write a book that would especially bless families with children in the military. I know others have loved this book, so maybe this is one of those times I just didn't personally connect with a book, and I hope I can highly recommend future Schultz books! Thanks for reading! :)
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