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Book Review: Song of Renewal by Emily Sue Harvey

July 14, 2009 by Darlene

Song of Renewal by Emily Sue Harvey is quite simply a beautiful book with a equally beautiful cover. It’s a short novel at 150 pages but it packs a powerful message. It has a vast array of elements ranging from loss, grief, betrayal, trust issues all the way to faith and hope. It is beautifully written, inspirational, and I found it a delight to read even though at times it had me in tears and some of those were happy tears too.

This story is focused on the Wakefield family – Garrison, Liza and their sixteen year old daughter Angel. Angel wants to go to a concert with her boyfriend Troy and asks her father who promptly says no. The weather is bad, it’s not safe. Angel is upset and goes to her mother and begins to play each parent off the other until Liza tells her she can go to the concert. Later Garrison is upstairs working and Liza relaxing when the doorbell rings. The worst has happened, Angel has been in an accident and Troy has been killed.

Immediately the blame game begins. The Wakefield marriage had already been on rocky ground with Garrison being busy with work and Liza busy with the various committees she was on. The accident and Angel being in a coma with severe injuries throws a huge wall up in the marriage. Garrison can’t help but blame Liza – why did she let Angel go when he had said no? If only she hadn’t done that. Liza just keeps thinking if only she hadn’t let her go; she would still be home with them and still be whole.

Some of the most intense parts of the book for me were the parts where Angel, in her coma, is experiencing things around her and is feeling pain, but she has no way of communicating. She’s wondering what’s happening to her, she’s terrified but her one solid thing in this silent world right now is Troy. Angel’s thoughts while in her coma…

  • ‘Floating…floating…why couldn’t she move, dang it?…tightness, like a coil, intruding on the blasted nothingness…coil pulls pulls pulls…Snap! Blackness.’ (pg 33)
  • ‘Fog moved in…gloom spread…darker…the warmth of him abruptly left her and she shivered. Nonono. Icy fingers clutched her as peace shattered in a million directions…Angel tumbled headlong into darkness.’ (pg 43)

Garrison and Liza are struggling. They have both retreated into their shells and the only place they truly come together is over their daughter’s hospital bed. Garrison has escaped into his painting and Liza into her ballet. They are constantly wondering if Angel will survive this and come out of her coma? Will their relationship stand the stress if she doesn’t? It is through their passions and this tragedy that they learn to forgive and see the light of life again and this leads them on the path to the renewal of their relationship once again.

There are so many things one can take away from this emotionally charged novel but I think the biggest is to remember that in life there is always hope, faith and renewal – you only have to lead yourself in that direction. It shows us the importance of listening to your children, to each other. Don’t try to live someone else’s life for them; share it with them instead. Let them live their dreams. You don’t want to ever have nothing left but regrets. Hope is a much better promise to be left with.

Song of Renewal will tug at your heart but leave you with a feeling of hope. This novel does have a Christian element but it is very subtle and fits so well with the story. The characters are well written and very real. You feel yourself in the story, feeling their pain, fear and uncertainties and you catch yourself hoping with them that things will be allright even in the face of such a tragedy.

Emily Sue Harvey is the host of the website Renewal Stories and you should pop by and check it out as well as her blog here. This is Emily Sue Harvey’s first novel and I sure hope we’ll see more from her. You can buy Song of Renewal here in the US and here in Canada.

Many thanks to Joy Strazza for my copy of Song of Renewal. Please be sure to pop by Peeking Between the Pages tomorrow when Emily Sue Harvey joins us with a guest post that comes straight from her heart and just gave me chills to read.

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Filed Under: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009, 2009 ARC Reading Challenge, 2009 Book Reviews

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ANovelMenagerie says

    July 14, 2009 at 10:44 am

    Sounds like a story that I would enjoy.

  2. Nicole says

    July 14, 2009 at 10:48 am

    This sounds like a good one Dar. That a powerful conflict to work around when guilt and blame are involved especially if the two parents disagreed.

  3. Sandy Nawrot says

    July 14, 2009 at 11:08 am

    It sounds heart-wrenching, but all too common you hear of a family torn apart by tragedy. Makes you wonder how you would handle something like this. Great review Dar!

  4. Anna says

    July 14, 2009 at 12:39 pm

    I bet that is one emotional read. And you're right about the cover–it's beautiful.

    –Anna
    Diary of an Eccentric

  5. naida says

    July 14, 2009 at 12:51 pm

    this does sound good. great review!
    listening to our children is so very important.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

  6. Jennsbookshelf says

    July 14, 2009 at 1:00 pm

    Oh wow! What a heartwrenching tale!

  7. Wanda says

    July 14, 2009 at 1:19 pm

    A slim but weighty novel, it sounds like you enjoyed the life lessons it offered.

  8. itsJUSTme-wendy says

    July 14, 2009 at 1:28 pm

    Good morning!

    I have left you an award for your lovely blog! Come check it out1

  9. bermudaonion says

    July 14, 2009 at 2:28 pm

    The cover caught my eye right away. The book sounds like it packs an emotional punch. Great review.

  10. Holly says

    July 14, 2009 at 3:39 pm

    I've had this one in my stack and I just need to get it finished.

  11. Beth F says

    July 14, 2009 at 4:01 pm

    Definitely sounds emotional. Great review.

  12. Mary says

    July 14, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    Sounds like a good and intense book. Thanks for the review, Dar.

  13. Ms. Lucy says

    July 14, 2009 at 6:02 pm

    Excellent review Dar! It sounds like a story fit for real life. And, actually, besides reading historical fiction, I kind of like books with a Christian element to them… Thanks Dar:)

  14. Nely says

    July 14, 2009 at 6:30 pm

    This sounds lovely Dar. Wonderful review as always.

  15. Michael says

    July 14, 2009 at 8:27 pm

    Good job on this review.

  16. Thoughts of Joy says

    July 14, 2009 at 10:05 pm

    Wow! You've been reading like crazy and I haven't been able to keep up! Glad to see that they have been great reads. 🙂

  17. Jemima says

    July 14, 2009 at 11:48 pm

    The cover is lovely and the story sounds the same. Thanks for the review. I will remember that cover and grab it when I see it.

  18. The Book Resort says

    July 14, 2009 at 11:50 pm

    This one sounds like a real winner. Dar, what an incredible novel & an awesome review.

  19. Staci says

    July 15, 2009 at 1:15 am

    This book sounds like it packs a huge emotional whopper!! I love the cover and the way you describe it makes me want to read it!!!

  20. Alice Teh says

    July 15, 2009 at 7:09 am

    This is something that I would definitely like to read!

  21. Melody says

    July 15, 2009 at 8:51 am

    Great review, Dar!
    This is a powerful and a thought-provoking story, isn't it?

  22. TheChicGeek says

    July 15, 2009 at 6:18 pm

    You always do the best reviews, Darlene! I enjoy reading them very much 😀
    It sounds like a complex and heart-wrenching story, and a good one to read.

    I love the cover too! Renewal is one of my favorite concepts…rest, rejuvenation and renewal…ahhhhhh 😀
    Have a Happy Day!

  23. Zibilee says

    July 15, 2009 at 7:51 pm

    This sounds like an intensely sad and thoughtful book. I really want to read this. Great review, as usual!

  24. Joanne says

    July 16, 2009 at 12:06 am

    Awesome review! This sounds like a very powerful story, especially with the set-up of the parents not agreeing to the daughter's date.

  25. Jenny Girl says

    July 17, 2009 at 2:16 pm

    wow I got a little choked up just reading your review. Great find Dar. Thanks!

  26. naida says

    July 17, 2009 at 3:07 pm

    it does sound good Dar. and I agree, the cover is beautiful.
    Its nice when a short novel can make an impact like that.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

  27. michelle says

    July 17, 2009 at 4:20 pm

    This sounds like it is going to be a great book. I can't wait to get it. We are proud of you. You are a true inspiration to all of us. Can't wait to get the book. I realy like the front cover.

  28. Melody says

    July 18, 2009 at 2:12 am

    Great review, Dar!
    I'm glad you enjoyed it as well. 🙂

  29. Toni says

    July 19, 2009 at 4:16 am

    Wow.. what a book.. so sounds so utterly moving… maybe even so hard to read at times. But life is full of hard times….sometimes stories like this help us get a view into other lives. I couldn't read stuff like this all the time, but I definitely have a place for it on my shelf.

  30. Serena says

    July 31, 2009 at 2:48 pm

    Wow, this sounds like a very powerful novel, and so short! Amazing when writers can pack a punch in so few pages.

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