The Sky Above Us

2/24/2020
Oh, the brokenness in this one! Sin has consequences not just on us but on the people in our lives as well. This was masterfully showcased in this book written by Mrs. Sarah Sundin.

A certain plot point worried me for a few chapters, but soon after that it became clear that the tawdry sin was going to be used to show a journey from brokenness to healing in a powerful way. I'm very glad I kept reading, and I'm grateful for a friend's chatting with me about this story and the plot point in question, because that discussion helped me view this aspect of this novel in a new light and with a more open mind. I don't approve of the sin the character committed; it's atrocious. But I'm a huge fan of God's grace and mercy, and I love that they were on full display in the quest within this book.

The characters—oh, the characters!—were fantastic in this story. Their motivations were clear and realistic, the actions and personalities believable, and their journeys tangible and honest and consistent with their goals and perspectives. I enjoyed getting to know even the naughtiest, rudest, and most shameful of the characters, because they were well developed and perfectly delivered. A couple of them gave me the willies, but it's a sign of a great author when baddies are so realistic I am glad I didn't have to be under their intense scrutiny... and I felt so bad for the characters who did! The journeys the leads took were magnificent. I liked how their personal struggles seemed to be opposites yet ended up being more paralleled than I had originally imagined.

Emotional reads are my vibe, so I was greatly appreciative that this book hit the mark so well on this aspect. Yep, that means there were tears, and, boy, were there! I've been told by a dear friend that book three will be even more of a waterworks story for me, so I guess I better make sure I'm stocked up on tissues before I dive into that one. Anyway, I loved the emotional journey in this one, and it hit all the sweet spots of my heart when there were twists and turns I wasn't expecting that further wrenched my gut and delayed that happily ever after until it nearly felt impossible.

The plot was great, and it included many surprises along the way. I liked that it was running parallel to book one's plot and how the author intersected the stories at just the right moments. Some of those overlapping points were light while others were more in-depth. All of them worked well together to create an even bigger, more detailed picture of this series' journey, and I can't wait to have book three layer even more details into the overall picture.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book was that it showed off the fact that “mission work” can be right there in our daily lives rather than solely overseas. I've often thought of my work as a tutor and chatting with folks in the grocery store as a sort of mission field. No, it's not all preachy and push-my-faith-on-people, but it's loving people as Jesus does and showing my faith in action. I like that that was showcased in this Sundin book, because I think that's an important part of living out one's faith. It was wonderful to see that I'm not alone in believing this.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes.

“I don't know how they do things in Texas. But where I come from, if you do something wrong, you own up to it and apologize.”

“If this tragedy and sin turned you to God, it wasn't all for naught.”

“Somehow his crushed-up, ground-up heart managed to shatter.”

“You already asked for forgiveness. I already gave it.”

7/17/2022
Just as lovely the second time. This go-round, I particularly enjoyed that Violet had to learn that God works with each person on their own dreams rather than making a cookie-cutter path for us. Each person has their own calling in life, their own pathway to best serve God and further the Kingdom of God through obedience to Him. It is incredibly special when each person finds that individual pathway God designed for them.

Content: one-night stand, coarse jesting, drunkenness, tobacco, replacement expletive

As usual, Sarah Sundin has written an absorbing and enjoyable tale! The characters practically hop of the pages in vibrant colors and the setting is nearly as easy to visualize.

Violet struggles with insecurity about her height (six feet) and is passionate about becoming a missionary. But there are niggles of doubt in her soul that she summarily hushes, thinking contentment in her current place is a reluctance to go for her calling. Before the war she had intended to marry and go on the mission field, but when her fiancé changed his mind about the mission field, she broke the engagement. But her mission board doesn't send single women and Violet hasn't had another chance to marry. She's not certain she ever will, now that she's in her late twenties. She's heard about the Red Cross helping refugee children and signs up, thinking perhaps that is a way to get closer to her mission field.

Adler's story began in book one when his controlling habits indirectly caused the death of his fiancée. With her death, his family ruptured overnight, sending all three brothers to the four winds. Haunted by the guilt of her death and of the horrible things he did while crazed with grief, he drifts from place to place, and is now in the air force as a pilot. He runs across Violet just before embarking for England, and they are on the same ship for the crossing. She interests him and challenges him, but he's sure he isn't suited to be even a friend to any woman after what he's done.

There is a gentle thread of mystery in the second half of the book as well as tons of wonderful detail about wartime on an English military base and in the Red Cross's canteens for the soldiers, including a nice coverage of D-Day.

I'd advise 16+ on this one, not for actual content, but just because of the details of how bad Adler's past actually got. There is also a bit of mild innuendo from the soldiers.

Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.