Words Unspoken

March 16, 2009
Evangelical Christian fiction author Musser (The Swan House
) has penned a thoughtful, poignant novel involving, of all arenas, the publishing world. Lissa Randall, a depressed teenager, hears accusatory “words unspoken” every day as she relives the car accident that took her mother's life. Unable to drive by herself because of her paralyzing fear, Lissa enrolls in a driving school, where her elderly instructor, Ev MacAllister, fights similar emotional battles. The two explore their pasts, often with resistance, and both find a convergence of faith and eventual resolution. Musser's story line allows several themes to be subtly woven in: depression is a no-holds-barred victimizer; repercussions from past/present choices do make a difference; and there are no such things as “random occurrences” in this life. Musser somehow pulls her characters—a bevy of quirky personalities—back to a center point, mostly with success, although some of the conclusions read a bit too tidily. Overall, the novelist's work is solid and fans will be pleased.

April 1, 2009
Traumatized by the car accident that killed her mother, Lissa Randall cannot drive. Set in the mountains of Tennessee, the latest novel by the author of The Swan House is a story of courage, tragedy, and the will to go on.

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.