No Dark Valley

July 5, 2004
Although there is much to like in this latest novel from Turner, one of the best writers in the Christian market, it's marred by slow pacing, unnecessary asides and relentless introspection. Using a motif of old hymn lines, Turner pens a tale of two neighbors. As a teenager, Celia Coleman was orphaned and raised by her grandmother, a conservative Christian. After rebelling and leaving home, an abortion left Celia riddled with guilt and disillusioned with faith. Now working as an art gallery director in Derby, S.C., Celia collects art but avoids relationships. Her neighbor, the formerly promiscuous Bruce Healey, is disfigured by burns, and Turner gives a fine twist to his story. As Celia and Bruce come to terms with their pasts, they begin to believe in the power of God's grace and forgiveness. This is challenging reading, with the characters engrossed in interior monologue rather than dialogue. Celia and Bruce keep telling themselves why their story would never make a good novel (which raises its own set of questions in the reader's mind). Turner's lovely writing saves many scenes, and fans will recognize characters from her previous novels, such as the Christy Award winner A Garden to Keep
. Newcomers can read this as a stand-alone novel, but it will take stamina to make it to the happily-ever-after conclusion.

Starred review from September 1, 2004
The always-thoughtful Turner turns in another solid performance with " No Dark Valley, " as usual featuring a heroine with literary pretensions. Editor Celia Coleman, a refugee from small-town Georgia, reluctantly returns home when her grandmother dies. Celia loved her grandmother but resented how the old woman shoved religion down her throat. Predictably, though, Celia's big-city sophistication turns out to be a veneer. Her grandmother's homespun wisdom exerts itself from beyond the grave, and Celia finds love with another troubled soul. Turner is without surprises, but she's a fine stylist, and the device of Celia's casting herself as the heroine of the novel she's living through is charming throughout. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)