“We
have to go!” I yelled. “Why are you like this? Grammy is waiting in the
hospital for us to come visit her. She’s been waiting there all day!”
“I don’t care!” Diana flung back over her shoulder.
Anger
flashed through me. She never cares! She never cares about anyone! I
ran after her, shouting, “Once I told Colleen that you cared more about
animals than you did about people, and it’s true!”
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Target Audience: Girls 13-18
Subjects: Blended Families, Sibling Relationships, Sympathy
Summary: The way things are heading, all four in this blended family are going to declare it the worst Christmas ever. It starts when Matt (Stephanie’s stepbrother through her mom’s remarriage) is in a serious car accident after driving drunk. Then the news comes that Stephanie’s grandmother is in the hospital. The family rushes to North Carolina to care for her – which of course upsets Diana who has no desire to go. Then Diana finds a beached whale dying. Finally, in an act of rebellion, Diana convinces Stephanie to take off on a boat trip to see some horses and the girls find themselves in real danger. Is anyone safe this Christmas break?
Notes: This is the fourth in the Sisters In All Seasons series. The series is about two sisters who are part of a blended family. Both have parents who have divorced. Diana’s mother has married Stephanie’s father. Both of their other parents are still around and in the picture, although not as much. The sisters are extreme opposites in personality and interests. Diana’s focus is on animals – she finds people hard to deal with due to her lack of effort to “fit in” and her willingness to say exactly what she thinks at any time. Stephanie’s focus in on people – animals scare her. Stephanie’s weakness is trying so hard to get along with anyone that she doesn’t always say no to things she knows she should – whether it be to Diana or friends.
Having made their peace for the most part, Diana and Stephanie are doing ok at being sisters. When tragedy comes though, Diana has no clue how to show sympathy to Stephanie and in hurt and anger, a hidden truth comes out, threatening to unravel all they’ve built up. There is a lot of focus on the qualities of sympathy and empathy as the teenagers wrestle with how to respond to the tragedies happening all around them.
The spiritual emphasis in this book comes from Diana’s continued disbelief in God. When a tragedy happens she says, “Why do things like this happens? This is why I don’t believe in God.” Her mom’s response is simply to express empathy – she understands how hard it is to watch suffering. There is no pointing Diana to how view suffering in light of Scripture. So the reader is simply left with the character’s doubts and no answers.
Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 1/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi
Romans 12:15-16 – Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I appreciate it!
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