By Susan Fox
I have to say that this book is the best romance I have ever read! It has two interesting characters who seem truly in love with one another. They have great conversations, hot bedroom encounters (warning: very explicit) and true romance. I got through reading wishing that I really knew a Kat and a Nav.
To top it off, almost the entire setting is on a train. How romantic! They are traveling across Canada from Montreal to Toronto to Vancouver. In addition to the romantic appeal of actually traveling on a train and eating in the dining car or playing games in the lounge, other travelers become part of the setting and the fun of this trip.
And the absolute best part of the book is their self-realization of who they and their families really are. As they travel, Kat and Nav discover new things about one another. They delve deeper into their backgrounds. They reveal more about past relationships and future dreams. Kat speaks to her sisters several times by email and phone and their relationship also has some aha moments. There is such growth in the characters and the supporting characters.
I also found it intriging that Kat's chapters are written in the first person while Nav's are in the third person. At first I was unsure about the “sound” the change of perspective made. Then, I came to appreciate it. I know if was hard to do as I have written a book myself. This does not feel too artsy, either.
What did this book have to do with my own faith? Part of my continuing education last year was studying the Bowen Theory of Family Systems. In a nutshell, this theory is about becoming self-differentialized or self-aware in order to reduce anxiety in the systems in which we live and move. Instead of focusing on other people and their problems (and gossiping or talking about them with others), self-differentialization means to work on yourself – mentally, spiritually and physically. Kat does this in the book. Although she hates all things to do with psycoanalizing the self, she shares about herself and delves deeper into why she is the way she is and the reasons she has labeled others – Nav and her family included. The whole idea of this trip being a journey of self-discovery is very much like my own journey of the Christian life. Part of that is realizing who I am and accepting myself as a child of God. Although Kat does not seem to be Christian or even a spiritual person, her self-awareness is a blessing.
I highly recommend this book! The only reason you may not want to read it is if you don't want too many details about what goes on behind the bedroom door. Actually, this book might make a great book for couples!
Happy reading!
Amelia
Copyright 2011 Amelia G. Sims
No comments:
Post a Comment