Set Me Free: A Novel in Five Acts

I thoroughly enjoyed Set Me Free from beginning to end. I didn't want to put the book down and when I did I found myself thinking about the characters. I loved the characters Amelia, Helen and Willa and felt that I personally knew them. For a book that spans decades and a continent, it was extremely easy to follow. Miranda Beverly-Whittemore's Set Me Free is a must-read.

In Set Me Free, Miranda Beverly-Whittemore has created a novel that brilliantly delves into the intangible elements that make up the human identity: background, culture, race, economic conditions, stature, nature vs. nurture. The soul-searching questions that each character asks of themselves as their lives combine in the page-turning plot, are both personal and general to us all. Their secrets, that Whittemore deftly unveils as the story moves towards its tragic and enlightening climax, are as much about self-preservation as self-awareness. The main protagonist, Elliot, has as much to prove to himself, given his on-the-surface life of opportunity as Cal, a man struggling against his perceived binds of heritage. Helen, the woman ultimately linked deeply to both, finally finds out who she really is, by leaving all she thought she was behind. And, by the time the story ends, the teenage girls, Amelia and Willa, gain more personal clarity at a younger age than the generation before them. In all, Set Me Free, is a beautifully written, sensitive and provocative book, full of insights into the human condition and what makes us tick.

Set Me Free is an engaging read about the facts and fictions that make up each character's identity and family. It is an absolute must read for Shakespeare fans. With its creative use of an old story to structure the telling of a new one, it would be a fun book to discuss in a class or book club. After the first few pages, I just couldn't put it down.

The story probes the heart of relationships (familial, romantic, friendships) - how we connect with others, how we hold on to ideas of people long after they have proved us wrong (or right), how we deceive people, even those we care deeply about and for. A wonderful mixture of the past and the present. Different narrations and points of view keep the story captivating until the very end. Difficult to set down.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (2/07) Amelia remembers 1987, when at age seven-years, she and Victor find a baby near Wiggler's Creek. Victor's first thought was to go to Elliott Barrow, Amelia's father for help. By the time Victor returns with Elliott, the baby has disappeared. Victor and Amelia's childhood friendship ended that day when she hesitated, until he returned to life as an adult. When Elliott calls Helen, the director/founder of First Stage Theater, once again her heart melts. Helen was Elliott's first wife and he always knew how to approach her with what he wanted. This time Elliott wanted her to come to Ponderosa Academy and help with a theatrical production of "The Tempest." Willa is a talented artist. She and her mother have moved many times and she dreads the sight of the Volvo crammed with their belongings. She's preparing for an art show when once again she hears the clang of her father's car. This time he offers her a choice. She doesn't have to go with him if she doesn't want to. Recently he heard NPR talking about Elliott Barrow. Carolyn, Willa's deceased mother, had made him promise that he would see Elliott. As soon as she realized that this request came from her mother she grabbed her backpack prepared to make the journey. "She made me promise that if anything ever happened to her, I would find a man named Elliot Barrow and deliver a message for her...Three days later, she was killed in an explosion in New Jersey. She was staying in a house with six other people, and they were making bombs in the basement. And that's how she died." There were things about Elliot that few people knew, things that would haunt him. "We knew as soon as we started up the last little hill, that things were going to be terrible. We felt it, the horror growling in the root of our stomachs, when we say the flames." Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, author of "Set Me Free," is a tremendously talented writer. Miranda tells this story through the words of Cal, the assistant Headmaster at Ponderosa Academy. It is through his eyes the story unfolds. The plot moves freely with Cal writing the words of first one character and then another. The story flows well, budding into a drama that grabs you and won't let go. There are twists and turns that are unexpected in this drama. Miranda takes her readers on a journey that develops and builds to a crescendo. The characters are well developed. Willa and Amelia were particularly well defined. Each girl is strong, caring and independent, more alike than they would ever suspect. This reads as non-fiction, the story was one that I would easily believe was true. The love story that develops is beautifully scripted. It is with honor that I recommend "Set Me Free" to those that enjoy fiction and drama.