The Silent Gift

I have never read a book by Michael Landon Jr. or Cindy Kelly so I didn't know what to expect, but let me tell you this story surpassed anything I imagined. A bittersweet story filled with passion, yearning, and hope as a mom and a disabled little boy bring happiness into some people's lives and sorrow into others with his "silent gift." As the little boy's gift becomes known to other people, his mother is faced with a challenge--- should she use this special, God-given gift as a means for providing them with the money they need so much? She realizes her mistake too late when, with all the popularity her little boy gets, her absent husband finds her and has her arrested....as her life spirals out of control will she ever see her son again? A great read that had me captivated, I couldn't put it down till I had it finished. The ending really surprised me. I loved it. Highly recommended!

I have to say what first drew me to this book was the author. But, the description sounded interesting as well. The first chapter draws you in quickly. I was a little nervous about the religious connections in this book at first, but the story never came across as preachy. In fact, I ended up really enjoying that aspect of it. The story is set in the 30's, but it felt very modern most of the time. I think what I ended up identifying most with was Mary. She sacrificed everything for her son. The book was a refreshing change from the normal books I read. I couldn't put it down!

If you have not read any of Michael Landon Jr.'s books - you are missing out! I had previously read One More Sunrise and was anxious to get my hands on his second book, The Silent Gift. I could hardly put this book down - it drew me in from the very first chapter and I found myself rushing to get back to the story and find out what happens to Jack, the little boy who is deaf and mute. Jack's journey begins with a tumultuous birth underwater, after an automobile accident. From there, he and his mother struggle to survive after they are forced to leave home. Jack's father is cruel and calculating and Jack's mother Mary, finds herself fleeing an abusive relationship and winds up homeless. Hiding from her husband and terrified he'll track her down, Mary takes refuge at the local Salvation Army shelter with her son. While there, Mary discovers Jack's "gift" when she's given a Bible. Having never communicated before, Jack begins drawing "numbers" in the sand which Mary finally correlates to Biblical passages and suddenly Jack is prophesying things that come to pass. As his "gift" begins to develop it opens doors for Jack and Mary that they never thought possible. But for the many blessings the "gift" brings......it also brings curses and threatens to separate Jack from his mother forever. When the media gets winds of Jack and the "gift" is publicized, all kinds of gold diggers come out of the wood work, wanting to exploit Jack and his mother. Worse yet, Jack's father sees his son's picture in a local newspaper and after years of searching for his son and wife - he goes on the hunt again, determined to bring them both back under his control. Full of suspense, this book will hold your interest all the way through.

It is almost 3:00 in the morning as I write this review. Why? Because I just finished the last page of a book that gripped my heart from the first paragraph and didn't let go until the last sentence had me in tears. I was swept away into the life and times of the 1930's with such abandon that I would have sworn for a short while that I could smell the circus, see the sunlight reflecting off the windows at the Edmundson's estate, glimpse the red skin barely peeking out from under Mary's white kid gloves and feel Jack sitting next to me in comfortable silence, sharing companionship with an old friend. The fact that the storyline was fresh and original and always left me wondering what was around the corner was sheer bonus. The story opens with Jerry driving his young wife Mary to the hospital in labor. On the way there things go horribly awry and we are left wondering if Mary and Jack even survive. From there we move forward seven years and things aren't good. Mary finally sees an opening to leave Jerry and she does just that, taking Jack and fleeing to safety... maybe. Along the way she discovers that Jack has a gift... of prophecy, but he can't speak. This is incredibly interesting and then suddenly the world is turned on its head and Jack is taken away from Mary. Time passes and Mary can finally go looking for Jack, but her search does not reveal what she was hoping for. Is God really watching out for her? Who can she trust? Has Mary let down her son when he had no one else? Venture carefully into this story because you may not want to leave after meeting Mary and Jack, and I dare you not to love them and sob at the last sentence in this wonderful book.

I just loved this book! Mary and her son are very real and likable characters. I also was immediately hooked. The story has no dull points. Highly recommended!!