Souls to Keep

David Robbins, You did a very good job of making one believe that there is a reason for everything! The lives of Virgil, Ellen and Beatrice was uneventful in itself, but showing how 2 different worlds can make you realize what you thought you had, never was! I really enjoyed how he incorporated a bit of history (the angels) into the characters and I found myself looking forward to figuring out who the next one will be! Great job Mr. Robbins and I'm looking forward to reading more of his writings.

At first I thought that "Souls to Keep" was exactly the sort of book I'd want to avoid. The description of it made it sound like a poor man's version of the movie "Ghost." But after hearing Mr. Robbins read from his novel recently, I found myself drawn to it. The book is sheer poetry in its depiction of the marital woes and spiritual highs that the characters find themselves awash in. The story is both sad and redeeming at the same instant as Virgil, Ellen and Bea attempt to sort out the mess that is/was their lives. I was touched and moved by this book. It made me want to grab my wife and just hold on for dear life! Thank you Mr. Robbins, for this wonderful book.

Don't mistake this for a rehash of Hollywood drivel. David Robbins creates real characters and deposits them in an improbable situation -- a prostitute dies, isn't ready for heaven, returns to earth, possesses the body of another woman -- then turns them loose to see what happens. Because the narrative is driven by the characters interacting with one another, not by some predetermined plot line, the book is unpredictable and fun. Not only are the plot and characters engaging, but theologians take note: Mr. Robbins accomplishes the remarkable feat of fusing New Age mysticism, Voodoo and elements of Christianity into a coherent view of the afterlife. The perfect book for a lazy summer day -- or for assigning to a very progressive Sunday school class.

This book is all about relationships, and as such is universal in its topic. The appeal of Souls To Keep for me was that I could read it at the beach on a story level, enjoying the twists and turns and character developments - all of which were accomplished marvelously and with a wonderful and poetic style - but also I could relish the underlying philisophical questions posed by the author. If you're the sort of reader who's looking for quirky, intelligent reading, or just a good and entertaining page turner for escapist hours, this is it. I recommend it.

ReviewSouls to Keep Author: David Robbins This book is something different. I had to keep reminding myself its a first novel. The level of craft is well beyond that. Robbin's prose is the calibre of fine literature. Yet Souls to Keep is a genuine page turner. As you read further you find this isn't a contradiction borne of some cheap compromise. What you uncover is something different. Robbins' character development is a good place to start. You learn about his characters through what they do, not what they think. It is an extraordinarily difficult method of character development. Which is probably why so few do it and/or succeed. As a psychotherapist I can say his insights are authentic and profound. His ability to present that level of insight through the character's behavior alone reveals a rare talent. Take notice, Robbins gives a clinic on character development. While the story line is about a ghost trying to find love in the world of the living, Souls to Keep is not another story of unrequited love. The notion of spirits and the introduction of contemporary mythic figures like past (make that dead) N.Y. Yankee stars allows the reader to safely identify with the characters painful struggle for redemption. Robbins' powerfull character development can put that pain, common to us all, right in your face. Perhaps he knows this. Perhaps by introducing a supernatural theme, SK invites us all to face whatever music we have to face from a more secure observation post. `Fable' or `morality play' comes to mind. On that note, I don't believe the similarity between SK's Virgil and Dante's is coincidental. Souls to Keep is a page turner. Resist the urge and you will find something very different or more accurately, something quite old. This is much more than a good book.