Words Unspoken

In my humble opinion, this is Elizabeth Musser's best yet, and I say that with confidence having read all her others. I dare you to put it down after the prologue--the sudden hailstorm on the Interstate, the nervous young driver, and the freakish accident that sets the rest of the events in motion. Chapter one begins with the aftermath of that incident. Bright, high-achieving Lissa Randall's life has come to a standstill as a result of the wreck that took her mother's life--and because of the voices in her head that constantly tell her she's a failure and guilty. Those voices have basically trapped her in her home. She's unable to drive, unable to take any risks, unable to start college. The only thing that seems to motivate her is a desire to be able to drive and see the mysterious "Caleb," someone who apparently needs her desperately. But after once again failing the test to get her driver's license reinstated, Lissa hits rock bottom. In a moment of despair, she comes close to swallowing a handful of pills and ending it all, but instead decides to grasp at one remaining hope, a driving instructor named Ev McAllister who has been recommended to her. Lissa phones Ev MacAllister, a wise old man who seems to offer driving lessons as a ministry to troubled young people like herself. And so begins one of the most important relationships of Lissa's life. The only part of Words Unspoken that might give you a problem is the second chapter--at least, if you're not expecting it. The story seems to be about Lissa and Ev and the driving lessons, but then in chapter two, we're introduced rapid-fire to several characters that seem unconnected to the pair or each other. There's a young missionary in France who has just lost her son, a wheeling-and-dealing stockbroker, an ambitious young man at a publishing company, and a socialite in the midst of a divorce. If you're not expecting the shift or if you don't like multiple points of view, you might feel a little lost. But trust me, the payoffs start to come soon as you discover, bit by bit, the fantastic story that connects all these threads and all these people. One of those threads involves a sub-plot about a famous author named Stella Green, a reclusive woman who has published numerous best-sellers and received critical acclaim but who refuses to reveal her true identity, grant interviews or allow herself to be photographed. No one knows who she really is or why she's hiding her identity, but bit by bit we see that Stella Green's story touches all the other disparate characters in the book. Some of the central characters are kind and giving, some are grasping and ambitious, but they all have another thing in common: the voices in their heads. We come to see that the ones who appear so noble may be trying to make up for some misdeed in their past, and the ones who seem so loutish on the outside are fighting their own mental battles. Another unique feature of Elizabeth's novels is that they are "recent his

I have to admit, when I first started reading this book, I felt lukewarm about it. It seemed a little slow and I could not quite see where it was going, but I was intrigued by the characters and their stories, so I kept reading. When I finished reading this book, I had tears streaming down my face and felt richly blessed. The characters in Words Unspoken all had very difficult circumstances and they all needed one thing - Him. And He works on them and He speaks to them through the words of a reclusive author. Lissa Randall is a teenage girl whose life was looking bright with success until the tragic car accident that left her without a mother. Paralyzed with fear every time she gets behind the wheel, Lissa seeks help from driving instructor Ev MacAllister. Ev is a man dealing with his own hurts from mistakes in his past, mistakes that continue to haunt him and his family. There are several other characters in this book whose stories seem unrelated at the beginning, but as the book continues, the author brings them all together into a moving, touching story about forgiveness, hope, and surrender. Elizabeth Musser's writing is flawless. She takes her time developing the characters and the stories, and the result is a beautiful story that I loved. I am truly touched by Words Unspoken and a bit surprised how much I love this book after what seemed like a slow start. As I look back, the book was not slow. There were a lot of important details that needed to be told, details that added depth to the book. I can honestly say that you will be blessed by this book and by the message Elizabeth Musser is delivering in the pages of Words Unspoken.

Elizabeth Musser is one of my favorite authors, having penned works like Swan House, The Dwelling Place and Searching for Eternity. But she's outdone even herself. Words Unspoken unfolds like a rose, one layer at a time, revealing the beauty within. Filled with diverse, memorable characters, you meet one then another, until the cast grows to where wonder how all these people are connected. Then, when the first relationship is revealed, it's an Ah-Ha moment. I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading to discover the next connection. And each one was just right--never "convenient" or contrived. Filled with twists and brilliantly written, Words Unspoken is a must read. As one of those books whose characters linger in my mind, it receives a five-star recommendation from this reviewer.

Those new to Elizabeth Musser's books will enjoy the plot-driven story and twists of Words Unspoken. Her fans, however, are likely to be blown away by it. The strengths in her previous books (in my opinion) were the historical research and settings brought to life. For Words Unspoken it is also the plot twists that bring in the US, France, Italy and even Eastern Europe and China added in the mix. I'm usually very critical of Christian fiction. Usually it's because of weak, artificial dialogues. I didn't find that in Words Unspoken. Such a welcome change! The way the characters talked with each other, themselves, God - very real, very believable. That's what really sold me on the book...and also the multi-dimensional view of the characters! It made them deeper, more developed, engaging and real. Again, if you're a fan - hurry up! This one's awesome. If you're new to her books, this is a great one to start with. And lastly, if you're not usually a fan of Christian fiction - give this one a try. You won't be disappointed.

Musser's first few novels, while strong, were very much intended for niche audiences -- The Swan House and The Dwelling Place were written for Atlanta-philes (a fairly large crowd, as sales and multiple reprints will attest)and Searching for Eternity is for people who love Atlanta and Lyon, France (a much smaller group). If you were to hesitate to read Musser's latest novel from Bethany house, Words Unspoken, it would be a mistake. Musser has crafted a story that will reach every reader on some level. Set mainly in Chattanooga, the novel tackles those voices we all hear in our heads. Those voices that say we aren't good enough, that bad things are always our fault, that we are failures. With deep, complex main characters whose lives are intertwined in ways that keep you guessing throughout the story, Words Unspoken has everything a reader would want. Musser's descriptive imagery makes the story come alive for readers. You care about the characters and, most importantly, you can see yourself in these very real people -- some characters in this book actually get angry at God, a very real emotion that gets glossed over in so much of today's Christian fiction. You know the type -- fiction that romanticizes what it's like to be a Christian to whom tragedy has struck. I look forward to more of Musser's work in the future!