Cracking Grace

By Stephen Stromp

Cracking Grace questions the very basic concepts of spirituality through the eyes of Audrey, a young girl in the midst of a tragedy-and through the eyes of Mary, a seemingly lifeless cemetery statue.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0615970656
• ISBN13: 9780615970653
• Release Date: March 2014
• Publisher: W.O.P. Press
• Length: 162 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Amazing story!

Cracking Grace is amazing; I have never read anything quite like this before. Talking statutes? Wow, this is gripping. The story is told through the eyes of Audrey, a young girl who has lost her mother. Audrey's father takes care of the cemetery and is very proud of the statues he has created; they include Mary, Jesus, and two gargoyles. You will also find an eccentric ghost, Mrs. Grant who is trapped in the cemetery after committing suicide, and you will even find a blue bird named Bluebell. The story unfolds after the death of Audrey's mother; Audrey feels second best to her dead mother and doesn't feel like she can compete with her dead mother for her father's attention. Audrey's father is slipping away due to being consumed by grief. The novel focuses on grief and the coming to terms with both loss and death. A father unable to accept his wife's death, a woman trapped in stone, and new found relationships for the daughter, and coming to terms with loss and grieving in different ways are all an intricate part of this story. I highly recommend this story for everyone, and especially for those who have suffered a loss and are grieving. This is a wonderful story, and very different. Absolute 5 star read!

Amazing Grace

This was the first book in a long time I read that I didn't want to put down. I could have read this book in a couple of days but due the story line I didn't want it to end. I didn't want to get to the last page. To be Christian and hear the conversation between Mary and Jesus statues was very light hearted and imaginative on Steven's part. I don't think I will go in to a cemetary again without trying to hear the whispers. It was also a treat to be able to converse with the author as I read the book. I absolutely look forward to Steven's next book.

An interesting read!

A beautiful story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and wished it had of been longer. Although the story does have some references to religion, it's definitely not a religious novel. It's a lovely story about a young girl who has lost her mother and her father who has lost his wife. Both coming to terms with the loss and grieving in their own way, and sometimes the only way they know how. What I enjoyed about it, was that it was different to what I usually read. I liked that it also focused on something different - talking statues! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story! I'm looking forward to more novels from Steven in the future. All the best in 2007!

Meaningful for anyone struggling with grief

Reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for Reader Views (11/2006) "Cracking Grace," by Steven Stromp, is about the importance of adults dealing with death so that they might help the children in their life deal with death. Stromp uses the statues in a cemetery to teach the reader the lesson of focusing on the living, not the dead. I realize that this is a little strange--the animation of statues? Stromp effectively tells this story, though. Audry and her father, Mr. Lansly, are finding their way through grief. Audry's mother is buried in a cemetery next to her house. Mr. Lansly is the caretaker of the cemetery. Mr. Lansley is obsessive about caring for the cemetery, therefore caring for his wife. For instance, if a storm is coming, he must surround the cemetery with sandbags. Audry feels guilt, because she does not always want to visit her mother's grave with her father. Her father goes to the gravesite daily to hold regular conversations with his wife. "Good morning, honey." "I'm glad to see the sun is up. You certainly deserve it." This obsession with his wife leaves Audry to feel worthless. She feels second to her dead mother. "Audry sat at the kitchen table twirling a spoon in a bowl of oatmeal." "She looked back to the lumpy oatmeal; her mother's oatmeal never had any lumps." Audry felt as if she could never compete with her mother for the affection of her father. "Cracking Grace" will be a meaningful book for anyone struggling with grief or anyone who helps others who are struggling with grief. I could not get past the fact that I was reading a book of talking statues. Looking past that and to the point of the book, it was quite touching. I do hope that Steven Stromp explains on his website why he chose to write this book. To know his inspiration would be interesting. "Cracking Grace" does include references to Christianity, probably more specifically the Catholic denomination. However, it is not solely a book on religion. It is a book on grief. This short tale, "Cracking Grace," is an interesting read.