Silent Star

By Tracie Peterson

Book Overview

Facing the holidays with dread because of his job delivering telegrams during World War II, young Andy Gilbert finds himself harboring a death wish and finds hope and renewal from an elderly woman who offers him comfort and wisdom. Original.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764228242
• ISBN13: 9780764228247
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Bethany House Pub
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 0.5" x 4.8"

Customer Reviews

Heartwarming and Predictable

If you'd like a quick heartwarming read and don't mind that the end is predictable, then read this book. It's a simple but sweet story about a young man who goes to war in the only way he can. There is a theme of hope and the symbolism of stars interwoven throughout. I appreciated the point of view of the messengers during the war and the things they may have gone through. The storyline flowed well, though I found myself able to easily put the book down. The characters were simple though there was some attempt at making them more three dimensional. Everything was happily wrapped up at the end, in a Miracle on 34th street sort of way. Personally I found it a little boring because I don't like predictable stories with two dimensional characters. But I liked the ending of the star symbolism and the writing structure (grammar, etc.) was sound.

Depth of Emotion

Silent Star was well written and captured the depth of emotion experienced by those surviving WW II - those at home, waiting and praying. This book explores the impact of war on a typical young man who did not fight in the war but was left to struggle with his own doubts and fears. It offered a glimpse at the positive, spiritual renewal of a soul lost to despair.

Heartwarming historical with a unique twist on love....

I see the story in a different way than the previous reviewer. Sometimes I think it's a disadvantage to read previous reviews and at other times an advantage. I didn't see the Jesus/Andy theme referred to at all. I believe the author's intention was to show the life of someone who has lost everything (his entire family.) Because of his job delivering telegrams, he lost even the love most people receive as part of everyday life, and more importantly, the human contact people need to feel loved. He was ostracized, which made him bitter toward God, who he believed took his family and left him with nothing but a depressing way of life. Some days he didn't care if he lived anymore. Then in walks the older lady who treats him like a normal person with the need for care and concern, and things start to turn around for him in his heart. I thought it was a beautiful illustration of how the love of one person can change the future of another by instilling hope into the person's life. In regards to how the story was written, I found it a bit blah with two much backstory up front in the very beginning (about his parents) but once the older woman entered the scene it picked up from there and even got my eyes watering at one point (which rarely happens when I read.) It was definitely worth my while, though I probably won't read it again.