Divide by Zero

by Sheila Deeth

It takes a subdivision to raise a child, and a wealth of threads to weave a tapestry, until one breaks. Troy, the garage mechanic's son, loves Lydia, the rich man's daughter. Amethyst has a remarkable cat and Andrea a curious accent. Old Abigail knows more than anyone else but doesn't speak. And in Paradise Park a middle aged man keeps watch while autistic Amelia keeps getting lost. Pastor Bill, at the church of Paradise, tries to mend people. Peter mends cars. But when that fraying thread gives way it might take a child to raise the subdivision...or to mend it.

254 pages, Paperback

First published August 20, 2012

About the author

Sheila Deeth is an English American, Catholic Protestant, mathematician writer and editor, author of contemporary novels - Divide by Zero and Infinite Sum from Indigo Sea Press - the Five Minute Bible Story Series from Cape Arago Press, Tails of Mystery from Linkville Press, and several spiritual speculative novellas and short stories.

Sheila is a prolific reader and her book reviews are published on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powells, Goodreads, and Librarything, as well as on her blog at http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com

Find out more at http://about.me/sheiladeeth

Reviews

[Philip Nork · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Divide By Zero, author Sheila Deeth looks at how the people we know or meet interact with each other. Does each life really affect others? Will what one person does really change what others do? And, as one of her characters says, “And then I wonder, in the end, what do we really know about anyone?
The stories of life are littered with choices and decisions that are made, some influenced by others. We are all entwined together by a small sliver of string and things happen when that string is broken. How each of us react makes life that much more interesting. And who really knows what is going in each other’s mind?
Is a son always going to be like his father? Will he do what his father does? How do you break the chain? Do you have to?
Will the youngest daughter always be compared to the oldest one? What if they are so different and want different things from life? Why do parents want to interfere so much?
Just what are those around you thinking about you? And if and when you get the point in your life when you don’t speak anymore, do people actually realize your mind still works?
Divide By Zero is an interesting book. It explores how we all relate to each other from the minds of its characters. It is a hard read. I mean you must slow down and let the emotion of the book get absorbed into your brain. There are many characters and the author bounces from one to another so much that you have to really read what you’re reading. I found myself trying to remember who was who many times. But in the end, it all comes together.
I’m not one to spoil a book. So you must read this compelling, suspenseful book on your own. I recommend it to anyone looking for a story that makes you think. This is not a sweet, innocent story, but one that everyone can relate to.
It makes you realize that all people are who they are, “young and old, good and bad, all making their own decisions, all mixed together, served warm or cold, with a dash of human kindness holding the promise of mercy and hope.
And that a boy doesn’t have to grow up to be his father after all.”

[G.F. Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divide by Zero
By Sheila Deeth

This is a work that took me a few pages to get the idea of where the author might be going. I re-read the book’s cover-copy and thought about it more deeply than I had initially considered, and that made all the difference. There is much deeper meaning to this work than I had at first intuited, and I don’t believe it was in any way the Author’s shortcomings. Once I realized the building connections, I was intrigued.

Most of us live average lives, yet don’t realize the impact and contribution we make to those in our circle of experience, or to the overall history that we have a part in creating. Simple things, like our subtle judgments of others; our likes and loves, our longings and our lusts; our decisions, and indecisions. These are the things that we either complacently suffer conformity to, or explicitly endeavor upon rectifying unto our, as well as others’, redemption.

I can’t explain much further without spoiling it for the future readers; there is a specific phrase that says it all. But, I can say that pretty much the entire outlay of human experience is observed and portrayed here, with decidedly positive, and if I may use the word again, ‘redemptive’ qualities shining as they should.

I enjoyed this work Sheila Deeth. Bravo! I look forward to more.

G. F. Smith
www.gfsmithbooks.com

[Helen Cochran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila Deeth entwined an intriguing tale with an unusual array of characters revealed bit by bit. These characters could be found in any small community in the world; yet, each character transpires as uncommon.
A community called Paradise implicates a difficult and impossible to attain standard of life for the characters in Divide by Zero. Even in Paradise social issues exist. Mental illness, sexual abuse, murder, suicide, and unhealthy interpersonal relationships, as well as stigma, subsist in this small community. Although fiction, the attitudes about mental illnesses and suicide are part of today’s reality. The myths about suicide mimic real life in this story when a family, shaken by a suicide death, hides out to avoid the hounding media.
If you divide by zero, the result is undefined. The fear that heredity must predict personality and behavior overwhelms some of the characters; however, other characters in this story bear out that people aren’t necessarily defined by past generations.
Like in real life, Paradise has citizens trying to right the wrongs. Pastor Bill opened conversation within the community, a good friend reaches out to be a good friend, and a ten-year-old teaches how to turn your back on stigma and love the hard to love.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a small community people pull together to help and support each other. Lives are intertwined and every ones actions affect everyone else. In some ways this is good but sometimes the lines are blurred. When tragedy strikes the small town of Paradise once again the community reaches to help the people who need healing.

The story seems slow to start but picks up momentum and hits the peak when tragedy strikes. My very thoughts were I didn't see that coming! Out of the ashes of pain hope can emerge and we are not ending on a down note. The story will tug of mothers and women whose husbands go off to war, of sons who marry and have children of their own. Of children who are forced to see too much but carry on. The story is not all happy but it is not all sad either. Love wins in the end. Thanks to the author for writing such a heart tugger.

[Mollie Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila Deeth’s Divide By Zero is as different as the title implies. Though the main plot of this character-driven story revolves around a small and complicated family, it also reaches out to others of the community, some predictable and others totally unexpected. Deeth doesn’t shy from the tough subjects, but lays them out in all their naked shock for us to see and then understand. Divide by Zero is part mystery, part memoir, and part an act of faith.

[Sarah Butland · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those stories which will live on in the reader throughout his/ her life.

A lot of us have the fear of becoming our parents but when one parent is battling his fathers demons it creates havoc none of us should bear.

Sheila Deeth tackled many issues well in an interesting way that captured me from the very beginning. Showing each characters view points going through the same scenario I was astounded by Deeth's ability to do this so wonderfully.

Each character was made to feel so personable I connected with the emotions and stories of so many, the only issue I had was the confusion of so many characters with in depth parts throughout the story. I had a hard time keeping track of each one and by the time I did I cared so much about each I wanted to know more.

I do strongly recommend this book as it has a lot of fine qualities and maybe wouldn't be so troublesome to someone with more time and concentration.

Thanks for reading,

Sarah Butland

[Antonia van Zandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, this book's greatest strength lies in the complex characters that the author has created. We see the world as they see it, we feel their pain and anguish. We share tender moments with them and we share scary ones. There is a lot of depth to this story and it stays with you long after you've read it. I would challenge anyone to walk away from this book unaffected by it. Thoroughly recommended.

[Beki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the town of Paradise where resident’s lives weave in, out and around each other like a piece of finely woven lace. This is a well-written story with a touch of romance, drama, tragedy, forgiveness and even a little magic.