What do you think?
Rate this book
Tears Of Paradox
In the not so distant future, Michelle hides in the shadowy cornfields of rural Pennsylvania, waiting for her unborn child. Michelle and her baby have been targeted by the untouchables who have assumed absolute power. Michelle’s husband, Jason, remains in their hometown, struggling against overwhelming odds to keep his wife and child from being found.
The blue-collar Catholic couple have already endured numerous losses, including that of a baby son, born under mysterious circumstances. This pair of childhood sweethearts and their family and friends have always stuck together, but the storms of transformation turn everything upside down. Friendships disintegrate, fathers and sons become enemies, and trust is a thing of the past. The ways of traditional America have gradually become what those in power term evil. What used to be evil is now the law, strictly enforced by the bureaucracy, and for ordinary people there is no middle ground; you either play or pay.
Deviation from government policy will land you in jail… or worse. Media figures who aren’t part of the power structure begin slowly disappearing, and Jason must depend solely on God to help him save his wife and baby.
Tears of Paradox is a story full of suspense, romance, sadness, humor, and nostalgia; a must read for Americans in these rapidly changing times.
The blue-collar Catholic couple have already endured numerous losses, including that of a baby son, born under mysterious circumstances. This pair of childhood sweethearts and their family and friends have always stuck together, but the storms of transformation turn everything upside down. Friendships disintegrate, fathers and sons become enemies, and trust is a thing of the past. The ways of traditional America have gradually become what those in power term evil. What used to be evil is now the law, strictly enforced by the bureaucracy, and for ordinary people there is no middle ground; you either play or pay.
Deviation from government policy will land you in jail… or worse. Media figures who aren’t part of the power structure begin slowly disappearing, and Jason must depend solely on God to help him save his wife and baby.
Tears of Paradox is a story full of suspense, romance, sadness, humor, and nostalgia; a must read for Americans in these rapidly changing times.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2014
43 people are currently reading
320 people want to read
About the author
Daniella Bova
8 books19 followersDaniella Bova and her husband live in beautiful Chester County, Pennsylvania. Daniella loves running in the nature preserve near her home, where she gets much of her inspiration for writing. Her other interests are reading, the Catholic Faith, Classic Rock, Delaware Bay and the Delaware Beaches, and any and all forms of textile and fiber artistry.
Daniella is the author of the Storms Of Transformation Series, a near-future dystopian trilogy. Her short story,The Birthday Party, was published in the anthology Freedom's Light, a collection of Freedom themed stories from the members of the Conservative Libertarian Fiction Alliance.
More about Daniella
Daniella was creative from a young age. She learned to sew by hand and machine, knit, cross-stitch and embroider, all before age ten. Daniella doesn't remember learning these skills; she believes she picked them up by watching her mother and grandmother. Though painfully shy in school, and only an average student, at home Daniella's creativity blossomed. This continued through her high school years.
After Daniella married, she and her husband raised two children. Daniella worked a number of part time jobs, but her kids were her main focus until they left home at age eighteen. Working and raising children didn't hinder Daniella's creativity; she continued to progress in fiber artistry. In 1995 she turned to quilting, followed by learning to card, dye and hand spin wool. Many art-style quilts decorate Daniella's home, along with cross-stitched pieces and knitted items.
Daniella had always dreamed of writing fiction, however, she wasn't able to pursue this creative outlet until her children were grown. Finally, in 2009, Daniella began writing every day. Five years later, in May of 2014, Tears Of Paradox, book one in The Storms Of Transformation Series, was published. Tears Of Paradox received an honorable mention in CLFA's 2014 Book of the Year awards. The Notice, book two in the series, was published in February of 2015.
Book three of The Storms Of Transformation Series, Cadáin's Watch is available for preorder.
Daniella is the author of the Storms Of Transformation Series, a near-future dystopian trilogy. Her short story,The Birthday Party, was published in the anthology Freedom's Light, a collection of Freedom themed stories from the members of the Conservative Libertarian Fiction Alliance.
More about Daniella
Daniella was creative from a young age. She learned to sew by hand and machine, knit, cross-stitch and embroider, all before age ten. Daniella doesn't remember learning these skills; she believes she picked them up by watching her mother and grandmother. Though painfully shy in school, and only an average student, at home Daniella's creativity blossomed. This continued through her high school years.
After Daniella married, she and her husband raised two children. Daniella worked a number of part time jobs, but her kids were her main focus until they left home at age eighteen. Working and raising children didn't hinder Daniella's creativity; she continued to progress in fiber artistry. In 1995 she turned to quilting, followed by learning to card, dye and hand spin wool. Many art-style quilts decorate Daniella's home, along with cross-stitched pieces and knitted items.
Daniella had always dreamed of writing fiction, however, she wasn't able to pursue this creative outlet until her children were grown. Finally, in 2009, Daniella began writing every day. Five years later, in May of 2014, Tears Of Paradox, book one in The Storms Of Transformation Series, was published. Tears Of Paradox received an honorable mention in CLFA's 2014 Book of the Year awards. The Notice, book two in the series, was published in February of 2015.
Book three of The Storms Of Transformation Series, Cadáin's Watch is available for preorder.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 18, 2018
I obtained this book through the Kindle Unlimited program.
Although a paradox is presented many times in the book, the paradox that is the foundation of the story is never named explicitly.
Here's the real paradox: Christians are people who don't belong here. The world is NOT our home, and it is central to classic Christian theology that we are at war with the world.
It's quite inevitable that Christians will be drawn into conflict with the world; we were told that, in the beginning. We were told that we would be hated, and that the day would come when we would have to go into hiding. Something that seemed impossible to believe when I was young has become inevitable now in the last third of my life.
Around the time this book was written (2014), a prominent author was castigated as a hater, simply because he accepted the doctrine of his church, and that doctrine contradicted the opinion of the People Of Open Minds (POOM). POOM insisted that he repudiate his church, or he would be rejected, and called a Nazi, and other bad sorts of things. He very appropriately told them that he was NOT going to repudiate his church, and that his beliefs were none of their business. POOM hated that. They cannot abide the idea that there is someone, somewhere, who is not entirely and enthusiastically advocating the goodness of everyone doing whatever they jolly well pleased. To suggest that some actions were NOT absolutely FINE was, to POOM, an outrage that must be stamped out.
And this is precisely the sort of thing that leads to the world that Bova describes. I expect that we are only one or two national elections away from having enough POOM in authority, that the restrictions and prohibitions that Bova describes are put into place. Perhaps it will take longer.
BUT: people of my opinions and POOM cannot peacefully co-exist, because we are diametrically opposed on the core issue of who is in control. POOM insists that every power comes from the people; we others maintain, sincerely, that the Creator endows us with rights; and those two ideas cannot be reconciled.
Bova has chosen a youngish couple, and their circle of friends and family, to tell the story of the rupture of polite disagreement. Michelle is five years younger than Jason, but she has loved him all of her life. Jason has also loved Michelle, although the age difference prevents him from acting on that love until after he has left home for a hitch in the Air Force, and then returned home to work as a mechanic. When they finally meet again, she is almost 18, and the age difference is no longer a prohibitive factor.
In a standard story, he comes back, meets her, they kindle a relationship, and hop into the sack. That doesn't happen here. Michelle is a devout Catholic, Jason ;less so; but Jason does have a profound sense that his relationship with Michelle is a sacred thing, and not to be cashed in for physical sensation and sweaty sheets.
This establishes their combined efforts as a foundation for both of their lives. It gives them both a framework to relate to the rest of the world, and in particular, it drives Jason to completely re-think his own spiritual condition, his relationship to the church, and to God.
Bova uses two techniques in telling the story. One, I found to be helpful; the other, I hope never to encounter again.
The technique I liked: We are given a chance to go into these characters' heads in a way that I'm not sure I have seen before. Things happen; and then, the character engages furiously with the meaning of what has taken place in an internal dialogue. The struggles that Jason goes through, as he considers his wife, his mother, his best friend, his mentor, are all detailed to a very fine degree. Furthermore, they ring true, or at least they do to me. I have spent a LOT more time thinking about what has happened, and what might happen, than I ever have spent in significant, life-changing action. We don't get details about Jason at work on a car's engine, although we know that is taking place. Instead, we know his hands get greasy, as his mind processes the truth and value of what he is experiencing in his life. We are completely involved with him, as he makes his way to finding his place in the Kingdom of God.
We also see into Michelle's mind, although the format is quite different. For the most part, we listen in on her prayers, and her speeches to her unborn baby.
The technique I hope to NEVER see again: Jason's story and Michelle's story are presented as if in parallel; HOWEVER, they are NOT in sync in time. Michelle presents her story in a single location, at some time which is much later than the story that Jason presents. I found this to be quite disorienting, and I would NOT have proceeded further than perhaps the first twenty or so pages, had I not read one of Bova's other works, the short story 'The Birthday Party' in the collection "Freedom's Light." That is a fine story, with a good sense of characters, and place, and plot, and so I had, and continue to have , a great deal of respect for her as a writer.
Frankly, though, she has chosen an impossible thing. She has chosen to present to the world a story that throws the false values of humanism and materialism straight into the gutter, where they belong, and that is something POOM cannot tolerate. I believe she has already received at least one POOM review. I have my doubts that this book, which brutally confronts reality to its' face, is going to find popularity. She not only declares that the emperor has no clothes on, he supplies commentary on his warts and flabby paunch.
But, I doubt she wrote it because she was looking for commercial success (I hope she gets it anyway).I rather think that she has chosen to emulate those found in Revelations chapter 12 verse 11 :"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."
Although a paradox is presented many times in the book, the paradox that is the foundation of the story is never named explicitly.
Here's the real paradox: Christians are people who don't belong here. The world is NOT our home, and it is central to classic Christian theology that we are at war with the world.
It's quite inevitable that Christians will be drawn into conflict with the world; we were told that, in the beginning. We were told that we would be hated, and that the day would come when we would have to go into hiding. Something that seemed impossible to believe when I was young has become inevitable now in the last third of my life.
Around the time this book was written (2014), a prominent author was castigated as a hater, simply because he accepted the doctrine of his church, and that doctrine contradicted the opinion of the People Of Open Minds (POOM). POOM insisted that he repudiate his church, or he would be rejected, and called a Nazi, and other bad sorts of things. He very appropriately told them that he was NOT going to repudiate his church, and that his beliefs were none of their business. POOM hated that. They cannot abide the idea that there is someone, somewhere, who is not entirely and enthusiastically advocating the goodness of everyone doing whatever they jolly well pleased. To suggest that some actions were NOT absolutely FINE was, to POOM, an outrage that must be stamped out.
And this is precisely the sort of thing that leads to the world that Bova describes. I expect that we are only one or two national elections away from having enough POOM in authority, that the restrictions and prohibitions that Bova describes are put into place. Perhaps it will take longer.
BUT: people of my opinions and POOM cannot peacefully co-exist, because we are diametrically opposed on the core issue of who is in control. POOM insists that every power comes from the people; we others maintain, sincerely, that the Creator endows us with rights; and those two ideas cannot be reconciled.
Bova has chosen a youngish couple, and their circle of friends and family, to tell the story of the rupture of polite disagreement. Michelle is five years younger than Jason, but she has loved him all of her life. Jason has also loved Michelle, although the age difference prevents him from acting on that love until after he has left home for a hitch in the Air Force, and then returned home to work as a mechanic. When they finally meet again, she is almost 18, and the age difference is no longer a prohibitive factor.
In a standard story, he comes back, meets her, they kindle a relationship, and hop into the sack. That doesn't happen here. Michelle is a devout Catholic, Jason ;less so; but Jason does have a profound sense that his relationship with Michelle is a sacred thing, and not to be cashed in for physical sensation and sweaty sheets.
This establishes their combined efforts as a foundation for both of their lives. It gives them both a framework to relate to the rest of the world, and in particular, it drives Jason to completely re-think his own spiritual condition, his relationship to the church, and to God.
Bova uses two techniques in telling the story. One, I found to be helpful; the other, I hope never to encounter again.
The technique I liked: We are given a chance to go into these characters' heads in a way that I'm not sure I have seen before. Things happen; and then, the character engages furiously with the meaning of what has taken place in an internal dialogue. The struggles that Jason goes through, as he considers his wife, his mother, his best friend, his mentor, are all detailed to a very fine degree. Furthermore, they ring true, or at least they do to me. I have spent a LOT more time thinking about what has happened, and what might happen, than I ever have spent in significant, life-changing action. We don't get details about Jason at work on a car's engine, although we know that is taking place. Instead, we know his hands get greasy, as his mind processes the truth and value of what he is experiencing in his life. We are completely involved with him, as he makes his way to finding his place in the Kingdom of God.
We also see into Michelle's mind, although the format is quite different. For the most part, we listen in on her prayers, and her speeches to her unborn baby.
The technique I hope to NEVER see again: Jason's story and Michelle's story are presented as if in parallel; HOWEVER, they are NOT in sync in time. Michelle presents her story in a single location, at some time which is much later than the story that Jason presents. I found this to be quite disorienting, and I would NOT have proceeded further than perhaps the first twenty or so pages, had I not read one of Bova's other works, the short story 'The Birthday Party' in the collection "Freedom's Light." That is a fine story, with a good sense of characters, and place, and plot, and so I had, and continue to have , a great deal of respect for her as a writer.
Frankly, though, she has chosen an impossible thing. She has chosen to present to the world a story that throws the false values of humanism and materialism straight into the gutter, where they belong, and that is something POOM cannot tolerate. I believe she has already received at least one POOM review. I have my doubts that this book, which brutally confronts reality to its' face, is going to find popularity. She not only declares that the emperor has no clothes on, he supplies commentary on his warts and flabby paunch.
But, I doubt she wrote it because she was looking for commercial success (I hope she gets it anyway).I rather think that she has chosen to emulate those found in Revelations chapter 12 verse 11 :"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."
March 6, 2015
James Clavell's short, The Children's Story, simply opens that "the" war is over, and "they" have won.
Daniella Bova's dystopian novel Tears of Paradox shows us what happens when the war on God is over, and "they" have won.
We've got a two-tier story going on here. It'll throw some at first, especially since they take place at two different points in time. Both points of view are from a married couple, Jason and Michelle. Michelle narrates a point in the future, where -- as James Clavell once put it -- they have won. Jason narrates a tale of love and personal redemption, leading up to the dystopia that Michelle talks of. After the first chapter, you catch on rather quickly. But it takes some time to adapt.
The two narratives compliment each other perfectly, each offering commentary on the other. It's a nice balancing act that I don't see that often -- attempted but failed on Lost, mostly perfected on Arrow -- and it works, once you see what Madam Bova is doing.
The sad thing here is that there's nothing that novel about this dystopia. Easily 90% of it is just the reasonable and rational conclusion of current insanity. When exactly do we get to the point where private citizens are forced to keep Christmas lights indoors because atheists can't be bothered teaching their children about religion? Healthcare has already been expanded to include abortion, so what's the next logical step in the progression? Conscience laws have been under attack for years, how long until they're gone completely?
A lot of people use the term "slippery slope" to be dismissive. Tears of Paradox shows us that it's more than some political talking point. It also shows us that the slope doesn't need to be all that slippery, because we're already halfway down the incline. It's what happens when good people stop fighting, because evil doesn't sleep, doesn't rest, and doesn't stop.
Tears of Paradox is also a journey about running on faith when there's nothing left to run on. Faith, a lot of prayer, knowing when to talk away, when to run, and when to fight.
When I was in college, I good a course on the philosophy of literature. Most of it consisted of traditional Catholic books -- Walker Percy, Graham Greene, Bernanos, Gabriel Marcel, Endo, a few others. At the end of the day, Daniella Bova belongs with all of them. For those who are overly well-read in Catholic literature, imagine if Walker Percy's Love in the Ruins was instead written by Graham Greene, with Percy coming in after to make it less suicide-inducing.
At the end of the day, Tears of Paradox is a work of literature, but don't hold that against it.
Daniella Bova's dystopian novel Tears of Paradox shows us what happens when the war on God is over, and "they" have won.
We've got a two-tier story going on here. It'll throw some at first, especially since they take place at two different points in time. Both points of view are from a married couple, Jason and Michelle. Michelle narrates a point in the future, where -- as James Clavell once put it -- they have won. Jason narrates a tale of love and personal redemption, leading up to the dystopia that Michelle talks of. After the first chapter, you catch on rather quickly. But it takes some time to adapt.
The two narratives compliment each other perfectly, each offering commentary on the other. It's a nice balancing act that I don't see that often -- attempted but failed on Lost, mostly perfected on Arrow -- and it works, once you see what Madam Bova is doing.
The sad thing here is that there's nothing that novel about this dystopia. Easily 90% of it is just the reasonable and rational conclusion of current insanity. When exactly do we get to the point where private citizens are forced to keep Christmas lights indoors because atheists can't be bothered teaching their children about religion? Healthcare has already been expanded to include abortion, so what's the next logical step in the progression? Conscience laws have been under attack for years, how long until they're gone completely?
A lot of people use the term "slippery slope" to be dismissive. Tears of Paradox shows us that it's more than some political talking point. It also shows us that the slope doesn't need to be all that slippery, because we're already halfway down the incline. It's what happens when good people stop fighting, because evil doesn't sleep, doesn't rest, and doesn't stop.
Tears of Paradox is also a journey about running on faith when there's nothing left to run on. Faith, a lot of prayer, knowing when to talk away, when to run, and when to fight.
When I was in college, I good a course on the philosophy of literature. Most of it consisted of traditional Catholic books -- Walker Percy, Graham Greene, Bernanos, Gabriel Marcel, Endo, a few others. At the end of the day, Daniella Bova belongs with all of them. For those who are overly well-read in Catholic literature, imagine if Walker Percy's Love in the Ruins was instead written by Graham Greene, with Percy coming in after to make it less suicide-inducing.
At the end of the day, Tears of Paradox is a work of literature, but don't hold that against it.
November 26, 2014
Tear of Paradox is a compelling if slow-to-develop story of a country devolving into a tyrannical state. Bova does a brilliant job at juxtaposing the terrifying government overreaches of the near future with the everyday life and struggles of a typical middle-class East Coast family. Written in quality prose as letters by the two central characters, Michelle and Jason, as they recount the events leading up to the birth of their baby and the surrounding death of a nation.
This is an unapologetically conservative and Catholic book—the characters rail on the "government sharks" and go to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament—and no doubt readers who oppose those institutions will be thoroughly turned off. But open-minded readers will be treated to a well-written exploration of real people in all-too-real sociopolitical situations. Michelle's prayers are a vivid peek into the soul of a person that would have fit great and improved my books. I wish I had the inspiration of this book before I finished my latest.
As a plot snob, I missed a solid, structured plot in Paradox, and some of the scenes were repetitive. It takes a wile to get going, but when it does, it's gripping. The last quarter of the book is intense and very thought-provoking.
Paradox is a tragedy. It follows a family that goes through Hell and more than a sense of warning for the impending dystopia, the reader gains a sense of gratitude for what he has—the freedoms, the material wealth, and most importantly, his loved ones. What takeaway from a novel could be more important than that?
This is an unapologetically conservative and Catholic book—the characters rail on the "government sharks" and go to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament—and no doubt readers who oppose those institutions will be thoroughly turned off. But open-minded readers will be treated to a well-written exploration of real people in all-too-real sociopolitical situations. Michelle's prayers are a vivid peek into the soul of a person that would have fit great and improved my books. I wish I had the inspiration of this book before I finished my latest.
As a plot snob, I missed a solid, structured plot in Paradox, and some of the scenes were repetitive. It takes a wile to get going, but when it does, it's gripping. The last quarter of the book is intense and very thought-provoking.
Paradox is a tragedy. It follows a family that goes through Hell and more than a sense of warning for the impending dystopia, the reader gains a sense of gratitude for what he has—the freedoms, the material wealth, and most importantly, his loved ones. What takeaway from a novel could be more important than that?
June 14, 2015
This is the story of a married couple, Jason and Michelle, facing the future in a world that could only be described as dystopian. But it's not any old dystopia. This one is quite realistic, because its building blocks are policies that some of the politicians of today would like to see carried out--- such as a universal health care system that promotes the abortion of children with 'defects'.
The story is told in an unusual way--- Jason and Michelle take turns telling their story from their viewpoints at different times in the overall story.
The author, Daniella Bova, really keeps the suspense up, constantly raising questions in the mind of the reader and delaying the answers just enough to keep you reading, reading, reading.... Don't buy this book on a day when you don't have time to sit down and read it, because no matter what your plans that is what you are going to be doing.
The story is told in an unusual way--- Jason and Michelle take turns telling their story from their viewpoints at different times in the overall story.
The author, Daniella Bova, really keeps the suspense up, constantly raising questions in the mind of the reader and delaying the answers just enough to keep you reading, reading, reading.... Don't buy this book on a day when you don't have time to sit down and read it, because no matter what your plans that is what you are going to be doing.
October 3, 2014
Beautifully written in a fresh, contemporary voice, "Tears of Paradox" is both terrifying and meditative. Not an over-the-top sci-fi fantasy like the trendier dystopias, "Tears" depicts our society about five minutes from now. Bova tightens the noose with bone-chilling deftness as our taken-for-granted way of life is gradually replaced with "the new way of doing business." On too many occasions, I would hear about some small news item and my blood would run cold as I recognized how perceptive and plausible this story is. Some of it has already happened, some of it is happening now…will the future see its complete affirmation? Dear God, let's hope not.
I felt some relief when I came to the end because this nerve-wracking story made me as jittery as a rabbit in a snare. The relief was short-lived, as I am now craving the next book in the series…and it's not out yet!
I felt some relief when I came to the end because this nerve-wracking story made me as jittery as a rabbit in a snare. The relief was short-lived, as I am now craving the next book in the series…and it's not out yet!
August 4, 2014
I won a free copy from the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Program and think that it interesting. I would recommend it to everyone.
March 1, 2018
I liked the book except for the swearing, but my dislike of swearing did not prevent me from reading the book or getting the other two books afterwards. I think that it is because though I am against foul language, the story of the two main characters was intriguing enough that I overlooked it to some degree; there were sections I scanned rather than read word for word. Anyways...the main characters, Michelle and Jason, a married couple are living in a near future dystopian society in America where their freedoms are being stripped away, even to the point that they are told they are not allowed to have children. Michelle is an unwavering devoted catholic and has lived her life by the principles laid out by the catholic church and Jason, well let's just say he could have been a member of my family. Catholic, but not practicing the principles. That all changes when he begins to see the world around him and how it is affecting his family and friends. He battles his demons and struggles with his spiritual walk which I believe Bova is using to show the battle in the spiritual realm. She even uses angels speaking to Jason to show this battle taking place as they try to keep him from straying from God and what is good and right. I found Bova's story telling technique very interesting and enjoyed the back and forth view points between Michelle and Jason. Also adding in the different time frames of each of their perspectives kept me wondering when the two POV would come together. I'll let you figure it out yourself when you read it, because I do recommend that you read it. Some of the things happening in the story could have been taken right out of today's headlines, but it was written before today's headlines. It certainly gave me chills.
September 5, 2017
Spiritually Intriguing
I picked up this book believing that it may not be my cup of tea but was pleasantly surprised to find I was wrong.
I could identify with Jason's and Michelle's plight when it came to man's laws versus God's laws especially in light of what has gone on here in the U.S. during the last eight years.
Reading this has made me think hard on the Book of Isaiah for some reason and made me want to keep reading the rest of this series to discover the fates of our main characters.
I picked up this book believing that it may not be my cup of tea but was pleasantly surprised to find I was wrong.
I could identify with Jason's and Michelle's plight when it came to man's laws versus God's laws especially in light of what has gone on here in the U.S. during the last eight years.
Reading this has made me think hard on the Book of Isaiah for some reason and made me want to keep reading the rest of this series to discover the fates of our main characters.
April 15, 2016
I generally don't care for literary fiction, so the odds were stacked against me liking this book. But after the first chapter I have to admit that I felt compelled to keep reading. The book reads like two interwoven diaries, one by Michelle, the other by Jason.
Michelle's story is happening in the present, which is a near future scenario for us. She's hiding in some rural family's basement, pregnant, scared, and lonely. Jason's story is told as recollections of the past, which seem near to our present. He's a working class guy who's in love with his buddy's younger sister. He recounts their love story and young marriage.
What makes Jason's story unsettling is how the world around them is changing slowly at first, and then more and more drastically. The government is getting intrusive, controlling. Family members are becoming enemies.
The way the stories are told it's hard to pin down exactly what is being done, we just get the fear and anxiety of the characters. It's very atmospheric, and the way things are kept from the reader makes it feel like a mystery novel.
One of the things I liked is how all the bad stuff happening causes Jason, who starts out as someone who doesn't really think about religion, to start looking for guidance and comfort from God. I thought that was realistic - that someone under pressure would have to turn to something, and in this case it was faith. Michelle, when we meet her, is already religious, and it looks like she has been for a while. In her character's case, I thought the backstory did explain her emotional state as well.
I have to admit that I found the lack of a straight-forward plot frustrating at times. The story often doubles back on itself. Sometimes I just wanted to sit Michelle down and tell her "just the facts, Ma'am." I also have to mention that the book ends on a cliff-hanger. Those complaints are why I knocked a star off of my rating. But again, not my genre, so I might not be completely fair about that.
This is probably not a book I would have thought to read, so I'm glad someone asked me to review it. It's different from my usual reading choices and I did enjoy it on its own terms.
I received a review copy of this book for free. I also have a more in-depth review of it on my blog www.bookhorde.org
Michelle's story is happening in the present, which is a near future scenario for us. She's hiding in some rural family's basement, pregnant, scared, and lonely. Jason's story is told as recollections of the past, which seem near to our present. He's a working class guy who's in love with his buddy's younger sister. He recounts their love story and young marriage.
What makes Jason's story unsettling is how the world around them is changing slowly at first, and then more and more drastically. The government is getting intrusive, controlling. Family members are becoming enemies.
The way the stories are told it's hard to pin down exactly what is being done, we just get the fear and anxiety of the characters. It's very atmospheric, and the way things are kept from the reader makes it feel like a mystery novel.
One of the things I liked is how all the bad stuff happening causes Jason, who starts out as someone who doesn't really think about religion, to start looking for guidance and comfort from God. I thought that was realistic - that someone under pressure would have to turn to something, and in this case it was faith. Michelle, when we meet her, is already religious, and it looks like she has been for a while. In her character's case, I thought the backstory did explain her emotional state as well.
I have to admit that I found the lack of a straight-forward plot frustrating at times. The story often doubles back on itself. Sometimes I just wanted to sit Michelle down and tell her "just the facts, Ma'am." I also have to mention that the book ends on a cliff-hanger. Those complaints are why I knocked a star off of my rating. But again, not my genre, so I might not be completely fair about that.
This is probably not a book I would have thought to read, so I'm glad someone asked me to review it. It's different from my usual reading choices and I did enjoy it on its own terms.
I received a review copy of this book for free. I also have a more in-depth review of it on my blog www.bookhorde.org
July 7, 2014
This is the Authors first book but you would never know it. It is well written, edited and paced. This book follows the story of an American family during their joys and struggles as they go a life increasingly complicated by the outside world. The characters will seem familiar to you because they could be you family and/or friends. I identified with several. There are two friends in the books that grow up together like brothers. I had just such an experience. My best friend was from an extremely dysfunctional household and like the Character, grew up at my house. The family uses their faith as the main coping mechanism to try to work through heartbreaking tragedy. What the author does really well was slowly build in a darkness that appears right on the horizon but only nibbles at you until you are finally engulfed in it. You could call this a dystopian book but that’s not the story. It’s more a family story in a dystopian setting. It’s a compelling read and I highly recommend it.
Read
November 19, 2014 A dystopian novel with a point, Tears of Paradox surprised me at every turn and kept me flipping pages until the very end. The novel is set in America in the not so distant future. Technology is basically the same as current day, but the U.S. government has become increasingly encroaching.
The story is told in first person from the point of view of a young married couple, Michelle and Jason. Michelle is a devout Catholic girl. Jason is much more of a rebel and struggles with vices you wouldn't normally see in a Christian fiction hero. As the government begins to take away second amendment rights and refuse health care to those they deem unfit, Michelle and Jason get caught up in the crossfire. The government becomes especially invasive in regards to childbirth and reproduction. Intrigue swirls as Michelle must hide her pregnancy and Jason and his friends double down on resistance. The story ends on a cliff hanger that made me wish I had the second book in my hands.
The story is told in first person from the point of view of a young married couple, Michelle and Jason. Michelle is a devout Catholic girl. Jason is much more of a rebel and struggles with vices you wouldn't normally see in a Christian fiction hero. As the government begins to take away second amendment rights and refuse health care to those they deem unfit, Michelle and Jason get caught up in the crossfire. The government becomes especially invasive in regards to childbirth and reproduction. Intrigue swirls as Michelle must hide her pregnancy and Jason and his friends double down on resistance. The story ends on a cliff hanger that made me wish I had the second book in my hands.
July 19, 2015
I was lucky enough to receive an autographed copy from t h e author! Daniella Bova is a talented writer who boldly stands for all that is good and upright in our world. I am always interested in reading novels that give a prophetic view of what is to become of our modern society. Daniella does a fine job in creating a plot that depicts a future void of the sovereignty of God. She has great character development, especially in Jason , and writes in a way that engages the reader. The plot does take a while to fully develop and is definitely geared to a Catholic faith based tradition. I wonder how much more compelling the story could be if aligned more towards biblical prophecy and t h e warnings that Christ himself gives for our end times. I guess being one who studies scripture, it tells only the beginnings , a tip,of the iceberg, of what Christ warns.
August 7, 2014
Its definitely a wake up call to what is going on in society today. I can't wait for the next one. I hope I win it too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews