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Silhouette
Seventeen year ago, Leah and Garrett's four-year-old son was abducted. And for seventeen years they've been searching for him. Now, with their emotional and physical resources exhausted, Garrett feels that they need to face reality - Austin is never coming back. But Leah can't let go, and her obsession with finding Austin takes a terrible toll on her relationship with her husband and their two daughters. The family is on the brink of collapse. Then a stranger appears who changes everything - perhaps not for the better. Compelling and stirring, Silhouette is a story of love, loss, and redemption, with real-life parallels that will affect the reader long after the last page is turned.
234 pages
First published January 1, 2008
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 22, 2008
A Mormon soap opera novel, not very well written. Sappy, but sometimes I like sappy.
October 18, 2021
3.5 stars. I liked the story line - a heartbreaking healing scenario One thing that had me wanting to yell at the characters was the overuse of “you’re judging!” then it popped up a few more times before the end of the book. I was confused at why Jesse would be so antagonist against “Mormons” at first- I could see maybe being distrustful of people in general due to his background. I liked the real life messy progression of the characters
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2022
3.75 stars. I flip flopped so many times while listening to this book about how I felt about it. I would get annoyed with how the characters were behaving then how quickly that behavior changed. The story line was at times a bit too far fetched. However, it did end well and there was a great message of forgiveness multiple times throughout the story that was nice to hear.
October 13, 2020
Okay. That was a great book. I wish it would have ended with him giving them the gift of being called Austin, but I am not the author. I personally think that would have made a better ending.
The book was predictable, but it was actually okay.
The book was predictable, but it was actually okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2021
Good book. Very preachy. The writing was not as polished as some I have read. But I did like the book anyway. Was about a boy who was abducted at the age of four and finally found 20 years later, by accident.
June 19, 2017
Great read. It doesn't turn out the way you expect it to.
December 13, 2021
Not my kind of book. I felt for all the characters but could not relate and didn’t really like any of them. The subject matter is also one that is disturbing to me. Again, not my kind of book.
June 5, 2012
I think LDS fiction is a genre by itself. It has its own set of tropes and expectations that are just built into the fabric of what it is.
Most of the stories deal with very poignant truthful problems like loss (of children, parents, faith, love, etc.) or suffering that is alleviated in the end through prayer and repentance. This is not a problem, inherently. The problem is that most writers understand that those are the tools they are working with but have no idea how to make a good story out of it. Some of them know how to tell great stories but have very little writing skill.
Where Silhouette fails, for me, is the fact that it is so unbelievably unrealistic. The scenario in the story is about a family dealing with the trauma of their 4-year-old boy being kidnapped. Now it’s been seventeen plus years and they’re still looking. When a young stranger shows up in town sporting the same handicap as their son then you can probably guess where the story goes from there.
Which is where the problem lies. There is very little conflict or danger (physical or emotional) in this story. Many times we are told that a character is upset and within a few pages the upset is resolved. A character will make a bad decision and, instead of building a plot around it the author chose to fix it before ending the chapter. This wouldn’t be so bad except it happened over and over. By the end I was hoping that there would be some kind of a cliché plot to tie it all together but even that was missing. Every little setback gets resolved immediately.
Miss Cratty seems unable to grasp the basics of what makes a story. The writing is adequate but the storytelling is decidedly subpar.
Most of the stories deal with very poignant truthful problems like loss (of children, parents, faith, love, etc.) or suffering that is alleviated in the end through prayer and repentance. This is not a problem, inherently. The problem is that most writers understand that those are the tools they are working with but have no idea how to make a good story out of it. Some of them know how to tell great stories but have very little writing skill.
Where Silhouette fails, for me, is the fact that it is so unbelievably unrealistic. The scenario in the story is about a family dealing with the trauma of their 4-year-old boy being kidnapped. Now it’s been seventeen plus years and they’re still looking. When a young stranger shows up in town sporting the same handicap as their son then you can probably guess where the story goes from there.
Which is where the problem lies. There is very little conflict or danger (physical or emotional) in this story. Many times we are told that a character is upset and within a few pages the upset is resolved. A character will make a bad decision and, instead of building a plot around it the author chose to fix it before ending the chapter. This wouldn’t be so bad except it happened over and over. By the end I was hoping that there would be some kind of a cliché plot to tie it all together but even that was missing. Every little setback gets resolved immediately.
Miss Cratty seems unable to grasp the basics of what makes a story. The writing is adequate but the storytelling is decidedly subpar.
January 25, 2012
I think losing a child would be the most devastating thing that could happen to a mother and would probably make a difference with everything else in her life, including how she raises her other children. Even though Austin is taken at age 4 and Leah the mother searches for him for 20 years, the novel doesn't show the decay of relationships or explain why it takes so long for everything to fall apart. It makes sense that there would be changes, but when the novel opens, everything seems fairly normal and then all of a sudden there is chaos. Many coincidences have to be accepted as possible that I would question and there are red herrings everywhere, including the title, that are never considered. There are gaps in time that are irregular and strange and seem to be only convenient for the writer. I think the subject matter and the characters were reasonably well written so I wanted to finish the story, but would have enjoyed it more with better editing.
February 14, 2011
Seventeen years ago, Leah and Garrett's four-year-old son was abducted. And for seventeen years they've been searching for him. Now, with the emotional and physical resources exhausted, Garret feels that they need to face reality--Austin is never coming back. But, Leah can't let go, and her obsession with finding Austin takes a terrible toll on her relationship with her husband and their two daughters. The family is on the brink of collapse. Then a stranger appears who changes everything--perhaps not for the better.
I really enjoyed this book which had many twists and turns and subplots. I can only imagine the horror of having your child abducted. It was interesting to see how each family member dealt with it -- anger, rebellion, obsession or passivity. A good read by an LDS author.
I really enjoyed this book which had many twists and turns and subplots. I can only imagine the horror of having your child abducted. It was interesting to see how each family member dealt with it -- anger, rebellion, obsession or passivity. A good read by an LDS author.
February 22, 2012
The most terrible nightmare a parent can have is losing a child. For seventeen years Leah and Garrett have live with this tragedy, their four-year-old son Austen disappeared one cold December night. Expending their energy, time, and resources without finding Austen, they discover their are failing their two daughters and each other. When they family is working on healing their relationships a young man comes on their radar that could just possibly be Austen. An interesting story about the love parents have for their child, about being consumed by a tragedy, and the problem of a lost child not knowing he was lost.
April 14, 2017
This story is about a couple with two daughters and a son who was abducted when he was 4. The story is 17 years later and showing how family members were affected and their constant search for their son. I never got bored reading this book, however most of the characters bothered me a lot. Leah especially. I know losing a child would be extremely painful, but almost every time she opened her mouth I was annoyed. I think Claire and Garrett were the best characters. It was interesting though and reading the part about exactly how he was abducted made me feel so sad and scared. I learned a few lessons from this book and overall I did like it.
July 26, 2008
In my mindless summer reading quest, this one fit right in. It was simple and quick and fairly entertaining.
The whole issue of finding an abducted child after they're completely grown was new for me. I haven't run across it before, but somehow the whole father as a counselor and knowing just how the situation should be handled (admittedly he didn't always do it) seemed a little contrived.
Entertaining enough for a summer read though.
The whole issue of finding an abducted child after they're completely grown was new for me. I haven't run across it before, but somehow the whole father as a counselor and knowing just how the situation should be handled (admittedly he didn't always do it) seemed a little contrived.
Entertaining enough for a summer read though.
July 3, 2009
Ward Bood Group 06/09. This book really gave me a lot to think about how tired we get with kids, how fast they can disappear and be taken. Also the effect it has on other members of the family. The effect on the child who was taken at such a early age. The day after reading this book my 2 year old granddaughter wandered off at a soccor game. Talk about panic we did not find her for at least ten minutes. Wow did this book come to life.
May 5, 2012
Losing a child in death is one issue. Having a child abducted is a totally different issue. No closure. When do you quit waiting for him to come home? When do you quit looking for him? This book examines how that can affect the rest of the family.
This is an LDS fiction, but not a sweet and satisfying romance. It's a family drama. There's a lot to it, but in the end it resolves satisfactorily.
This is an LDS fiction, but not a sweet and satisfying romance. It's a family drama. There's a lot to it, but in the end it resolves satisfactorily.
September 22, 2009
This story was like an emotional roller-coaster. I wanted to slap Leah and hug Garrett. There can't be anything much worse than losing a child. I loved Claire and Jesse's love story, and I appreciated Jesse's coming to terms with who he really was. Prayer and putting the outcome into the Lord's hands can be healing and powerful.
July 15, 2008
I had a hard time putting this down. Seventeen years ago a four year old boy was kidnapped. This book deals with the problems and feelings of guilt, facing reality, holding on or letting go, obsession. A family ready to fall apart. Priorities, Judging others.
October 17, 2008
I enjoyed this book. It was your typical LDS fiction book with a mystery to solve and a tiny bit of romance thrown in. (These books are predictable and follow a similar cookie cutter mold, but I do enjoy them.)
March 7, 2011
I started the book last night & couldn't put it down. I just stayed up all night reading till I finished it. It was good. Lots of twists & not real predictable. I enjoyed it, yet it's a mother's worst fears. So that might be what kept me so intrigued.
October 9, 2011
A touching story about a family who has a son/brother abducted at age 4. The actions of the charactors were what I feel could be pretty true to life. Has a great good feeling end (which I always like). Shows that books can be good and hold your attention without violence, smut or swearing.
June 11, 2008
It was a good book, kept me reading and was entertaining. She could have done more with it, added more substance, feeling, but it was good.
July 29, 2008
This book was awesome!!! I loved it. I would so read it again. And I recommend it to any LDS members who love mysterys.
July 25, 2008
This is an LDS fiction. Even though it has a sad subject and I was near tears many times (and I don't cry easy), I couldn't put this book down and read it in one day!
September 3, 2008
It was a good quick easy read. Enjoyed it.
October 23, 2008
Never - ever give up!!!
April 14, 2009
I liked how this book shows you how our Heavenly Father truly leads us in the right directions. I know it's fiction but I can see how he could lead this family and friends in the right direction.
June 4, 2009
Again, another book that I don't have to worry about the next page. I enjoyed this one.
March 19, 2011
This was super fast to read it was VERY Predictable and didn't have any twists.
May 13, 2011
Started out too "pat", but the ending was a real tissue-grabber!
June 27, 2011
Book on CD.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews