Saving Cicadas

by Nicole Seitz

"It was about four years ago, the last trip we ever took together--my mother, sister, grandparents and me. Course, we didn't know it at the time. You never know something like that, like it's the last one you'll ever get, till it's just a memory, hanging like mist. This is what happened that summer, true as I can tell it. Not a one of us was ever the same."

Part road trip, part mystery, and completely unexpected, Saving Cicadas picks you up in one place and puts you down someplace else entirely. It's an eloquent reminder that life is a miracle--and even the smallest soul is a gift.


ABA Indie Next Book 2010

Genres: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Southern, Contemporary, Christian, Adult Fiction

314 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Nicole Seitz is a South Carolina Lowcountry native, the author of seven critically acclaimed novels, and editor of a non-fiction anthology. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Journalism, she also has a bachelor's degree in illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design. Nicole is a speaker on writing, art, and faith; she's a painter and has illustrated the covers for her novels. She also taught art for many years at a local private school in the Charleston, South Carolina area, where she lives with her husband and two children. Nicole's latest release, The Cage-maker, is a Southern Gothic historical mystery based on discoveries she made while researching her own family history in New Orleans.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author drew me in with a well told story and then let me down at the end when I discovered this was "Christian Fiction" and had an anti abortion message

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I selected this book thinking it would be an appealing addition to my growing collection of Southern fiction. Nothing in the description prepared me for the overwhelming Christian elements and the heavy-handed anti-abortion message that form the basis for the narrative. Though the characters of Janie, Rainey and Priscilla are appealing and the folksy tone consistent, I was very disappointed by the way Priscilla's dilemma was treated. The talk of God and angels was off-putting and overly simplistic as was the treatment of Rainey's special needs. The surprise twist was so telegraphed that it lost any effect and just served to further increase my dissatisfaction with this book. A more even-handed treatment of Priscilla's choices and a greater understanding of why she made them could have made this a powerful book about the dilemma of an unplanned pregnancy; instead it reads as a shallow and preachy piece of propoganda. Disappointing read- the book description should definitely indicate that this is Christian fiction to help people make a more informed purchasing decision.

[Tee Minn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't plan on reading this book. I was getting books about cicadas for a grandchild, and this was one I reserved. Nice cover, noticed it had larger print and story had 4 generations of family so meant to be. And most of the characters were female which I find myself surrounded by too.

Many of the chapters are told by either the granddaughter or grandmother directly, but the story's perspective is from the granddaughter, Janie, who is eight. The mother, Priscilla, is a single mom with a developmentally challenged seventeen year old and Janie who so badly wants to help her mother's life. She seems wise beyond her years.

I felt comfortable with the setting and the characters and was off to the races to find out what Priscilla would do when she turns up pregnant, again! So this book became a heavier concept than a story about cicadas. You have to go with the flow, but it is thought provoking, genuine and full of secrets and learning lessons.

[Tenna · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this zero stars, I would! The message was so forceful and over the top, I expected an abortion clinic to be blown up at anytime. Why I may agree with what some of the author was trying to say, I do not agree with forcing it down a readers throat. Not as advertised.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Irritatingly contrived in its blue-collar southernness, beating you over the head with pro-life themes. I've read that this is a "Christian" novel, but the first third that I read didn't indicate more than a rather unremarkable appeal to the red-voter anti-abortion reader. Disappointing.

[Aleta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my kind of reading entertainment

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

On sale December 1...
A novel of unconditional love and the freedom of letting go.

When single mother Priscilla Lynn Macy learns she's having another child unexpectedly, she packs the family into the car to escape. Eight-year-old Janie and Rainey Dae, her seventeen-year-old sister with special needs, embark on the last family vacation they'll ever take with Poppy and Grandma Mona in the back seat.

The trip seems wayward until Janie realizes they are searching for the father who left them years ago. It's a journey that will lead them back to the family home in Forest Pines, SC, a place long-dead to Priscilla.

Told through eyes of innocence, Janie learns the hard realities of life and the difficult choices grownups make. And she must face disturbing truths about the people she loves in order to carry them in the moments that matter most.

Saving Cicadas is a powerful story of mixed blessings -- of buried secrets, family ghosts, and discovered hope.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saving Cicadas is told through the eyes of an 8 yr old girl, Janie, whose family is facing some hard times. Her mother has to make a tough decision and Janie wants to help her mother make the right choice. Unfortunately, one of those choices she doesn't really understand, but with the help of her grandparents, she soon learns.

Some reviewers warned against this book because of its Christian content and "anti-choice propaganda". That caused me to read it and I was not disappointed. A charming book filled with colorful Southern characters and a surprise ending make this a book to be read and enjoyed.

Kudos to Nicole Seitz for taking on a difficult and controversial subject.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me absolutely speechless.

At first I was very intrigued by the eight year old girl's perspective of her mom and 17 year old challenged sister. I thought, "Hey, this is different! and Precious! What could be better?"

Eventually i got sucked in, holding my breath through every twist and turn.
And they just kept coming.
If you yell at your books prepare to yell and yell and yell. You may even throw this book a few times. And then you might cry a few times. But thats a good thing right?

[Linda Parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fascinating book. I was completely caught off guard by the twist that gives this story unbelievable, heart stopping meaning. In a world where very little in life is valued as it ought to be, and not enough thought is given to the affects of our decisions - along comes a book that, with delicacy and a sweet child's voice, reminds us.

[elhbenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I couldn't believe the ending! Seitz' voice is great. The 8 year old protagonist's southern voice was believably an 8 year old, but not annoying.
This book addresses the highly debated topic of abortion. I think this is a great book for everyone to read, regardless of your views on abortion.

[Andrew Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a different book for me. My wife read it and insisted that I do also....so I did. Very interesting book.....ghosts, abortion, faith, God, and other.... Interestingly put together with the story told from different perspectives...and it is not until the end that it is all brought together.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is impossible to describe this book without giving away spoilers. At times it is confusing as to what is what. Keep reading; it comes together in the end. I also really like Seitz's other books and it is amazing that each book is so different from the one before it.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

No spoilers here... I was a tiny bit confused in the beginning -- in a way that made me keep reading -- and I sprinted through the second half of this book! I really enjoyed the family mystery and loved the twists!

[Michelle K · Rating 3 out of 5]

So not what I expected....I was thinking it would be more Southern lit, but it was clearly more Christian lit (and not really the best of either genre)
Without giving spoilers, the end made me go back to re-read earlier scenes to see what I had missed the first time through....which is kinda cool.

[Jamie Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!! DIDN'T SEE THIS ONE COMING. KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE BOOK BEFORE STARTING IT, AMAZING, LOVED IT

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, intriguing and plot twisting. There is some fantasy in the book, so don't go into it without letting your cynical nature have the day off.

[Sunshynedaydreamz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book completely moved me on such a personal level.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Amazing story. Read it, but don't read anything about it before you do.

[Nicole C. Ayers · Rating 5 out of 5]

very poignant...and took on the issue of abortion from a voice I've never heard

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was just plain weird. It reminded me of the Anne Hathaway film Passengers, which is nowhere close to being one of my favorite movies. Christian fiction fans can do better than this.

[Jadelynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I expected this story to be about a little girl convincing her mother to keep her baby. It was a pretty boring read overall, but with that expectation in my mind I was able to continue on. I knew it was a Christian novel and I LOVE Christian novels, because they’re realistic and are about people falling closer to God. This was not what this was at all.
The plot twist was unexpected, but it did not make it interesting, it ruined the book. Instead of a realistic story of a innocent child trying to show her mother why she should keep her unborn sister, I got some funky sort of supernatural tale.

[Elizabeth Ramos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Be careful who you recommend this book to.

I don’t normally write reviews but I feel pretty strongly about this book. It kept my attention throughout, although the use of foreshadowing was a bit heavy handed. It’s hard not to spoil anything with what I’m trying to say, but the reader knows early on that the mother is expecting a baby. The story and themes that follow, while interesting, are a bit difficult for someone who has lost a baby before, so please consider that before recommending this book to friends.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

SAVING CICADAS by Nicole Seitz was a very interesting book and I found it perplexing at times. I was trying to figure out the author's world view which became apparent after I read the author's note which followed the book. There is a very interesting cast of characters whose lives are weaved together with finesse and some unusual elements. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to ruin the story for future readers

[Amy Siegfried · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a book that has strong messages/ opinions about abortion but other reviews discussed Christian messages also. My only comment then is that I did not know that Christian religions believed in reincarnation. Part of the family believes in a higher power but that is not unusual given the book is set in the South which in stereotypes in books is not unusual

[Oliver Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Facebook exchange book. It is not of the genre I would have chosen to read. It starts in the narrative as a eight year old child who is way knowledgeable then she should be. The story took a turn you will not expect and took a very imaginative person to write this book.

[Dianne Miley · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAVORITE of Nicole Seitz's books. This story tugs your heart and helps you understand a struggling mother and her children, along with a difficult situation and the decision she faces. Important issues are handled with beauty, mercy and grace.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve seen many reviews about people being disappointed that this was a Christian book. Please the “Christianity” portrayed does not align with the Bible and I hope people will ask questions to someone who truly knows what the Bible says.

[Annette · Rating 1 out of 5]

Number of characters' voices got confusing and muddied for me. A lot of angst. Did not read past a few chapters.

[Susan Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprise!!!
Although I did not agree with the author's stance on abortion, I kept reading and I'm glad I did.