Apr 27, 2017

Pennies From Heaven - Gary Chattman



 
Pennies From Heaven By: Gary Chattman **/***

I loved the story * concept *. It was a delightful and charming story. The surrounding scenery was very well described allowing the reader to visualize what the areas looked like. All of the characters were well described. I was pleased to find story family oriented with strong and loving family bonds as well as having great moral values.

I do have some mixed opinions and strong disappointments in the story as a whole that I will detail later.

In April 2016 we find Aaron Cohen. He is Jewish, 32 years old, happily married to Miriam, with a 3 year old daughter, Rose, that he adores. He is living his dream life, until his life is altered by tragedy. Mysteriously he is swept back in time to 1936!

The story continues through Aaron's life in 1936 [one must live in whatever time and place they exist right?]. Aaron finds a 10 year old negro girl on his apartment doorstep and discovers, to his horror, that her mother has abandoned her! He takes Penny into his home and into his heart. He later adopts Penny. They do face the obstacles of a 1930s racist America. It was unheard of [unspoken of] to dare to have a blended family in the 1930s! I'm glad the story did not dwell on these issues – merely mentioning that they occurred and giving only small examples in the story. Aaron builds a “new” dream life with his adopted daughter Penny. He desperately wants to warn America of the coming Holocaust! Circumstances seem to offer Aaron the opportunity to do so. Then the fates intervene once again.

As a whole, as I mentioned earlier, I have very mixed opinions of this book. I loved the actual story CONCEPT.... BUT...
I did not like the 3rd person writing, nor the author constantly reminding me as in Chapter 3, “you're reading a book”. The author kept interjecting himself into the story and I found it very ANNOYING! At first I thought this book was suggested for Middle School aged children, so maybe the author could get away with interjecting his narration into the story. But I now notice that Netgally lists it's category as Historical Fiction. So, I'm back to annoying and childish narration.

My primary concern with this book, and it's a deal breaker:

I was very disappointed [disgusted] that the author REPEATEDLY inserts his own personal political opinion of the 2016 Presidential candidate [name calling – Trump bashing] into this otherwise charming story.

There is NO place or reason for this in the book! I was so mad and disgusted that I almost threw my kindle across the room!

*WITHOUT* the repeated Trump bashing or the author's very left-biased political opinions, I WOULD HAVE recommended this book for Middle School age children. But NOT as the book is now written! I'm sorry to say I can not recommend this book to ANYONE due to the forced inclusion of the author's UNWANTED political opinions.

WRITE BETTER NEXT TIME. Please leave your political opinions in your own heart.

The story concept alone: Fabulous.
The author's injecting himself into the story and forcing his left-wing political opinion on the reader: EPIC FAIL !

Thank you netgally for the opportunity to read and give my honest review of this book



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