Dad of Divas' Reviews: Book Review

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Book Review - Insight

About the Book
The disappearance of her father, combined with her sister’s strange gift, leaves a young girl feeling disconnected and vulnerable in Diana Greenwood’s moving drama, INSIGHT (Zondervan; $15.99; May 2011). After her father leaves their rural Wisconsin home and goes to war, never to be heard from again, Elvira Witsil is forced to share the house with her grumpy grandmother, oddly special baby sister, Jessie, and disgruntled mother, all without the reassuring presence of her dad. Though Ray Witsil left the family with little money and even less hope, his memory still looms over the broken family—especially for Elvira, who feels partially responsible for his departure.

Elvira never really accepted the sudden arrival of a new baby in the house but was always the one left with babysitting duties while her mother’s famous temper flared and her nosy grandmother meddled. It didn’t help that Jessie either refused to or couldn’t utter a word until she was four years old. And Jessie’s first words are ones she never could have known.

When Elvira discovers that Jessie is a gifted seer, both their worlds collide in a way she could have never imagined. For the first time, Elvira feels connected again to her father and to the sister she has never understood. But when Jessie uncovers secrets about the family’s past, secrets kept hidden for many years, her mother hastily packs up the family and takes them on a journey far from home. Along the way, Elvira embarks on her own personal journey toward self-forgiveness and faith.

INSIGHT is a book that lingers with the reader even after the last page is turned, woven tightly yet sensitively by a promising new name in young adult literature. Offering the compassionate story of how a parent’s love gone too soon crippled one girl’s journey to move forward, Greenwood masterfully details a story of redemptive faith.

About the Author

Diana Greenwood grew up with the Bobbsey Twins, Laura Ingalls, Huck and Tom, the Hardy Boys, Jo, Francie Nolan, and Oliver Twist. She tried to duplicate the adventures of her favorite characters by writing poems, stories, and scripts for summer performances in her backyard. Today, she still has those childhood editions on her bookshelf and spends her days writing stories of young people embarking on life-changing journeys. Diana makes her home in the Napa Valley, where she watches college football, volunteers at her church, and continues to devour books.

My Take on the Book

Talk about intense. This book brings out the harsh realities within one girls' life and what happens when a sister is born into it with special insights on what is to come. This book takes readers on a journey through the depths of loneliness and brings forth concepts of acceptance and love while taking the reader on a journey of discovery as well. A well crafted book and one that I would highly recommend to other readers!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.