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1.91 AVERAGE
1.91 AVERAGE
The most racist and badly written book I have read so far in my life, the writing style itself feels like this was written by someone who has never read a book in their life. And the author obviously used the backdrop to write as many racist slurs as she could with plausible reasoning (she's racist), and let's just say that every single paragraph in this book is somehow egregiously racist. All of it. Hope no one reads this ever.
The author is an old racist white woman who used the 'backdrop' of the civil rights movement and segregation to write a bad romance novel that is discriminating against, while also fetishizing, while also creating false, historically revisionist class structures.
The author is an old racist white woman who used the 'backdrop' of the civil rights movement and segregation to write a bad romance novel that is discriminating against, while also fetishizing, while also creating false, historically revisionist class structures.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Classism
emotional
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Patricia Skipper delivers a compelling historical fiction novel with Deceptive Calm. Set against the turbulent backdrop of declared martial law in South Carolina, the story follows Vanessa, a light-skinned beauty who grows up in a Catholic orphanage for Black children. After enduring a series of racial traumas, Vanessa assumes the identity of a deceased white baby and moves to California to start a new life.
The novel explores themes of identity, race, and deception as Vanessa marries into one of California's wealthiest families. Her seemingly charmed life takes a dramatic turn when her husband discovers her true identity and plots revenge. The ensuing police investigation uncovers hidden truths and brings down a pillar of San Francisco society.
Skipper's writing is engaging and thought-provoking, with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps readers hooked. The story delves into the complexities of societal acceptance and the lengths one might go to escape their past. Vanessa's journey is both heart-wrenching and inspiring, making Deceptive Calm is a must-read for fans of historical fiction.
Overall, Deceptive Calm is a powerful and evocative novel that sheds light on the struggles of identity and the impact of racial prejudices. Patricia Skipper's ability to weave a captivating tale filled with emotional depth and historical context makes this book a memorable read.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
No specific review
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Summarized writing instead of storytelling. Hard to get into and get hooked until about 60% way in then immediately lost interest until about 80% through the end, just for it to be an unresolved ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
1960s-1980s South with no heed on the terms used back then nor the hate crimes
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is probably the worst book I have ever read. Full review will be shared on Onlinebookclub.org
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was commissioned by Online Book Club to provide an honest review for Deceptive Calm. Ordinarily, I would try to be kind to a book I've been hired to review. That doesn't mean my opinion would change, but I'm hyperaware of the power of one review when there are few. Today, I do not care. I don't think there exists a person on this planet who would benefit from exposure to this tripe.
I hated every moment of reading this book. I cannot come up with a single redeemable quality. The writing was juvenile. The grammar was inferior. The syntax was substandard. The plot and pacing and chronology were all defective. The characterization was practically non-existent. The perspective shifts were jarring. Most of the book was more concerned with quoting Wikipedia articles about Charleston than actually creating an entertaining story. And to top off the shit sandwich: there is no ending. There is no conclusion; the book just ends. The "plot" was technically unresolved. What was I supposed to get out of reading this? How racist old white women can be while trying to white knight for the poor brown people whose trauma they literarily masturbate to?
Patricia Skipper should not have written this book. She does not understand Southern culture. She does not understand the black community or the history of their oppression. She does not know how to appropriately dissect the extremely controversial history of black women passing as white or the violence Vanessa faces in her own book. The man I am supposed to want Vanessa to end up with raped her. Every intimate scene is assault. Every romantic pairing is toxic and disgusting. I don't understand why a book written about a passing black woman spent just as much time detailing the history of the Civil War and a white woman's career in journalism. I hated it! I hate it still!
I selected some excerpts to illustrate just how poorly this book is written.
“Your daughter took a direct hit by an old Charleston brick. I’ve got it in a plastic bag just in case they can get some fingerprints off it.” “Give it to me. I’ll have the military police dust it for prints,” “How do you relieve the pressure?” “Please do not be alarmed, but we use a drill,” “Sergeant Major, this is a common procedure for skull trauma. It sounds much worse than it really is. Besides, we have no choice here. If we do not do it, your daughter will be paralyzed and may die. We will make an incision in the skull and pump salt water into it to break the clot loose. We then drain the blood out through a rubber hose.”
A week later, Barry used his father’s car and drove to Saint Paul’s Orphanage to pick up Vanessa. As he entered through the main doorway, the smell of ammonia permeated the air. The aroma gave the room a very musty odor. The scent was unbearable as he glanced around the room and took it all in. The cracked linoleum floor had an awful black-and-white pattern. Beaten and worn, the shoddy wood below was mostly exposed. The furniture consisted of a worn threadbare couch accompanied by a junky pine table. As his eyes darted around the room, he felt increasingly uncomfortable. A cheap-looking picture of Saint Paul, mounted in a dull wooden frame, hung above the dilapidated couch.
"Wanting to remember everything, she felt excited to be inside a real home finally!"
"Well, I do declare. Till the cows come home, why can’t you talk on the radio?” “The program director said a woman’s voice over the air turns off the listeners.” “Heavens to Betsey, that is ridiculous and absurd! You have a lovely voice.” “At least I don’t get screamed at by the salesmen like Trisha does.” “Till the cows come home, why?”
I notice that Patricia does not mention where she actually grew up in her author bio. This is because she wants you to think she understands anything about being Southern and living in South Carolina. I'm from Georgia. Born and raised in the South. This is not how Southerners speak. This is not even how Southern boomers speak. Patricia does not understand how to utilize basic Southern colloquialisms. Every. Single. One. was misused and misplaced in the narrative.
And Barry IS A RAPIST. An "emotionally excited" one. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
I hated every moment of reading this book. I cannot come up with a single redeemable quality. The writing was juvenile. The grammar was inferior. The syntax was substandard. The plot and pacing and chronology were all defective. The characterization was practically non-existent. The perspective shifts were jarring. Most of the book was more concerned with quoting Wikipedia articles about Charleston than actually creating an entertaining story. And to top off the shit sandwich: there is no ending. There is no conclusion; the book just ends. The "plot" was technically unresolved. What was I supposed to get out of reading this? How racist old white women can be while trying to white knight for the poor brown people whose trauma they literarily masturbate to?
Patricia Skipper should not have written this book. She does not understand Southern culture. She does not understand the black community or the history of their oppression. She does not know how to appropriately dissect the extremely controversial history of black women passing as white or the violence Vanessa faces in her own book. The man I am supposed to want Vanessa to end up with raped her. Every intimate scene is assault. Every romantic pairing is toxic and disgusting. I don't understand why a book written about a passing black woman spent just as much time detailing the history of the Civil War and a white woman's career in journalism. I hated it! I hate it still!
I selected some excerpts to illustrate just how poorly this book is written.
“Your daughter took a direct hit by an old Charleston brick. I’ve got it in a plastic bag just in case they can get some fingerprints off it.” “Give it to me. I’ll have the military police dust it for prints,” “How do you relieve the pressure?” “Please do not be alarmed, but we use a drill,” “Sergeant Major, this is a common procedure for skull trauma. It sounds much worse than it really is. Besides, we have no choice here. If we do not do it, your daughter will be paralyzed and may die. We will make an incision in the skull and pump salt water into it to break the clot loose. We then drain the blood out through a rubber hose.”
A week later, Barry used his father’s car and drove to Saint Paul’s Orphanage to pick up Vanessa. As he entered through the main doorway, the smell of ammonia permeated the air. The aroma gave the room a very musty odor. The scent was unbearable as he glanced around the room and took it all in. The cracked linoleum floor had an awful black-and-white pattern. Beaten and worn, the shoddy wood below was mostly exposed. The furniture consisted of a worn threadbare couch accompanied by a junky pine table. As his eyes darted around the room, he felt increasingly uncomfortable. A cheap-looking picture of Saint Paul, mounted in a dull wooden frame, hung above the dilapidated couch.
"Wanting to remember everything, she felt excited to be inside a real home finally!"
"Well, I do declare. Till the cows come home, why can’t you talk on the radio?” “The program director said a woman’s voice over the air turns off the listeners.” “Heavens to Betsey, that is ridiculous and absurd! You have a lovely voice.” “At least I don’t get screamed at by the salesmen like Trisha does.” “Till the cows come home, why?”
I notice that Patricia does not mention where she actually grew up in her author bio. This is because she wants you to think she understands anything about being Southern and living in South Carolina. I'm from Georgia. Born and raised in the South. This is not how Southerners speak. This is not even how Southern boomers speak. Patricia does not understand how to utilize basic Southern colloquialisms. Every. Single. One. was misused and misplaced in the narrative.
And Barry IS A RAPIST. An "emotionally excited" one. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence