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reneesmith's review against another edition
5.0
A memorable story of friendship, love, loss, faith & duty. Both thrilling & heartbreaking.
Once I started this book, I could not stop reading! So glad I opened these pages.
Though not Christian fiction (the soldiers speak like “real life” soldiers, etc.), this story has a strong faith element that, for me, added depth to the choices & sacrifices.
My favorite quotes:
“Maybe hope is the only lasting change one human can give to another. And for the first time in my life, I have hope. You gave that to me.”
“Faith isn’t really faith until it’s beat up and put through a fire. When you’re crushed, you feel like you’re dying. But you’re actually coming to life. When you’re broken, that’s when the best of you comes out.”
“The point of life isn’t to quench our thirst, it’s to realize we’re thirsty for something that we can’t find here . . . Maybe this is faith . . . Maybe faith was having the humility to scream at God and the audacity to get up off the floor.”
“Maybe that’s what made a memory powerful. Not that it happened once, but that it happened over and over again on the screen of your mind.”
“Jesus was with his disciples and he got word from Mary and Martha that one of his best friends, Lazarus, was sick. And this is what blows my mind. It says, ‘Now Jesus loved Mary and Martha. So, when he heard Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days’ . . . Doesn’t that seem strange? He loved them, so he waited? When I think about love, I think of someone jumping on the first plane to come see me when I’m in trouble. But by the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has already been dead for four days. Four days! He’s already in a tomb; Jesus missed the funeral.” She paused, letting that information sink in. “And when Jesus finally arrives, Martha doesn’t say, ‘I’m so sorry you missed the funeral.’ No. She says, ‘If only you had been here, none of this would have happened.’ She’s basically saying, ‘You could have prevented this, but you didn’t.’ It’s faith mixed with total confusion. ‘I believe, but I have no idea what you’re doing’ . . . Martha’s prayer is one of the most honest, raw prayers I’ve ever read in the Bible. ‘Lord, if you had been here, none of this would have happened.’ It’s her cry from the trenches. And Jesus doesn’t get angry with her. He doesn’t walk away. He cries with her.”
kusyuvasi's review against another edition
5.0
I believe what Wendy tells Avery towards the end of the book is so true: "The point of life isn't to quench our thirst, it's to realize we're thirsty for something we can't find here."
smit1286's review against another edition
4.0
Chronicling the ups, downs and everything in-between, this moving account of womanhood and friendship at West Point (and beyond) truly captivated me. It was at times heartfelt, honest, inspiring, tragic and beautiful. It’s clear that Claire Gibson has spent a lot of time thoughtfully reflecting on what it means to be female at the USMA (she has some experience, growing up at West Point, where her father works). I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. Most of the almost 500 pages float along in the blink of an eye. Though I wouldn’t necessarily label the book Christian Fiction as some reviewers have suggested, there is definitely talk of Christianity in the book - just a heads up if that sways your decisions about books one way or the other.
deniser821's review against another edition
3.0
This novel about 3 best friends who first meet at West Point and continue their friendship beyond college. Normally this is the type of book that I love, but I felt a little impatient with it. It is almost 500 pages long and the characters were not evenly developed. I felt like I knew Dani and Avery but the character of Heather wasn't delved into as deeply. It surprised me when I heard the author say in a podcast, that Heather was most like her because we never learned her deepest fears or insecurities. She was, in my opinion, a privileged and innocent girl who had a perfect family. Maybe it was because the author based the character on herself, that she was unable to reveal anything deeply personal about the character. A tragedy occurs toward the end of the novel and I didn't have an emotional response because I wasn't invested in the characters. The cover of the novel annoys me as well since it doesn't' accurately portray the characters. Dani is black and Avery and Heather are both blondes. Why couldn't they find a women that looked like the characters?
kdjellouli's review against another edition
5.0
I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did given the military themes, but I REALLY enjoyed it. The storytelling was really engrossing and the characters who narrated it were all fascinating, although I took a particular liking to Avery. But I highly recommend this book. Don’t be scared by the page count, the font is pretty big and it’s easy to get absorbed into the story.
fwlichstein's review against another edition
2.0
This book is Christian chick lit. If that’s your thing, you’ll like it. It really isn’t my jam. This genre isn’t something I’d ever pick up and now I know why. It’s fine, nothing spectacular despite the large number of 4 and 5 star reviews.
soliveri718's review against another edition
3.0
This sat on my shelf for a long time and I'm sorry that it did. The story follows three women as they journey through their school years at West Point and then what happens with their lives in the short years after. Different perspective on women in the military.
jamheck's review against another edition
4.0
i enjoyed reading the perspective of women at west point, and the story in culmination was good, but the actual writing and timelines left a bit to be desired.
madisonpkelley's review against another edition
5.0
"Duty, Honor, Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be and what you will be" - General Douglas MacArthur
This is an amazing story about three women from different walks of life coming together at West Point during 9/11 and following their lives after.
It was really nice reading a military book centered at West Point and in the Army from women's perspectives.
You'll read about female courage, friendships and the hardships not only being women in the military but one being a woman of color.
"Maybe hope is the only lasting change one human can give to another"
This is an amazing story about three women from different walks of life coming together at West Point during 9/11 and following their lives after.
It was really nice reading a military book centered at West Point and in the Army from women's perspectives.
You'll read about female courage, friendships and the hardships not only being women in the military but one being a woman of color.
"Maybe hope is the only lasting change one human can give to another"
jann319's review against another edition
5.0
This book was definitely more than I had expected. A story of life long friendships built on the tradition of military service. The three women this story is built around are all brought to West Point for the same thing, to play basket ball. But upon diving into their back stories, basket ball is just a part of why they each seek refuge in the tradition of West Point. How these friendships evolve over the years and how they become stronger through tragedy will make this book one of your new favorites.