Reviewed by phyllish on
I read both of these books when they first came out, and preferred the first book, Prairie (I just might have read it two times in a row). Having now re-read Highlands and experienced the gamut of emotions it elicited in me, I am dying to re-read Prairie because I can’t imagine how it could be better than this one!
It is difficult to pick a genre for this book. Perhaps Speculative Fiction fits it best. It isn’t a typical Fantasy book, and yet it deals with the fantastical. It is a “What if you woke up in a foreign world that seems so similar to the one you know, and yet isn’t?” situation.
Told from Tony’s perspective, Highlands walks the reader through the first year of his life in this new world. Being in a place where his dad is not around to dictate every moment of his life causes Tony to mature and to see who he really is. He struggles to shake off the negativity and feelings of worthlessness from his upbringing. And yet, part of his growth was seeing the role that he played in his father’s perception of him.
The spiritual lessons in this story are poignant. The people of Highlands have a deep relationship with the Lord and a unique way of looking at things. I love the way the author used color-blindness to reflect a person’s lack of contentment. After all, doesn’t discontent cause life to lose its color?
Be warned that this book is not just a Journey of Dreams, but an emotional roller coaster that will have you smiling and oohing and then wiping tears away. It is a book that should be read slowly so you can savor it and not miss a word.
This review was originally posted on AmongTheReads.net.
This review was originally posted on Among the Reads
I would like to thank Celebrate Lit for giving me this copy of the book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- Finished reading
- 30 May, 2018: Reviewed