In my last post, I said that I planned to look into other books by Michelle Shocklee after being so taken with Appalachian Song. I’ve certainly done so– since then I’ve finished two more and started a third! If you haven’t heard about this relatively new name in Tyndale, she’s worth looking into at the local library or bookstore. I would be especially likely to mention her to someone who loves Cathy Gohlke, as the writing style feels similar to me.
Count the Nights by Stars is a dual timeline story centered around the lives of Priscilla and Audrey–one a young woman living in 1897, the other coming of age in the early 1960s. Each has ties to a famous Nashville, Tennessee hotel called Maxwell House. Sound familiar? It’s the real-life namesake of Maxwell House Coffee. (“Good to the last drop!“) The choice of setting was masterful on Michelle’s part– the hotel is a fascinating location, saturated with colorful history and events from which she could easily propel her story.
Priscilla visits the Maxwell with her family just before the turn of the Century, when Nashville is brimming with all the excitement of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. I relished being whisked away into the wonder of this incredible event… 200 acres of discovery, with everything from a literal recreation of the Parthenon to a giant steel see-saw ride that fit 20 people at a time and propelled you several hundred feet into the air!
In the 1960s, Audrey gathers clues from Priscilla’s Centennial scrapbook and slowly pieces together what unfolded all those years before. Both young women are coming of age in their respective timelines; Audrey is maturing in how she views her autistic little brother and the death of her mother. Meanwhile, Priscilla’s eyes are opened to the need for Christ’s mercy and help to be extended to women trapped in the prostitution industry of her day.
While I really enjoyed both female leads, and adored the setting, the dialog and plot felt a bit stilted. Conversations, especially ones about faith topics, sometimes came across as unnatural to me. The storyline was somewhat simplistic, if solid. In some ways, I was reminded of old black and white films– the bad guy is overwhelmingly bad, the mother is spoiled and aggravating in an exaggerated way, and there’s a bit too much telling versus showing. But, like many classic movies, this book is also wholesome and warm. Since Count the Nights by Stars came out earlier than Appalachian Song, it’s possible that Shocklee just needed more time and practice to grow into her writing talent. If, somehow, she ever read this review, I’d hope she would take the criticism as constructive and know that I still think there is a lot in this book to praise.
One last thought… what is up with all the similarly titled “star” books in Christian Fiction lately? I really can’t keep them straight anymore. There’s Counted with the Stars by Connilyn Cossette… Hidden among the Stars by Melanie Dobson… and I’m pretty sure both are Tyndale books, as well. If you’ve read this, tell me your opinion of the title and cover. Do you think they suit the novel?
God bless, and happy reading!
a page out of her book 