Until The Deep Water Stills

Innovative and engaging.

Author, Michael Dyet, has written a tantalizing tale which is further enhanced by internet interaction of the reader. I read this ground-breaking novel in two ways to get the full impact. First I read the book just as a traditional novel. Then I went back and read the book, using the author's website and his suggested readings, which added dimension to the story and genuine human qualities to the characters.

The first chapter draws in the reader as it introduces two of the five main characters featured in this gripping book. Jayce and Katherine (Kat) have a heated discussion because she no longer wants to be a stay at home Mom and wants to go back to work. Jayce settled himself on the dock needing time to decode what had just happened. "I'm feeling fenced in." The words rattled around inside his head with the hollow knock of things left unsaid. It was impossible not see that she was unhappy. How unhappy was the critical question. If she went back to work she would be out of radar range. She might begin to believe that she could live without him. The couple is also dealing with the possibility that something could be wrong with their 15-month old baby.

Next we are introduced to Bryan and Grace. Grace is Jayce's sister and husband to Bryan. Recently they lost their daughter, Sarah, from an accidental drug overdose at a rave party. This seems to be the inmost event which has caused several lives to spin out of control. The question lingers, is love ever enough?

Enter a social activist named Faith that touches each of these characters in different ways. She seems to have the knack to bring out the strongest personality traits in people.

The most engaging thing about this book is how real it seems, especially as you read each of the characters journal entries (on the internet). It is as if you are sneaking a glimpse into the most private parts of a person's life, showing how fragile and tenuous life really is.
I was reminded time and again, through Mr. Dyet's writing, how everything we do affects someone else's life. Those things we do may seem small, but the thread that connects all of us and the synchronicity of our lives is unmistakable.

The well developed characters and the effectively told story, not to mention the striking book cover, create a book that I would highly recommend to others. Michael Robert Dyet has set a new bar for authors. His unique approach to the written word infused with internet enhancement may well be the literary wave of the future.

Reviewed by: Donetta Garman, Allbooks Review

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