Out of the Shadows

by Kimberly Carlson

Overview

After a devastating loss, Jamie Shire accepts a mysterious live-in job with an equally mysterious employer in the wine country of northern California. At Fallow Springs Estate, Jamie struggles to understand what her employer, Akasha Duvall, wants of her and who Akasha really is. As secret after secret unravels within Fallow Springs, Jamie discovers healing by addressing the suffering of others. Beneath an African sky, among the Darfuri people, whose land and loved ones have been violently ripped away, Jamie finds the strength to reclaim her life and the courage to step forward into her greatest passion. Suspenseful, heartbreaking, inspiring, and deeply moving, Out of the Shadows both surprises and satisfies, vividly immersing the reader in wrenching, yet uplifting human experiences that take place in worlds apart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780984991808
Publisher:	First Snow Publishing House
Publication date:	06/12/2012
Pages:	395
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.80(h) x 1.00(d)

Editorial Reviews

Tragedy turns into triumph in Carlson's debut novel about a young woman who regains her self-confidence after multiple losses and years of dejection. Before readers meet 28-year-old Jamie Shire, she has already hit rock bottom. Jobless, she drinks away her days on her best friend's couch as she wallows in loneliness. Among Jamie's troubles: Her mother died when she was a child, the only man she ever loved wouldn't reciprocate, her unborn daughter died, and she continuously feels rejected by her father and brother. After a chance encounter with a wealthy woman at a coffee shop, Jamie accepts a live-in job researching philanthropic causes at Fallow Springs Estate. Reaching out to the house staff and eventually working with Darfur refugees afford Jamie some valuable context for her own pain; she's able to gain confidence as she learns to stop fearing rejection and start pursuing her dreams. Throughout the novel, the author skillfully creates mood. In the beginning, when Jamie borders on depression, her emotional touchiness and oversensitivity will create an uneasy feeling in readers. But as Jamie slowly regains confidence, readers will also feel increasingly optimistic. Alongside the main character's emotional struggle is the struggle faced by Darfur refugees, although this plotline doesn't advance too far; yet details from Jamie's trip to the refugee camp in Chad--the types of beer served at the aid workers' bar or a depiction of a young refugee sitting blank-faced and tied to a pole because he might run away--effectively transport readers to faraway places. Jamie's story will interest readers, but, with a weak ending, the story leaves many unanswered questions. Who is Jamie's wealthy employer? Does Jamie's work in Chad help anyone but herself? And what of the conflict Jamie feels between herself and the refugees, between the haves and the have-nots? With so many minor questions left unanswered, Carlson's captivating novel proves to be more about the journey than the destination.

Kirkus Reviews