“Candle in the Wind” by Ric Wasley Book Review

By Ruth on June 8, 2013 in book, historical fiction, review

Read more about this book on this post. I realize the tour and giveaway are over, but you can find the summary, excerpt, buy links, et cetera there.
Candle in the Wind by Ric Wasley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I struggled with how to rate and review this book for a while. I wanted to be completely honest, but I also needed objectivity in the area of morality. It was a difficult balance, but I believe I can give this a five-star rating. Although there is a definite moral dilemma, I can give this a five-star rating with no qualms whatsoever.

Historical fiction/romance is often quite predictable, and I have to admit that I figured this story would follow suit. This book is anything but predictable. While I was able to hypothesize portions of the story accurately, the author threw enough curve balls to keep me off balance. I have to admit that I figured the story would end differently than it did, but that did not diminish my interest in the book.

In spite of the fact that humor was practically nonexistent in the book, the reader should be able to find multiples instances of mystery, intrigue, war violence, and some unique thoughts on the Civil War. I had not idea there were dissenters in the North, but then again, why wouldn’t there be? In that same vein, I believe it safe to assume that there were dissenters in te South. I found myself so thoroughly immersed in the characters’ lives that I did not want to put this book down.

The morality in the book (or lack thereof) was gave me pause at various points throughout the story. Profanity is included, but most of it is not hard-core (and it is the men who swear). I didn’t relish this feature of the book, but it was bearable. There are no bedroom scenes, but it is clear that people are sleeping around, and prostitution does exist. And this is where my difficulties lie. I considered marking down the book since infidelity occurred (and I wasn’t too happy about it). However, as I continued to consider this issue, I realized that this book handled this situation in a different way. The norm was not to be unfaithful. In fact, it was almost aberrant to cheat on your spouse. Forgiveness and doing the right thing were also expressed. In many ways, this is a picture of redemption, so I decided that the author truly handled the situation well. In many ways, the author has written a more Christian book than the “Christian books” I have been reading in recent times.

So what is my verdict? If you can excuse the profanity, you may find this book entirely suitable for your tastes. And should you be lucky enough to read the book, I believe you will be pleasantly surprised.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

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RuthView all posts by Ruth

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” — Franz Kafka Ruth is an inspirational entertainment journalist who instinctively sees the best in all and seeks to share universal beauty, love and positivity. She is an artist who leads with her heart and gives readers a glimpse of the best of this world through the masterful use of the written word. Ruth was born in Tacoma, Washington but now calls Yelm, Washington her home. She lives on five acres with her parents, a dog, two miniature goats, cats and a teenage daughter who is a dynamic visual artist herself. Ruth interviews fellow artists both inside and outside of the film/television industry. At the core of all she does is the strength of her faith.

Tags: book, Civil War, historical fiction, review

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6 Comments

Ric Wasley June 14, 2013 Reply

Hi Ruth
Thanks so much for the wonderful review.
Every author loves to get 5 star reviews but I was especially touched by the thoughtful and sincere way in which you outlined your thoughts and saw into the main characters personalities and how they wrestled with their doubts, fears and eventual triumph.

Once again thanks for the reading and review!
All the best

Ric Wasley
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  Ruth June 14, 2013 Reply
  
  Ric, it was a pleasure to review your book. I always try to review my books in a thoughtful way (which is why I am often a little behind in reviewing books. It means so much when authors appreciate my hard work! I would be very willing to review any of your books in the future!
Dawn June 9, 2013 Reply

I love historical fiction – especially about the Civil War era. I do like humor, like you, but I guess there wasn’t much to laugh about then.
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  Ruth June 9, 2013 Reply
  
  How true. I love humor, but so many books don’t have that aspect. But I know that life was much harder back then. I do love the Civil War era too amongst others. Thanks for stopping by.
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Kimberly D June 8, 2013 Reply

I love historical fiction!! I’m going to add this to my goodreads list! And thank you for the objective review!
Kimberly D recently posted…Book Review: Catch A Falling Star by @bethvogt {sponsored} #books
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  Ruth June 9, 2013 Reply
  
  I really do try to write my reviews as objectively as possible, and thank you for the comment.
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