E AC0-Book ( )

I am not a big fan of Christian Fiction, though, I have come across a few that have a good story without feeling like the religious part is being forced on the reader. This is one of those books, that don't force it on you, but make it clear that it is there. I enjoyed the author's way of sharing the story, as a first-person view, as if they were sitting down and telling you face to face (plus added details like exact conversations, etc.). The main character has AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration) which I know nothing about, except how it is described in the book. I found it a bit odd that there was as much detail regarding the settings, since the person supposedly had a 'gray cloud' centered in their vision constantly. Either way, this character eventually has a hallucination (for lack of better word) that they interact with several times throughout the time frame of the story. Why it Huck Finn, I only guess due to events in the story (read it and you will see what I mean).

Character development was a bit lacking, and sometimes I felt I couldn't tell why the author included certain events that happened - as in I felt it did not help any for the story, but word count only. Clean, decent read for anyone looking for a general fiction quick read. ( )

I have had Seeing Things on my Kindle for a while now. When I finally had a break between review books, I dove into this sometimes quirky, all the time touching story of family. Patti Hill has a different way of seeing things from other authors, and for that I am thankful. This contemporary novel explores the way families interact — with hurt feelings and rejection and love and forgiveness. Birdie had a lot to teach, but also a lot to learn, and so did I. If you like contemporary family drama, make sure you check this one out. It is also FREE for Kindle Unlimited!

Characterization is key in Seeing Things. Birdie Wainright is a great character. She is a very active and vibrant senior citizen who lives with her age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with graciousness and style. When a fall puts her in the middle of her son’s semi-dysfunctional family, she is relegated to the guest bedroom. But in typical Birdie-style she puts both feet (one good/one injured) into the middle of the mix. Other characters — Andy her distracted son, Suzanne her sometimes passive/sometimes aggressive and always stressed daughter-in-law and Fletcher her angst-ridden teenage grandson — are all ripe for intervention with varying degrees of success. And you will love the supporting and supportive cast of housekeeper Lupe and The Bats, other women living with low-vision realities. And did I mention the imaginary character of Huck Finn? He plays an important role in the ultimate healing of the family.

Even though I had a bout with (mercifully temporary and partial) blindness early on in my journey with Multiple Sclerosis, I never had to deal with a world in which glimpses of clear vision are marred by a gray fog. Birdie’s AMD was an eye-opener for me! (Please excuse that really bad pun.) But what Birdie couldn’t see, she trusted by faith in God. Her prayers for her family, or as she put it, lowering them through the roof to reach Jesus, are lovely and loving. One particular prayer for Suzanne shows the real-life struggle to pray for those who are our enemies. It is also laugh out loud hilarious!

Seeing Things has been out for a while (2009), but still a great read from Patti Hill. I rank this one highly recommended and a good bet for book club discussions!

Highly Recommended! ( )

Unfortunately, my review of this book will be a little biased (and probably not my best review). This is not the type of fiction I normally gravitate to, but I thought I'd give it a chance.

What I liked about the book was the narration, which is first-person. I felt that the main character's voice really came through and very distinct - the author did a good job of convincing the reader that Birdie was real. The reader also gets to know her pretty well this way. (For example: "I'm on my way to looking like Buddha, and I don't care one lick".) Right away, just through Birdie's narration, I could tell that she was older and southern.

The dog, Bee, is well characterized. It made me want a dog.

Unfortunately, I have to admit that I was very off-put by the Christian themes and undertones. I cringe when I read a line like: "God shaped the Grand Tetons with the power of his Word. No overcooked potato chip evokes that kind of awe".

I might recommend this book to my mother. I'm going back to Chuck Palanuik. ( )

I requested "Seeing Things" because my grandmother has macular degeneration and I hoped to gain some insight into "seeing" the world through her eyes. I got much more than I bargained for since the book also has a religious bent. However, the main character is engaging and believable and the religious aspect of the novel just seems to go with her personality without being too preachy. This is definitely not my kind of book, but I have to admit that it was heart-warming and somewhat enjoyable. ( )