SAVING CICADAS by Nicole Seitz
Nicole Seitz is a writer who never takes the easy path in her novels. She looks for the most effective way to make her point and if this involves stretching the boundaries of regular storytelling then so be it. This was the case in her last novel, A HUNDRED YEARS OF HAPPINESS, and that is certainly the case in her latest one SAVING CICADAS.
SAVING CICADAS is basically told through the eyes of an eight and a half year old girl living in South Carolina. Janie Doe Macy lives with her mother Priscilla, her sister Rainey, her grandmother Mona and her grandfather Poppy. Her father left home when Janie was four years old and has not been seen since.
Janie’s closest ally in the family is her sister Rainey. Rainey is a Down Syndrome child who has special talents. She is seventeen years old and works at the local supermarket bagging groceries. She is also sensitive to Janie’s moods and is the one who brings comfort to Janie when she is feeling down or confused.
At the start of the book Priscilla discovers she is pregnant again. This sends her into a tailspin and she decides to quit her job and just take off. After a few side trips she ends up at the family home in South Carolina. Getting to this point in the plot seems to take forever but once they arrive “home” the book takes off. There are mysteries that are uncovered and solutions that are offered. Janie learns facts about her life that make it impossible for it to ever be the same.
There is a spiritual core that runs through this story. It permeates every aspect of the plot. Seitz is writing a book that points to her belief system and faith. Some may find this offensive while others will find it encouraging. None however should be surprised since the publisher of SAVING CICADAS is Thomas Nelson, a publisher of stories with religious themes.
At times Janie comes across as just a little too precocious for an eight and a half year old. There is however an explanation for her wisdom in the latter pages of the book. Her wisdom, her mother’s detachment, her sense of isolation, and other questions are all answered by story’s end.
SAVING CICADAS is not a book for all readers. It is complex and relies on a leap of faith in accepting portions of the plot. Still the characters are vivid and the book does offer answers to all the questions it raises. Whether or not you can accept these answers will determine ho much you enjoy the book.
SAVING CICADAS is published by Thomas Nelson. It contains 314 pages and sells for $14.99.