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Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
Virginia Heslinga's memoir, Grace Interlaced, explores loss, grief, and healing through faith from personal trauma. Twelve-year-old Virginia combines the role of babysitter and big sister to Mark, Daniel, and Andrew “Andy.” But when a devastating house fire claims Andrew’s life, Virginia can’t forgive herself, and she is unable to understand why God could let Andrew die in the fire. The book recounts the harrowing events and examines Virginia's overwhelming guilt, grief, and the search for redemption through faith and community. The reader is gripped instantly as they are pulled into Virgina’s psyche. As she navigates the chaos following the fire incident, the tension builds through every page. From her strong sense of loss to being asked to identify Andrew’s body at the hospital to the pain of going through the funeral, readers are pulled into the author’s painful inner world.
Virginia Heslinga writes in gorgeous prose and captures a child's emotions in a way that readers can relate to. The author succeeds in building pathos through the deft exploration of her darkness and pain after the loss. Her relationship with God is explored in this enthralling narrative, and Virginia’s unwavering prayers for Andrew create an emotionally charged atmosphere that illustrates the trauma of the experience. This moment encapsulates the themes of loss and the struggle for survival, leaving readers empathizing with her. While the pain of loss might seem central to this narrative, it is a tale of faith, healing, and redemption, and the author takes readers through her journey to finding hope and love. Grace Interlaced shows that God is always there, loving us, even in the most vulnerable moments of our lives. The author provides powerful questions for readers in this beautiful tale of faith and healing.
