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One Perfect Day: A Novel

Lauraine Snelling
FaithWords (2008)
ISBN 9780446582100
Reviewed by Jeneke Lesak for RebeccasReads (12/08)

Lauraine Snelling’s novel "One Perfect Day" details how the lives of two families collide under tragic circumstances, but with a hopeful outcome.  It is written from the mothers' points of view, both hoping for the “perfect Christmas”.  However, when one mother’s son is in a near fatal car crash, she and her husband must make the difficult decision to take him off the ventilator and donate his organs.  His heart is given to the daughter of the other protagonist, allowing her a chance for a new life. 

Snelling uses this story as a platform to express her Christian beliefs.  The book is targeted for audiences of all ages.  If Christian inspirational prose is your cup of tea, then this is the book for you.
           
Snelling’s central message is that God is always here for us in times of need.  When we are in such times of desperation, like the loss of a child, it is easy to turn your back on God, but he is still there.  The world will keep turning even when tragedy strikes, and even though a period of grief is expected, it is important to keep looking forward and live the life that God gave us.  Snelling is certainly successful in carrying out her message.  However, this message becomes slightly repetitive, as it is presented so often throughout the book.  Perhaps, Snelling feels that the situations of her characters deem the right to introduce this message in every new person that comes along.  In doing so, the characters appear slightly one-dimensional.  The writing, at times, is repetitive and too detailed with so many minor events of daily life included that they seem like filler.
           
While this novel has an appealing storyline, I only give it three stars, because of the redundancy.  Sometimes, less is more, and I think, had Snelling held back a little more, the message of the story would still ring strong and true.  I was drawn to finishing the story and discover what would happen in the lives of the characters.  I did come away with a sense of hope, and I believe this is what Snelling wants to achieve in her readers.

 

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