Something Good

I waited with great anticipation for Something Good. I expected the kind of deep women's fiction story I often crave, especially from Christian fiction, and the setup promised that. Plus, I think the premise of Something Good is the type of story we all need to read right now. It might be fictional, but Vanessa Miller's latest (and my first foray into her work) reflects the real world in ways many books don't.I'm going to craft this review backward, because while there are weak points, they don't necessarily take away from the strong ones, and I want you to leave with the strong points in your mind. Something Good is more a 3.5-3.8. The only reason it doesn't get a higher rating is because its weak points persist so much throughout the book.The most egregious weak point is a pet peeve of mine--narrative summary mixed with the explaining, or telling (not showing) of emotions and motives. For instance, Trish will spend a whole page fuming about how stubborn and mean Dwayne is acting, and then in the next sentence it's, "He was always so mean. He never used to be this mean. Why was he acting so mean right now?" Or she'll tell him, "I'm sick of your mess" and then think, "She was done with his mess," or something like that. Alexis is the same way. She'll get mad at Michael for wanting things perfect, wanting things his way. And then for two or three more paragraphs, she repeats her feelings and justifies Michael's behavior because he "has done so much for her and this family" or some such.This brings me to the motives side of the issue. All through the book, I was begging Vanessa Miller, "Stop telling me this stuff. Show me!" Every character had great motives, great potential to be multifaceted, and solid reasons to act the way they did, or to change it. But instead of showing the reader, or developing characters, Vanessa just tells us what we need to know. Let's go back to Michael for one example. Yes, he's a perfectionist. Yes, he doesn't want his secrets out. That's not a new idea; a lot of characters go through that. But it's a great idea for the setup the book has and the kind of family the Marshalls are. I'd have loved seeing that develop in real time. But no, Alexis just tells herself, and me, that over and over.Because of all this telling of emotions, sometimes the characters feel flat or two-dimensional. Worse, they feel as if they don't understand the goals and trajectory of their own stories. For instance, there's a part where Alexis is mad and musing over Michael's inability to accept the idea of mental illness in her family. She's wondering if he would put her son Ethan "away," just like he did with her mom, if Ethan showed signs of mental illness. That's huge, and it's a wonderful jump-off point for a character arc. But what we get is, "That made Alexis sad." What? No! That does not make you "sad." That is devastating. That is an occasion to either hit your knees and plead with God to show you the way forward, or rip your husband a new one--and maybe both!Okay, so you see what I mean. With all that kvetching, what did I like? Well, telling over showing or not, I enjoyed Something Good's characters. They do get a little two-dimensional, but they also remind me of real people. Trish and Alexis stand out of course, as wives and mothers, victims and perpetrators, who are so much more than that. They both put faces to the news stories we click past every night (like, "Oh well, another one, what else is on?") And for me, both Trish and Alexis reflected the face I see in my mirror. I can be both the woman declaring, "Not today, Satan," and the woman yelling at people, "I am sick of your mess" while doing my version of "moving into the guest room." I can be both the woman who knows she did wrong, and the one who's afraid to make it all the way right because of how it affects others. You get the idea.The other characters feel real as well, especially Jon-Jon and Marquita. I'm not disabled in the same way Jon-Jon is (I was born with mine, cerebral palsy, and am ambulatory). But for different reasons, I've felt the way he feels. I cheered for him as he learned to make adult-level, independent decisions--moreover, was expected and allowed to make them. Most disabled characters don't get that, no matter how old they are or how capable they are. As for Marquita, she was both someone I identified with, and someone who convicted me. As in yeah, I know I've judged a server or customer rep as rude when they probably didn't mean it, or assumed that somebody like Marquita didn't care to be respectful, educated, or whatever. (Then again, how would I feel about the world at 19 with a baby on my hip, no diapers, no formula, and no daddy in sight? Yeah, OUCH, dude, in a good way). But I also identified with Marquita because in my own way, I've been the person busting her butt, being nice to everybody, working hard...and still treated as if, because of what I look like, I'm some kind of scapegoat. Again, OUCH, but in a good way.I appreciated how the story went in different directions than I expected. For instance, the mother-daughter thread between Alexis and Vivian is spot-on. It's touching, yet raw. It humanizes mental illness in the best ways possible, without preachiness or pity. It made me crave some chocolate cookie crunch trifle. :) And the best part was, it made me want to hug my own mom.The direction with Kee Kee was a surprise too, and a good one, in that I anticipated it but guessed wrong on how it would play out. In this case though, I didn't mind being wrong, because the fun of a story like this is guessing. I also appreciate that, although Alexis and Michael were able to help Marquita, Kee Kee, and the Lewis family on the road to a better life, it wasn't written as a "white savior" thread, or one that assumed the best way to rebuild race relations is to assume all people of color are in need of some kind of help.The spiritual threads in this book aren't subtle at all, but they don't need to be. That's not because these characters are in the midst of tragedy and suddenly find out they need God, either. Instead, Something Good gives readers the sense that all the characters are on their own journeys with Jesus. Some need to find Him for the first time. Others relate to Him through lenses the majority may not understand (like Vivian's illness). And sometimes, your human efforts to "sing a fruitful song in a barren land" don't work out--because they are human. Sometimes you have to get honest and scream, "Help!" That opens you up to God in a new way, and can help others open, too.As noted, I do wish this book's writing style were much deeper, and the same goes for the characters. I wish more time had been spent on Alexis and Trish's friendship; the book promises this, but they're rarely together. And I wish there were more relationships and growth, racial and otherwise. Because sometimes, yeah, Something Good feels like the familiar story where the white woman is the careless, "bougie" person and the Black people are the victims. That said, again, the stuff that works well here, works great. I want Vanessa Miller to keep working on stories like this, because I know she can improve. In the meantime, this is a quick and easy read, but definitely memorable.

"Something Good" by Vanessa Miller is an enjoyable tale that merges the lives of three totally different women so eloquently that you can't help but see GOD's power in the writing. The prologue introduces Alexis Marshall, an affluent Caucasian lady who is on her way to pick up her 11 year old twins from school. Alexis is near her destination when she receives a text message that sends her into a panic. This event sets the story in motion, and it produces a domino effect of tragic consequences.On the other side of town is Trish Robinson, a saved, sanctified, and born-again Christian who’s struggling with her faith. Her family is in the midst of a major tragedy that has rocked its foundation to the core. The struggles of the family have put a strain on what was once a strong and loving marriage between Trish and her husband Dwayne. Dwayne is a man who is used to protecting his family, so he feels great frustration and sadness as he tackles issues that he can't control.Vanessa Miller is successful at intertwining the lives of these characters. She reminds readers to depend on their faith when times get tough, and her style is subtle, so it doesn't feel "preachy."If you're looking for an inspirational tear-jerker with some surprising twists, I highly recommend "Something Good." It's a perfect blend of white privilege, black love, and strong faith.

I like when Alexis and Trish became friends. I didn't like how Gloria treated her kids. Once finished the book. I realize Gloria had issues. Mental illness is so powerful and real.

I haven’t read it yet, but l always enjoyed the author.

I enjoy the twist and turns within the book and how they constantly rely on God however horrible things became. I like that all the things worked together again for all because of their face in God.

It has been awhile since I read something by this author.As always she never disappoint this story was so good with a great plot and characters.

The book was excited and have a lot of twisted character. Did not expected the outcome of the book. The ending is amazing.

Oh my goodness this really touched my heart. I know the story connected three very different women from different walks of life behind a life altering tragedy, but it made me focus more on inattentive driving. I immediately texted my grandson about the dangers of texting and driving. I pray that everyone who has read this book or reads it in the future will remember this point as well as how God answers prayers in the most unusual ways.