Book MYView: Seeing Things by Patti Hill

Birdie Wainwright, 72, isn’t concerned about seeing things that others can’t. For a woman who still climbs mountains with her dog (Miss Bee Haven) and likes to tango, the impractical visions brought on by macular degeneration are just another gift from God, adding more adventure to life. But when a tumble down the stairs breaks her ankle and leads back to her son’s home in Denver where she must convalesce, Birdie’s imagination really takes flight. Following a conversation with her grandson about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, she begins to see and speak with the unkempt literary character himself on a regular basis. As the line between reality and whimsy turns brittle, faith is tested among friends and loved ones, and hope is reborn.

Seeing Things is a story about family, reconciliation, and hearing from God in unexpected ways. (B&H Books, 2009)

MY Thoughts: You all know how much I love and miss my grandparents so it shouldn’t come as a surprise I enjoy stories featuring elderly characters. After getting over how much I really do hate the cover to this book, (I know she's sitting down, but it looks like she's hanging from the tree) I fell right into the storyline, enjoying every minute of Birdie’s adventure living with her son and his family. Of course, I enjoyed her relationship with her grandson the most. It touched me how close they became. In addition, there’s romance. Yes, older folk need love too so even though it wasn’t a huge part of the story, it reminded me of my Grandmother's "love" life years and years after Grandpa died.

The only part I didn’t like was the times Huck Finn appeared in the story. Initially I felt it was an unneeded addition to the story until I found out that people with mascular degenerative eye disease report seeing things as Birdie saw Huck. Who knew?

I’m unsure if this story will appeal to every reader. I read this with a friend of mine who didn't enjoy it as much as I did. She claims there wasn’t really anything going on. Well! I beg to differ. LOL. I thought a lot went on. Reading is so subjective. Oh well, you can’t win them all.