The Silent Partner

I adored this book from the first paragraph. Her intro really set the tone for the book. I couldn't tell if it was one of the stories or something actually written for her beloved readers. I love the illustrations. As I read on, each story seemed to be dreamlike, musing as well as submerged in one of the deep layers of reality. Prose was amazing. One of my favorite stories was The Prize Fighter. The metaphor for him was lovely. The stories really take me out of myself in a great way.

This is a collection of moments, stories, and epiphanies of the author. They read partly as catharsis for her and partly as gifts to the reader. Though the delivery is personal, even intimate, a remarkable lack of ego in the writing made for a reading experience I can only describe as clean or pure...without feeling sterile.

I requested this ARC because I'm drawn to spiritual/soulful insights, journeys, and awakenings. I suspect that author Juliet Castle and I are headed for the same destination and for that, the book was enjoyable. However, our starting points and terrain are very different. I'm a like climber taking a different approach to the same summit. The trail map of her journey has little practical meaning to my own - and sometimes didn't even make sense - much as I suspect my own trail map would be for her. Reading, however, with simple camaraderie of spirit, with respect and appreciation of another's path, this is a beautiful collection of moments.