Review: A compelling story of a broken victim's path to recovery.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 16, 2014
I admittedly had a few reservations going into this book. The subject matter wasn't the problem; it was the "new adult novel written in first-person narrative" part that got my guard up sky-high. I read the sample and, to my relief, had absolutely no problem with it. While I wasn't prepared to dislike Salvation, however, I also wasn't exactly raring to love it. My mistake was reading it late in the evening—the urgency to know what happens in the next chapter was inescapable.One thing about Noelle Adams's writing that I love is the simple but fluidly beautiful style. It's mostly because of this that I found Diana to be a compelling narrator and didn't mind getting stuck with her after-the-fact self throughout the book. I never really questioned her actions as she goes down the path of self-destruction because I get *it*—I get her pain and misery and contempt. I didn't need to witness her horrifying experience. Her life, as she once knew it, has shattered. I love how Adams writes her whenever she snaps, when her mind and body seem to be at odds with each other, when she's a mere spectator in her own body. Diana's assault is not explicitly told, but it is obvious that it had two victims: Diana herself, and the undercover agent who failed to protect her.So here comes *my* problem with the book: Gideon. Or, more accurately, my perceived lack of depth of his character. I say *perceived*, because it's actually a direct effect of the POV choice. I know Gideon has at least the mental strength to bounce back, but I want to know more of his motivations. Really selfish of me, yeah. He's with the FBI, but I feel he could've been a lawyer or just another cop or even a fellow for-money captive, and it wouldn't have changed the core of the story. It's all happenstance—he, all protective and steadfast, just needs to be there for the story to develop. I do acknowledge his determination and appreciate that, despite Diana's breakdowns and his not having known her before they were thrown together, he sees her for the strong and brave woman she essentially is, and makes her recognise that woman, too. He has a strong sense of justice, and I like the consistency of his character (that I know of) in that regard, at least.Gideon becomes a huge part of Diana's new "normal" life, so when he does things (one is Diana's own idea) to rock the boat, she panics and regresses. I like how their bond deepens, especially considering how their connection was forged. Honestly, though, I don't think it's wise to have these two broken people together, but I get where they're coming from. They've shared the same experience to a degree, so, in a way, they do understand each other's pain. I just think that clinging to each other creates this sort of bubble with only the two of them inside. Not healthy. Not exactly terrible, but not ideal, either. Additionally, I didn't expect Diana's relationship with her father to be mended, but I definitely wanted some more tension between them. (Well, I suppose that's asking for too much. They didn't have much of a relationship to begin with.)Don't let the warning deter you from giving this a go. Adams deftly handles the issues mentioned; she never writes drama for its own sake, so you don't have to worry about superfluous details or developments that serve nothing but to pad or shock. What you get is the beautiful and heart-rending story of Diana's journey, one in which she struggles with herself the most and wherein time is a blur, and her relationship with the sweet and considerate Gideon, who patiently supports her and gets her right back on track. And I think that in the process of telling us this story, Diana heals slowly but surely, and lets us catch glimpses of her new self: a Diana who is damaged but slowly gaining back her will to live. It shows us that one never truly gets over such a harrowing experience, but that having someone to share the pain makes the burden lighter, and having someone to love and love you in return makes living worth it.