The Hearts Voice by Arlene James

The Hearts Voice Reviews

• 
  Anna Marie

  I feel badly, having to do this. Mostly I've loved Arlene James' books. But this one... ((sigh)). I'm hoping it was because it was written in 2004 and she hadn't honed her writing skills, yet.
  
  First, it's twenty years to a military retirement. Dan would've had to be a *minimum* of thirty eight to retire. And retirement is NOT the same as a medical discharge. You don't get retirement pay for discharge, only for retirement. He might get military disability, but NOT retirement pay, unless he conveniently lost his hearing at exactly twenty years' service... which is highly unlikely. My dad got early retirement at 15 years in 1993, but only because Clinton was closing bases and they needed long-term enlisted to move it out. Even that was only offered to those at 15 years or more, and in a special circumstance. So no... this doesn't jive.
  
  Second, even seasoned Deaf people can only catch 28% of what they try to lipread, according to
  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti.... People NOT born deaf are at a 12.6% comprehension rate. So that this guy - who has only been deaf for EIGHTEEN MONTHS - is getting every word people say to him after less than two years' without his hearing is impossible. There's no way he could follow what they were saying, lip-read sermons... even if he tried to. My daughter got her certification in ASL interpretation, and we have been exposed to a LOT of information about this. Lip reading isn't the way to go... at least not without ASL to accompany it.
  
  Even in 2004, cochlear implants were becoming commonplace, so Dan's situation - especially funded by the government - wouldn't even exist. He would've been given the implant and done training to hear in a new way. Even Leah from the nationally acclaimed 'Signing Time' DVD series got a cochlear implant (in 2004, ironically) and now hears/speaks. Those who can't are usually brain damaged, or so adamantly ensconced in Deaf culture that they don't WANT to hear, because it sets them apart NOT to hear. Dan wouldn't fit that profile... he would have the implant.
  
  And the things Arlene has him lip-reading...!! "Belled by the cat, eh?" I'm sorry, but a HEARING person wouldn't even be able to figure that one out! Frank sitting on the sofa, telling him about cattle cross-breeds? He couldn't possibly understand by merely lip-reading, for the love of Mike! It's ridiculous.
  
  As for the story: Dan is back in town, fixing up the house he's inherited from his grandmother. Having nearly finished the project, he's about to begin redoing the apartment over the garage, when Becca approaches him. She needs a fix-it man to fix her basically condemned house.
  
  The fact that he agrees to even TRY to fix the mess is preposterous. There's daylight coming in the walls, no foundation, holes in the floors, the porch roof falling in, no cabinets or cupboards in the kitchen... HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? The house obviously had them when it was built - where did they go??!? We have no idea.
  
  But if the wiring's bad thru the house, there's no insulation, half the walls need replacing, the roof is falling in... and she has $2K to her name? NO. I'm sorry, he wouldn't bother. The more logical answer would be for him to move her to his grandmother's house, and take the apartment over the garage for himself. It. Makes. No. Sense. There's NO WAY that anyone could fix up that house - it needs to be raized. It's dangerous for a toddler and baby to be living in.
  
  Additionally, there's no way she could afford to feed him brisket - *I* can't afford to feed my family brisket, hello. That's ridiculously expensive meat for someone with a part-time grocery store clerk salary. Speaking of, there's NO WAY she could do the baby immunizations, well-checks, and feed her family, pay electric/propane/phone, buy groceries, AND save money on a part-time cashier's income, not even in a small town. She's GOT to be on welfare and Medicare and who knows what else... and she's feeding him BRISKET?!!? And renovating a house? Seriously?!
  
  If it's THAT bad, she should sell the land and move in with Coby's parents. But she's NOT being a good steward, a good mom, a good friend, or a good anything. It's... the whole thing... it's a hot mess.
  
  While I'm on the topic... HOW exactly do you tie a baby in high chair with a dishtowel? Have you ever seen a dishtowel? It doesn't fit around a chub of a baby, let alone a baby AND a high chair. I... can't even.
  
  Then...? TORNADO! Which wipes out the entirety of his work/money HE put into fixing the place. And weirdly her house is wiped out, and her in-laws' place is ripped apart, but Dan's house in between is naturally just fine... AND THEN he moves them in and takes the apartment.
  
  WHICH IS WHAT SHOULD'VE HAPPENED
  IN THE FIRST PLACE.
  (((ugh.)))
  None of it makes sense.
  
  Also... knowing a tornado hit his town, wouldn't his family come out to be sure he was okay, that the family home was all right? Wouldn't HER family come when they heard that her house was levelled to the ground? Where are the parents?!??! None of this makes any sense. His mother cares if his shirt matches his eyes, but doesn't rouse herself to visit after a major tornado hit?
  
  Dan has to have a new truck with special needs gadgets, and he goes to town directly after a massive tornado rips thru, demands his needs be met in three days, chucks money at people, and walks away. What is that?! In a time when a LOT of cars are needed because of the crisis... that's pretty crappy.
  
  The writing is weird in this one, too. It says Jemmy 'piled' out of the car. Multiple kids can 'pile', but one...? The definition is to 'accumulate in mass, to move a group'. It... doesn't work. There were several odd wordings like this that made no sense.
  
  And I hate saying all of this about an Arlene James book. Mostly I've really enjoyed her books. But this... is very badly done. The writing isn't her greatest, the story is barely believable, and the characters are such a mess... I really wish I liked it, but the book made that impossible.
• 
  Parparak Pink

  This book was so heart warming and touching. It made me to have a new look at my life and be thankful to God for all he has given me or hasn't. It was a book all about God thoughtfulness and kindness and forgiveness. He is truly forgiving for all his forgiving all these sins we do and all thanks we forget to say to him. His heart is always open to us and he's always been looking after us. This book is a masterpiece that moves the heart and opens eyes and heart. All of us are perfect, even if not in the eyes of others, but in our god's eyes we're all his children. It's up to us to do what we have been born to do. I loved it and recommend it to all.
  
  
  
• 
  Janet Evans

  A sweet love story....
• 
  Smilinhere

  The Heart's Voice by Arlene James
  
  Interesting story about moving on through challenges and hanging onto God, your faith and your family. A mom struggling after death of her husband, staying strong with two small children, enjoying life with minimal "stuff"
  
  Inserts from the book:
  Foolish notion, she told herself. No child of God was ever hopeless. She was proof of that. .. He'd come just when her faith in her ability to provide a stable home for her children had begun to waver. She couldn't shake the notion that the timing had been right for him as for them. Hadn't he said he needed to be needed, to know that his life had purpose & value?
  
  Her faith had not been misplaced. God was already giving her direction, options. Thought and prayer would surely reveal the best course in due time. In the meanwhile, she had only to remember that God, not --- , would ultimately work out everything.
  
  Father, thank you for the reminder the world contains as much beauty as difficulty. Troubles bring us wisdom, so thank you for them, too.....
• 
  Karen

  I enjoyed this book very much. Simple love story but with an inspirational message.
• 
  Veronica

  Cute book. Worth a read.
• 
  Rebekah Tooley

  A good and clean book. This book brought forth some good messages in the end.