Endorsements

“A Return to Meadow Wood” was a challenging read for me for a few reasons. I had a bit of a tough time becoming invested in this story, and found myself wondering what the point was for a good portion of the beginning… It doesn’t seem to really have a ‘hook’ until quite a ways in, even though we know Jack is struggling internally, I just felt kept at an arm’s length from the emotions. While the prose itself is quite lovely, it takes too long for us feel invested where we just *have* to keep reading to see what will happen next. I do appreciate what the author was trying to do here, and think his message was a very good one. I liked all the characters, form Jack to Jhonny and Doc and Mattie and even Leroy (and all the others). But once I really got into the story (maybe about ½ way in) things turned around for me and I felt myself connecting more. The storm scene was quite powerful, and the war scenes very authentic feeling, as is Jack’s struggle with depression and PTSD. This is a book that will appeal most to fans of religious/historical fiction and is takes place in the recent past and has a strong message of Christian God’s love and power. Layla

“A Return to Meadow Wood” by Sam Rawlins is hands down one of the most original and well-crafted and beautifully written novels I’ve read in a long time! I was completely drawn in from the intriguing opening pages, and absolutely loved the author’s use of description of the different scenery and locales, and his excruciatingly careful attention to detail. We feel transported not only into Jack’s head, but the places he’s been and his experiences in Vietnam, and it was an interesting… and at times quite haunting… escape from reality. This novel covers so, so much it’s impossible to sum up, but it felt like I was reading several slices of real life and the ravages of war as told by a character who is relatable and believable. The supporting cast is all complex and relatable in their own way, and it was interesting to see how it all tied together in the end. A powerful message of healing and letting go and finding strength and guidance with God. An epic literary feat, to be certain, and unlike anything else I’ve read in a long time. I was really impressed with the writing and the profound message and would recommend this book with the highest of praise. Laura

This book, “A Return To Meadow Wood” by Sam Rawlins seems to have something of everything… seriously. Interpersonal struggles, faith, friends and relationships, life and death danger and situations, deep issues that people face, but I thought the background of the Vietnam War and having PTSD and the spiritual turmoil tied together nicely in such realistic way, and all these events just felt so relatable even to someone who has never experienced any of it firsthand. I was impressed by the seamless narrative transitions, and while I’m not usually a fan of dense prose with little dialogue for stretches, it didn’t bother me here much as I enjoyed Mr. Rawlins’s beautiful writing. Always found myself reading for longer than I planned to, as there was never a good place to just “stop”. This is good too (especially towards the end). This novel will probably appeal mostly to people who are Christian or religious as there is definitely that message here, but more than just that it is extremely well written and makes me feel and think. Recommend for fans of literary fiction and religious historical fiction. Jason Thackery

I am of somewhat mixed feelings on this novel, “A Return To Meadow Wood” by Sam Rawlins. On one hand it is brilliantly written with some of the most interesting and compelling characters I’ve read in a long time, and I liked how each of them had their own unique set of circumstances, especially Jack who we watch grow throughout the story. But on the other, at times I felt almost like this book was too much at once, and seemed to lose focus of the point and kept going off in different directions. I feel like it would have been better if it were shorter and more focused, with fewer subplots. But that is just my opinion, other people may disagree. I just like to feel like I’m reading 1 book at a time, and with this one I often felt like I was reading 3. It feels more existential and surreal at times, and if I put the book down for any period of time I found myself having to re-read the section before to figure out what was going on. At times the prose is lovely, other times it is overwritten and needs better editing. So an interesting and unforgettable read with a powerful message of Faith and God’s love and hope, just not without its issues for me. Steph Coleman

“A Return to Meadow Wood” by Sam Rawlins is an excellent novel that captured my attention from the beginning, pulled me in, and never once let go. Each scene was riveting, imaginative, and flowed smoothly from one to the next… and even though this is a very ‘literary’ novel, there is never a “dull part” where you get bored or want to skip ahead… in fact almost the opposite with the various interweaving plotlines and going from one crazy event or character to the next. From the flashbacks to Vietnam, to the ravaging twister of ’89 to the various characters we meet, the descriptions were very strong, and I mean with Rawlins’s word choice… strong and powerful…almost mesmerizing at times, even when describing dark subjects. I felt like I was genuinely inside Jack’s head experiencing the world through his eyes, for better or worse. Such a moving message of God’s love and finding faith in His grace through the harshest of times. I would love to read more from this author in the future. He has a natural gift for creating a well-thought out story and developing deeply memorable characters with a strong, profound message of faith. Recommend. Sherri

This book was surprisingly good! Once I started reading I didn’t want to stop until I’d finished the whole thing, but obviously that was impossible because this is one dense, epic tale! (even though it’s not very long) It was all I could do though not to rush it… this isn’t a ‘quick-easy beach read” by any stretch, but more like something you sink back with for a while and let it take over your soul. I enjoyed the author’s “voice” and style of writing. The various interweaving character plotlines were intelligent, well-developed and not predictable, and the element of PTSD was a new angle for me that opened my eyes and gave new appreciation to what people have been through. The characters were all genuine and interesting in their own right and well-written, and my only real complaint was at times the pacing was too slow and I found myself yearning for more conflict. But things change toward the end (with the twister) and we are swept up in the action. I still enjoyed this book more than I was expecting to, mostly due to the lush, lyrical writing style of Sam Rawlins, the clear message of spiritual faith, and the remarkable character development. I’d certainly love to read more from him soon! Recommend for older readers because of some sensitive scenes with war/violence. Darla

First, I have to say that I don’t normally read books like this, but I was looking for something a little out of my comfort zone and this book sounded intriguing. Well, I am most certainly glad I took the chance on Sam Rawlins’s “A Return to Meadow Wood”! This was a captivating novel and very impressive for a debut (at least this is the only book by this author that I could find). There is such strong, vivid writing, and the characters are all fascinating, and flawed, and going through their own transitions, especially the main character Jack Holden. GREAT character development with him, (even when the developing situation is rather sad) and everything just felt “authentic” for lack of a better word. Dialogue, interactions, scenes, descriptions…In all honestly this is a very different type of book that I think people will be surprised how much it can touch your soul on different levels – from asking profound life questions, to facing personal demons, to meeting ‘guardian angels’ who can save your life journey…. This book is literary, but there is also plenty of action with the war stories and the huge storm that seems to be a great metaphor for Jack’s life. I really liked how it’s different from most books I’ve read that were also “spiritual”, and although it might seem religious, I believe that it will certainly appeal to a wide audience. Some proofing issues and some tough scenes, but all in all I found it to be a very good read that I’d recommend even to those who don’t normally read this sort of thing…try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised! CJ