Leona Harper and her family experience many emotions and twists, from shock to pain to a determination to live to the fullest. Leona’s journey comes full circle to a place of hope and second chances. To me, this story is a reminder that God’s all-knowing plan is always there, intended for your good and His glory, even through seasons of pain and uncertainty. I’d be happy to point out which of you is a Bertie or Roxie!
If any of ya’ll read this and are curious, just ask. (If you’re an old soul, you’ll really love them, too! Especially ones referring to Robert Redford or something that’s “slicker than snot”! Ha!) The quirky supporting characters fittingly remind me of some people in my own church and circle of friends. Ok, now it’s time to talk about the humor! Lynne’s “southern humor” hit the mark with me! Especially with a few little sayings and witty pop culture references I’ve come to appreciate from Lynne. This technique expertly works for the story’s humor and timing as well as revealing the heart of Leona, David, and Maddie at key points. For all POVs, the third person narrative sometimes switches to first within the same paragraph in an internal dialogue sort of way. Their experience and secondary storylines all mesh to paint a bigger picture of what’s going on and how each person deals with the complexity of the situation, giving the reader a new perspective of empathy and understanding. Within the story, sometimes the point of view changes from Leona to that of her son or daughter, David and Maddie.
A “home”, of sorts, with mismatched loved ones. All of them combine to display the blessing and care of a church family. Some fiercely in Leona’s corner, some more antagonistic, all of them work to steer the story and reveal how God takes care of people in unexpected ways. The “friends” and supporting characters of this story are endearing, to say the least. To say the least, it was a little therapeutic for my own heart to read Leona’s story. It exposes how everyone deals with grief or shock differently while emphasizing that it’s perfectly OK to be different. I believe the way Lynne Gentry recognizes the grief process in a gentle and understanding way, shading it with humor, speaks of her personal experiences as well as her ability to relate to the reader through story. I personally identified with the situation and characters because I have had a similar unexpected loss in my family. There were moments delicately handled with humor that otherwise could have been a little “dark” or sad due to the story circumstances. Before I talk about the lovable characters, I want to address the way grief is exposed in this story. I really, really liked this story! It was a great combination of funny and serious. Walking Shoes is a refreshed story from Lynne’s heart drawn from her own experiences as a pastor’s wife.
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