Book #62: “Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper

 

Deceptive Calm

Patricia Skipper

 Released: May 2nd, 2023

My 19th book for 2024 was Patricia Skipper's “Deceptive Calm”.

If you've been following along, you're probably wondering what happened to "Fourth Wing".  Don't worry, I read both at the same time.  The opportunity to read this book sprang up, and I decided to check it out.

The book itself is very fascinating.  It follows Vanessa Condon's journey through life along with her friend Trisha.  Vanessa is a light-skinned Black woman raised in a black orphanage in South Carolina.  Her "mother" figure, Sister Roe, is a take charge outspoken Baptist.  

Vanessa meets Barry following a white-supremist attack, as his father takes care of her at the local African-American hospital.  A relationship ensues with some shocking revelations.  As her life moves into adulthood, a series of tragic events leads her to assuming a new identity and starting life over, 3,000 miles away in San Francisco.

Vanessa follows her dream of being a reporter, while Trisha tackles sales on the East Coast in the Washington DC area.  While in San Francisco, Vanessa meets her future husband, a wealthy San Francisco socialite.  Prior to her wedding, Vanessa still holds feelings for Barry despite their now difficult past.

Some issues arise in her marriage, and Vanessa and Trisha must overcome some pretty extreme events to find resolution in an action-packed final that is very satisfying.

The story has many amazing historical facts and figures that would satisfy history buffs.  This is especially true for anything who enjoys South Carolinian history.  Many facts date back to the Civil War-era, and deal with racial movements in the south.

I really enjoyed the story pulling from South Carolina to California.  There were callbacks and subtle nods to different locations and events going on at the time (the legendary Candlestick Park in the 1980's, home of many legendary San Francisco 49er games stood out as one).  There are callbacks to other bigger places, but I love familiarity in what I read.

Side tangent: I've only been to San Francisco once, back in 2015.  I did a cross-country road trip with an ex of mine, and we stopped there so I could go across the Golden Gate Bridge and visit the house from Full House.  I also stopped in San Francisco Park and saw the Painted Ladies from the same spot on the hill that the Full House opening was shot on (guess what I'm a fan of?).  I dreamed of living there as a child, but with all the social issues, crime, and housing costs hurting the area, I don't know if that dream will ever come true.  I plan to return some day for a 49ers game, and to see Golden Gate Park.

The book tackles issues of race, abortion, family separation in realistic senses, while presenting an engaging storyline that picks up as you go.

Here is what I learned:

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• Gordy is an 18-year old bus driver.

• Barry Hale wears a green beanie.

• Trisha Bibbs is the daughter of a marine.

• Sister Rosalie is the only colored nun in the diocese.

• Vanessa is a white girl raised in a black orphanage.

• She has raised Vanessa since she was young.

• Father Kelly is an avid golfer

• The KKK attacks the bus

• Barry’s foot is size 15.

• Cannon St is the only colored hospital in Charleston.

• Dr. Davies graduated from Howard University in Washington D.C.

• Dr. Hale is a Korean War vet.

• “There is truly no such thing as black blood.”

• Pope Pius IX died in 1878.

• The papacy never supported the Confederacy.

• Trisha needs a craniotomy.

• RFK graduated from the University of Virginia.

• Vanessa has never been inside a house before.

• Sister Rosalie has an uncanny knowledge of historical information.

• Trisha’s dad has an airplane collection.

• Southern women know a lot about bad-luck omens.

• Robert Mills was the first professional architect in the United States.

• Sister Roe’s all-time favorite color is Lavender.

• Sister Roe received Vanessa October 10th, 1952.

• Vanessa does not know what an erection is.

• Vanessa’s first sexual experience is giving Barry a handjob.

• Vanessa makes up a story about why Barry’s tux jacket is stained green.

• Vanessa is amazed by the Hale’s house.

• Mrs. Hale puts mint in her ice tea when she makes it.

• Vanessa sees a class differentiation between Barry’s family and her life at the orphanage.

• Vanessa likes to read and aspires to become a journalist.

• Barry plans to attend Harvard. 

• Spades is the Hale family’s favorite game.

• Barry left for Harvard the same day RFK was shot.

• Vanessa and Trisha are accepted into the University of South Carolina.

• By 1865, the Confederate Dollar was only worth $0.015 cents.

• Sister Rosalie makes pancakes every Sunday after Mass.

• Mr. Brant manages WDCA-TV in Washington DC.

• Trisha has a knack for landing oddball accounts

• The coldest winter Mark Twain ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.

• Finicchio’s is the a world-renowned San Francisco nightclub featuring female impersonators.

• The first use of cappuccino in the English language was in a San Francisco work in 1948.

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Overall, this was an amazing read.  I learn a lot of really interesting facts, and loved the locations.  The book resonated with me, had some disturbing elements, but left you feeling satisfied.

Highly Recommended!

On to Book #50: "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros.