RECOMMENDED READING

FEATURING:

Out of Darkness

by

Serena R. M. Jardon

“It was the same feeling each time, as the boy found himself surrounded by suffocating smoke and flames, hardly able to breathe, and a heat that could not be endured any longer.

“And it always ended in the same mind-numbing pain as he was struck to the ground with a crushing pain in his leg and a light seeming to snap somewhere in his vision, in sheer, unbearable agony.

“And then it was all gone and he awoke from the dream to the same total darkness each time, a painful reminder of the new reality that he had to face from now on…”

—EXCERPT from Out of Darkness

Words cannot sufficiently describe how much I prize this story. From its intriguing title to its gripping prologue, it has the ability to at once capture the Reader’s attention, “arousing [our] interest and sustaining it through to the end.” No further description of its contents is necessary; it is sure to delight both boys and girls, and readers of all ages. To Serena R. M. Jardon’s novel, may be aptly applied the following reviews (that always amuse me by being very vague in the way of revealing anything in regard to actual story content, yet at the same time they are filled with such finely-worded high praise!), which have been culled from several early 1900’s periodicals and publications:*

• “The story is well and interestingly told.”
• “A moving . . . story that is both wholesome and delightful to read.”
• “So charming in telling, so Catholic in spirit.”
• “Altogether delightful, graceful and uplifting.”
• “The interest never flags.”
• “. . .Full of human interest, not a dull page in the volume.”
• “The book is interesting throughout.”
• “The interest holds down to the last line.”
• “Full of charm and interest.”
• “The craftmanship is admirable.”
• “Good fiction is richer for its advent.”
• “A notable addition to Catholic fiction.”
• “A genuine welcome addition to Catholic fiction.”
• “A fine novel, worthy of a place alongside of [Fr. Francis J. Finn, Fr. Joseph Spillman] and [Constance Savery, Meriol Trevor, & Jane Shaw].”
• “Not only masterly, but in a certain way masterful.”
• “Depicts to the life with consummate grace and sure art the interplay of love and faith and religion.”
• “The story is told in Miss [Jardon’s] best style.”
• “The plot is absorbing, the style fresh and charming, the development without a flaw.”
• “. . .The plot is well constructed and the characters vividly drawn.”
• “The characters are intensely human.”
• “It is a story of infinite charm, perfectly told and remarkable.”
• “It abounds with her characteristically effective descriptive passages.”
• “It is interesting and fascinating and holds the reader’s attention to the final chapter.”
• “[Out of Darkness] belongs to the class of novels of which there cannot be too many.”
• “In this book Miss [Jardon] has equaled and in some sense surpassed anything she has ever done before.”
• “[Out of Darkness] shows her talent in a new and brilliant light.”
• “A striking story — a distinct addition to Catholic literature.”
• “Among the very best of her [Miss Jardon’s] many good books.”
• “A pure, wholesome, and interesting story.”
• “It is an enthralling bit of fiction. . . .Miss [Jardon’s] talent for character drawing is admirable.”
• “The novel is a timely one and intensely [interesting]. It shows Miss [Jardon’s] genius in a new and vivid light. . .”
• “A masterpiece of sound and color, of light and movement, and of deep and sympathetic understanding.”
• “The narrative is powerful.”
• “. . .A work of art!”
• “Its gripping power is substantial. It is truly a . . . story of heart interest.”
• “This is an excellent novel.”

This “excellent novel” is truly a pleasant read written in a style reminiscent of the above-mentioned authors. From beginning to end, the progression of the story’s plot flows naturally and smoothly. The characters, their way of thinking and their emotions, all feel real. In the midst of addressing such “heavy” topics as suffering and death, there is much good humor throughout. As both an author and a reader, I can only applaud Serena R. M. Jardon’s exquisite composition! To quote yet another oft-repeated phrase of past book reviews, what happened and will happen to the (assuredly interesting) young protagonist of the story’s prologue “must be left to the Reader to discover.” ;o)

Out of Darkness is available in paperback, hardcover, and eBook format at amazon.com.

* Miss Isabel C. (Constance) Clarke (1869 – 1951) — once referred to by Fr. Finn as “the greatest living Catholic novelist” — was the original recipient of these several well-deserved accolades. While her novels are always solidly Catholic in content, among those that I have read, the two that I would heartily recommend as personal favorites would be: Children of the Shadow (#1) and The Rest House (#2).