Community - Review - Book Pleasures

Combining corporate espionage, intrigue and murder with poetry, art and the enduring strength of the human soul, 'The Mills of God' is a pleasure to read.

Justin Smith's suspenseful tale is woven around the theme of reincarnation and the nature of corruption. Clever, witty and at times shocking, the novel is set in the not-too-distant future and enters the world of the rich and powerful through the eyes of a teenaged girl who remembers her former life as a middle-aged male.

The novel offers a unique perspective into the world of the protagonist, Constance Fairchild, who is the reincarnation of Richard Steele. Smith engages the reader in the life of a girl who has never really lived her life until her parents die and she is transported from her secluded life in New York to a boarding school in Switzerland, where she meets Monika, who becomes her roommate and best friend. Through Monika, she begins to experience life and meet new people who play pivotal roles in the ensuing chapters. For the first time, Constance can free herself and discover both who she is and who she was in her past life as Richard Steele.

But there is more to this story than the theme of reincarnation. Smith draws us into a mysterious plot of deception, money, corruption and murder, which keeps us turning those pages until we come to the awaited climax. Constance is a poet and through her poetry we get a rare glimpse into her inner world. Lyrical and moving, the poetry elaborates on the themes of the novel.

The novel questions the nature of the soul, and in doing so, makes us question our own beliefs. In examining the soul, Smith also explores the meaning of life, coming to the conclusion that every life is part of a "living tapestry, an artwork of indescribable beauty."

Delving into such big questions can be a daunting task and not every writer is up to that task. It can easily become a sermon or a moral commentary on the world, and although there are aspects of this in 'The Mills of God,' Smith never allows it to be overpowering. It is all beautifully interwoven into the story of this young woman who is fighting to survive while still aware that her physical death will not kill her spirit. While urging us to question our own spiritual beliefs, 'The Mills of God' remains an entertaining read full of lyrical language.

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