K Hanson Uncategorized Book Review: A Wider Universe by Allison Floyd

Book Review: A Wider Universe by Allison Floyd

About A Wider Universe

Gene Shepherd, still grieving his wife’s death, alone in his home after his daughter moves in with her good-for-nothing boyfriend, has grown accustomed to a life of solitude. When he gets a series of unexpected visits from bible-toting Patrick Frye, a young man on a personal crusade for Jesus, Gene must confront not only the pushy young missionary, but the painful past he has been quietly suppressing.
Gene’s nineteen-year-old daughter, Chelsea Shepherd, caught in a destructive relationship, finds herself at a crossroads in her life, unsure of her future, as well as her present. One night, after an argument turns violent, Chelsea flees from her relationship and finds solace, safety, and an unexpected friendship with Swedish college professor Alexander Jansson.
Both Gene and Chelsea must face choices and challenges that will guide them towards their places in the world with the help of some unexpected characters and a major test of faith. A Wider Universe is a story of family, redemption, and one man’s discovery that even the loneliest man is not truly alone.

My Review

A Wider Universe is not the sort of book I typically read. I’m usually more drawn toward action packed fantasy. However, I’m very glad that A Wider Universe caught my eye. It was a great read and shows that the lives of ordinary people make for compelling stories all on their own.

For me, what really brought the story to life were the connections between the characters. Whether it’s the debate between Gene and the Bible-toting Patrick, Chelsea’s toxic relationship with her boyfriend, or the unlikely friendship between Chelsea and Alexander, they all feel real and natural. Each of these also have plenty of conflict to propel the story forward and keep the reader invested in where it’s going.

At the heart of A Wider Universe, I found an uplifting message about how people can make mistakes and lose their way in life, yet they can still find their way home again. Even when I wasn’t reading, I found myself thinking about the characters and where their lives might be headed. It’s an incredibly relatable story and I connected with several of the characters. As someone who values learning and logic, I especially related to Chelsea’s cousin, Danielle, a studious young woman who is studying to go to med school. I saw a lot of myself in how she engaged and debated with Patrick.

As someone who highly values character connection, I recommend that you check out A Wider Universe for a wonderful book driven by very human stories.

Click here to find it on Amazon.

You can also read my interview with Allison Floyd here.