When Crickets Cry

I have read a lot of incredible books over the years, but I needed to start the book reviews and recommendations for adult fiction with my favourite Christian novel, that is When Crickets Cry by multi-award-winning American author Charles Martin. First published in April 2006, the story begins with Reese Mitchell, a man who has turned his back on his past life, and like Liam Neeson, has a particular set of skills, which he hides due to past trauma, loss, grief, and unresolved heartbreak. Reese, the reluctant hero, crosses paths with a young girl named Annie who has a heart of gold that is damaged and in need of life-saving surgery. The two characters, both suffering with issues of the heart, go on a journey together towards healing. Set in Atlanta, Georgia, on Lake Burton, the story is underpinned by breathtaking descriptions and imagery. Even years after reading this book, I can vividly recall the stunning scenery and place myself on Reese’s timber dock by the lake.

The cast of supporting characters rounds out this beautiful story, including a whole town of locals who cheer on Annie, and Annie’s aunt who provides the delightful romantic elements that put the sweetest icing on the cake. I particularly love Reese’s brother-in-law, Charlie, who is stoic and unaffected by his own personal tragedy and provides the humorous and delightful comic relief in what is a deep dive into heartbreak that has readers reaching for the tissue box. I normally read for escape—think unicorns and butterflies—but Martin handles the dark shadows in the book with a sensitive touch and beauty that imbues the story with hope and light.

The beautiful layered meaning around the heart is resonant and breath-taking—no pun intended, and the story’s focus on the literal physical organ is just a reminder of the precision of the Master who created it. Combining this with the metaphysical focus on the heart results in beautiful lines such as, ‘The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched; they must be felt with the heart.’ You could easily say this about the book itself and the story of Reese and Annie. And then, of course, there is the spiritual focus on the heart, which underpins all of Martin’s writing with an artless perfection that is rarely seen—never heavy-handed, but real and raw.

Regarding writing craft, Martin’s masterful use of lyrical prose is, to me, unmatched, resulting in a beautiful, emotionally impacting and powerful read that will stay with you forever—believe me when I say, ‘forever’. His apt use of intertextual references to lines from Shakespeare and other texts just adds to the beauty and pulls it into a higher realm of literary art.

Charles Martin has recently been celebrating with his mass followers the 20th anniversary of this incredible novel, which has sold nearly 500, 000 copies. A search on his author Facebook page reveals videos of him filming the dock that inspired the setting for the book as well as the room where he wrote the book—a feast for readers like me.

What more can I say? Well, a lot more, but words will never do this book justice. All I can now say is, do yourself a favour and read When Crickets Cry. This story with a big heart will stay in yours!

Ratings:

Cleanliness: Clean, with romantic elements.
Godliness: Faith underpins the narrative in an organic and authentic way, without being overt.
Content Warning: Contains themes of illness, death, and grief, and includes the portrayal of a young girl nearing death due to a medical condition.