A Journey, a Reckoning, and a Miracle

K.J. Fraser
O Books (2009)
ISBN 9781846942068
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (5/09) 


K.J. Fraser’s “A Journey, a Reckoning, and a Miracle” is a bold, brave and beautiful book. If one wanted to get familiar – or more familiar – with the American reality, culture and beliefs of the early 21st century, “A Journey, a Reckoning, and a Miracle” would be a good place to start. A word of warning to the staunch Republicans though – you most probably won’t like the story. But then, denial is a common state of mind nowadays…

“A Journey, a Reckoning, and a Miracle” manages to weave together three seemingly unconnected stories and shows the reader how very interconnected we all really are. The first story follows Lucy, a seventeen-year-old Rapture believer, who’s on a personal quest, or better yet, a pilgrimage. Her intent is to honor the dead, those that died in senseless, violent episodes, such as the Columbine massacre or the Oklahoma City bombing. Joined on and off by friends, old and new, she bravely discovers much more than she set out to. The second story, possibly the most chilling of them, deals with Judith, an Iraq War veteran, who made it home alive, but left behind all four of her limbs as well as her eyesight. With the help of her wonderful family and a special young man, Joseph, Judith rediscovers happiness and finds joy again. The third story introduces us to a fictitious, but eerily familiar George Bush, who at the time of the story is no longer President of his country. Living on his Texas ranch, he is suffering from horrible nightmares. With the help of several very interesting visitors, including Mother Nature, Machiavelli, zombies and more, he slowly realizes his past mistakes, faces the lies and gets ready for apologies and atonement.

“A Journey, a Reckoning, and a Miracle” will remind the reader of the horrors and mistakes of the past, but it will also reinforce one’s belief in the inherent greatness of the United States of America. Above all, it will strike the chord with all those of us who firmly believe that one of the biggest treasures we have here are our people – no matter the race, religious affiliation, age, wealth or any other “defining factor.” America is filled with great people – and a few bad apples are not going to spoil this barrel.

Read “A Journey, a Reckoning, and a Miracle” by K.J. Fraser with an open mind – even if you do not agree with all of the observations, you should be able to appreciate the astute observations and the quirky sense of humor. Add to this the bravery displayed by the main characters – yes, ultimately all of the main characters are shown as brave – and you have a clear winner on your hands.

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