Emory is a deadbeat mom whose teenage daughter was found murdered. Hixon believes God is calling him to marry Emory and sets out to obey. Set in small-town Texas in the 1970's (though the latter isn't very clear beyond racial attitudes), this is the sequel to [b:Daisy Chain|4347236|Daisy Chain|Mary E. DeMuth|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348831699s/4347236.jpg|4395171] and alternates between Emory and Hixon's third-person perspectives. She plunges into apathy, self-blame, and despair; he wavers between dedication to his calling and frustration at Emory's distance. As for the plot ... well. See above.

There's a potential for greatness hovering inside these pages. The prose is occasionally overwritten but mostly a pleasure to read. The author depicts Emory's pain with startling brushstrokes of realism. Her drug addiction, her loss of Daisy, her self-hatred, her perspective of futility--Christian fiction is often reluctant to address such things, but Ms. DeMuth doesn't hide from them. And the result doesn't come across as cloying, judgmental, and/or naïve. Emory's struggles feel true.

However. Almost nothing happens. Literally, almost nothing. The majority of the book transpires in the characters' heads. Entire scenes pass without any external action whatsoever. I've never read another novel with so much interior monologue. And in many other scenes, the action amounts to Emory or Hixon going for a walk, eating a meal ... The novel's title is unfortunately accurate.

Even in the mystery of what happened to Daisy, it seems almost nothing new is revealed (I haven't read the first one, so I can't say for sure). This appears to be one of those trilogies in which the first book poses all the questions and the third gives all the answers. The middle book can't help but be dissatisfying without a standalone plot, or in this case, without a plot at all. ( )

This was a book I wasn't even sure if I wanted to read, especially since I hadn't read the first one yet. Something about it made me keep reading even though I didn't especially like Emory. I like Mary De Muth's style of writing, especially with the short chapters and change of Point of View. I suppose I'll have to find the first and third book now. ( )

I loved this story just as much as I loved the first, Daisy Chain. Even greater character development, more suspense...I'm dying for the third book in this trilogy to be released! I plowed through this book in two days. I didn't want to stop reading it and I didn't want it to end. ( )

In book 1 we met Daisy and Jed, two children who seemed older than their years. Daisy had her life planned-she was going to marry Jed and have a family. Then Daisy went missing. Book two is the continuation of the hunt for Daisy and her discovery, and how the discovery effects the characters in the book.

I didn't like it as much as I did the first book, but it is much better than the third book of the series. ( )

I read an un-put-down-able book last night, and the strange thing is, I’m not even sure if I was meant to have picked it up yet. It’s called “A Slow Burn,” by Mary E. DeMuth, and according to the publisher’s website (Zondervan) it doesn’t come out until October. But Mary was kind enough to allow me to be an “influencer,” so I received my copy early, and once I’d opened it—well, like I said—I couldn’t put it down.

The story and characters drew me in right from the start. The protagonist, Emory Chance, is waiting for the police to knock at her door with the worst kind of news. A single mom, and not the most friendly of people, she’s left to identify her daughter’s body and organize a funeral, while creditors demand payment, the landlord threatens to throw her out and neighbors stare.

With past and present colliding in her emotions, Emory bounces between Angus’s offer of drugs and Hixom’s promise of prayer. The writing style, with beautiful, powerful prose, anchors the reader with stunning descriptions of place and memory, seamlessly weaving the tale together.

The book cover, with its fiery red sky and moody shadows, is a perfect fit. And the author draws the balance of light and dark, hope and despair, belief and denial quite beautifully. From Catholic burial to disapproving preacher to laughter to messages from God, the reader is pulled through the gamut of faith and finds it strong and powerful in the strangest places.

I closed the book feeling uplifted and enthralled. The novel is part of a trilogy, but its story comes to a satisfying conclusion. I’ll look forward to reading parts 1 and 3, and I’m sure they’ll be wonderful. But this book, A Slow Burn by Mary E. DeMuth, is a wonderful read on its own. ( )