The Reluctant Visionary
The Reluctant Visionary is a suspenseful novel in which a grandmother and her granddaughter believe they can impact the future.
In Datta Groover’s novel The Reluctant Visionary, two women linked by blood but separated by time are afflicted with the ability to see tragedies before they happen.
At twenty-nine years old, Jess struggles to make it as an organic farmer in contemporary Texas. She knows little about her intriguing grandmother, Anna Mae, other than that she died under tragic circumstances, never revealed her grandfather’s identity, and—like her mother, whose recent death Jess mourns—had the gift of sight. Unlike her foremothers, Jess has grave doubts about the accuracy of her visions and about the purpose they serve. She is insecure, impulsive, and fumbling; her decisions alienate the family members she is in business with and the hostile neighbors who want to take her land.
Jess’s issues exist in stark contrast to those of Anna Mae, who operates with self-assuredness despite being seventeen. In Tennessee in the 1960s, Anna Mae is working toward a foreseen future, hoping for independence from her abusive father and neglectful mother. She’s gifted and plucky, if sometimes fooled by her visions. Her confidence is strong. Her story alternates with Jess’s, chapter by steady chapter.
Parallels between the women’s stories arise: they’re both strong-headed, love the land, and have similar love interests (men in uniform who believe in their visions). Anna Mae, because of her time period, has limited options as a young, rural white woman. Jess—single; a woman of color—deals with legal disputes over the land, agonizes over failing crops, and slings banter with others. She’s an oddball in her community but doesn’t seem to crave escape in the way that her grandmother did.
Neither woman worries much about why their visions occur; they accept them as a reality, though they’re unsure of how they should interpret such visions at first. The story is moved forward by their mutual compulsion to act upon what they see. Their decisions are sometimes clumsy and bring on all sorts of trouble. As the story progresses, though, both women learn that their gifts of sight can save lives, albeit in unexpected ways. As heroines, they prove to be unflappable, even when they are challenged.
The book’s secondary cast is made up of family members and neighbors who are present most to further the plot. Their characterizations are limited—with the exception of Anna Mae’s protective older brother, who is vivified well. Others support Anna Mae and Jess as they become consumed by the content of what they see, wondering whether their visions will come to pass. Separated by time, they rush toward dangerous endings—conclusions that feel inevitable.
Featuring unexpected heroism, The Reluctant Visionary is a suspenseful novel in which a grandmother and her granddaughter believe they can impact the future.
Reviewed by
Brandee Gruener
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
