Weekend Writing: Reviewing Karen Kingsbury's "Angels Walking"

"They were ready for the mission, anxious for the battle. It was time to begin." - Karen Kingsbury, "Angels Walking" 

This excerpt is the final two lines of the prologue to Karen Kingsbury's 2014 novel, Angels Walking. One could think the title is a metaphorical title, but it's not. In Heaven, a decision has been made to send two members of an Angels Walking team on a desperate mission. In Kingsbury's perspective, angels are assigned to missions on Earth--to help lost individuals in their journeys. When angels walk, most people never know. But, they are here and ready to work.

(photo/pinterest.com)

The mission is to save Tyler Ames. He was a one-time national baseball hero who sacrificed everything to make it to the big leagues: his relationship with his high-school sweetheart, Sami Dawson; his relationship with his parents; and, his commitment to his faith. He's working towards the big leagues when he suffers from an explosive shoulder injury while pitching for a game in front of a Cincinnati Reds scout.

He's fired from his current team, loses his health insurance, and he's forced to move out from his apartment when he can't pay the rent. One wrong pitch causes Tyler to hit rock bottom, and he's not sure how he'll ever recover.

One paramedic, Beck, tells Tyler to hang on. "This isn't the end, Tyler. It's the beginning."

Little did Tyler know that Beck is a walking angel sent to help him on his recovery. Beck directs Tyler to a maintenance job at a retirement home in Pensacola, Florida, where he will eventually form a friendship with Virginia Hutcheson, an elderly woman with Alzheimer's Disease.

Before Tyler entered Virginia's life, she would repeatedly try to leave the retirement home to find her son, Ben. When Tyler steps into her room to clean the floors, she mistakes him for her son. Her daughter, Cheryl, confirms that Tyler resembles Ben. Therefore, it makes perfect sense why Virginia is convinced Tyler is her son.

Through their interaction, Tyler helps Virginia. She gains more of her memory. Prior to meeting Tyler, Virginia couldn't remember her daughter's name. She couldn't remember that her husband was no longer living. When Tyler talks to her (in her eyes as her son), she remembers more of her life.

At the same time, Tyler bonds with Virginia. She has become a mother figure to him. He has forgotten what it was like to have a relationship like this. Tyler is returning to his faith and slowly realizing that there is more to his life than baseball.

To me, this is the heart of the novel. Tyler cares about Virginia and wants to be there for her in every way possible. She answers the questions he so desperately needed. He eventually returns home--reunites with his former girlfriend, Sami, and reconnects with his parents. These are miracles.

And it's all because of the team of Angels Walking who took on the mission to see hope restored for Tyler, Sami, Tyler's parents, Virginia, and even Virginia's daughter, Cheryl. And at the end of the novel, Tyler realizes Beck was right: His injury wasn't an end.

It was a beginning.

Karen Kingsbury (photo/Goodreads.com).

I loved reading this book. My grandmother had Alzheimer's Disease, so I was immediately drawn to the story. While I was rooting for Tyler when he was recovering from his injury, I was most affected by his interaction with Virginia. I think it's so special for her to slowly regain her memory--and it's all because of Tyler. She thinks he's her son, but that's okay. Tyler doesn't mind.

My grandmother never regained her memory and I wish someone could have helped her the way Tyler helped Virginia. It's truly a miracle. The thing I love about Angels Walking is that it's realistic. People have Alzheimer's. People struggle in life while following their dreams. People decide to end their relationships in order for someone to pursue a career. Athletes get injured--and this one injury could end their entire careers. People find faith again when it's least expected.

This is real. This is life. Karen Kingsbury is known for writing "Life-Changing Fiction," and this is an accurate description. I cried while I was reading this book, and that hardly ever happens for me. I was so connected to these characters. I wanted the best for them as though they were real people. I felt like Virginia was my grandmother. I'm not going to spoil the ending because that would be cruel, but I was attached to Virginia. I loved seeing Virginia and Tyler's relationship blossom. She always told Tyler that he didn't have to be perfect.

She said, "Perfect is God's job. You'll live your life a lot happier if you stop trying to be perfect. Do your best for Jesus. When you fall short, He'll carry you. The way He's carrying me right now." 

A quote from "Angels Walking" (photo/pinterest.com).

I love that. We don't need to be perfect because it's impossible. If we simply live to be the best versions of ourselves as possible, then that's all we can do. God will carry us the rest of the way, just like God carried Tyler to realize he has a future--just a different one than he always planned.

I needed to learn this lesson. Thank you, Karen Kingsbury. Angels Walking is beautiful and it's only the first book in a trilogy. I can't wait to read the next installment--Chasing Sunsets. I'll be sure to write a review of that book, as well.

Until then, read on.

-KJL-