A Window to the World

By: Susan Meissner

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Here is the dramatic story of two young girls, Megan and Jen, who meet in first grade and quickly become inseparable friends.

Inseparable, that is, until one of them is snatched away by kidnappers as the other young girl watches helplessly. The remaining child grows up with the haunting memory of her friend's abduction...and absence from her life. Then, 16 years later, the stunning truth of the disappearance is revealed. And once again, lives are changed forever.

This wonderful and heartrending second novel endears the listener to every character in this intriguing story. A testament to God's ability to "work all things together for good". A smashing follow-up to the author's well-received first novel, Why the Sky Is Blue.

©2016 eChristian (P)2016 eChristian

So many better books of hers to read!

I’ve read three other books by Susan Meissner that are WAY better than this one. Skip this and check out the ones that center around WWII. Better story lines, character development, and overall writing!

PERFECT❣️ WONDERFUL BOOK❣️

I am a huge fan of Susan Meissner. I think I have now read all of her books. There has only been ONE I have not liked. My only regret about this book was that it sat in my library for so long while I worked my way through other books, other series.

This book just…WOWED me. I fell in love with the characters — ALL the main characters.

However, I want to tell others who may be considering purchasing this book, if you are not a believer in God or are not Christian, this book may not be for you. There is a lot of talk about the Bible when something bad happens in the story. One of the little girls in the story questions why God can’t just wave a magic wand to prevent bad things from happening. There is some discussion and about that with her parents. Christianity is a recurring theme in this book.

I related SO much to the character of Megan who was so deeply affected by the loss of her friend. Like her, I was a terribly shy child in school. So shy that I did my best to be invisible throughout school. I had ONE really close friend. We were together all the time. We were inseparable. Nothing bad happened to my friend (unlike what happened in this book), but she and her family moved for her father’s job. I was so completely lost without my friend. After she moved, I became even more introverted than I had been BEFORE I met my friend. Throughout Megan’s growing up years, I thoroughly understood her feelings and her questions about life, God and most of all, “where am I going and what do I want to do with my life? What will I do in life that isn’t just about making money, but is meaningful and makes me HAPPY?” In this story, Megan had a grandmother-like figure in Adele. She could talk to Adele about anything. I was raised by my grandmother and I WORSHIPPED her. Like Adele, my grandmother got as much information from my silences as she did from what I actually confided, and somehow, she always knew just the right advice and when I needed to figure things out for myself. When Adele eventually died in the story, I cried more than Megan did!

For a long while in the story, I really thought that Megan and Charlie would end up together for life — I thought they were the perfect couple — until David entered the picture and understood Megan on a level that Charlie never would, and in a way that even Megan didn’t understand herself. He understood because he loved her deeply. David showed Megan how what happened to Jen when they were eight didn’t have to define her as a person and it didn’t have to define the rest of her life. David helped Megan see something that I learned the hard way after losing two children: that what happens in our past, both good and bad, all contributes to who we are today. Take away a piece of the negative OR the positive and the end result is different. It is better to accept and love ourselves, flaws and all, and be happy in the NOW rather than to delay our happiness until we feel satisfied with ourselves — until we are skinny enough, pretty enough, wealthy enough… if we keep waiting for those things we will NEVER achieve happiness.

I probably should have paced myself so I could have enjoyed this book just a little longer, but I couldn’t seem to help myself — I devoured this book in just one day.

Tavia Gilbert is a fantastic narrator and she gave another outstanding performance with this book. I’d give her TEN stars if I could!

I so wish there was more of this story or a follow up to it. I’d LOVE a whole story that focuses on David and Megan and on Jen as she finds her way back to her family and her journey back to finding herself.

Don’t miss this one — as good as all Ms. Meissner’s books are, this one is (in my opinion) one of her very best!

Perfect, perfect, perfect!

Cannot say enough about Meghan, Jen, Charlie or David. Listen to their story, you will not be sorry.

Love this author, but this one…meh

Susan Meissner is an amazing author and I usually love all of her books. But this one is very young child to young adult, which makes it really hard to listen too. Her other books are way better.

Such an unexpected plot

This wasn’t at all what I expected, but was pleasantly surprised at the plot and all the twists. I really enjoyed it!

Not up to Meissner's Standards

I first read a Susan Meissner novel in 2007, and eagerly snapped up her backlist at the time. Rereading such books now that they are finally released on audio has given me an opportunity to see how my viewpoint on Christian literature has changed.
Meissner has a way of interjecting real life into her novels without making them overly preachy. However, I found this book (more than others she's written) seems to preach more awkwardly and otherwise miss the mark. Tavia Gilbert's narration was somewhat over-dramatic, though her children's voices were particularly well-done (if annoying). I found Megan to be a weak character, never having to stand on her own, moving from one safety net to another... and that never changed. I never understood how she reached the faith conclusions she did, and she was such a loner that I never really did understand why... All of her friends her age were boys, and never again develops a healthy relationship with a girl her age.
And that ending... GAAAAH!
Meissner is certainly a writer to watch. Her more recent novels are much more mainstream and commercial, but her earlier books are generally good Christian fiction that don't tidy up neatly, sermonize, or otherwise fall into "Jesus is my BEST FRIEND!" territory. Unfortunately, "A Window to the World" falls into all three traps.

Kind of a mish mash

I divided the book into three parts, a good beginning, an insufferably tedious, long middle and an anticlimactic end. Ok for a cross country airplane trip but I’m glad I didn’t use a credit for it. I rather recommend Meissners book, “why the Sky is Blue”

Not what I expected

I thought the outcome of two certain people should have been different. They should have ended up together.

The evolution of the characters

I liked that the story went in a different direction than expected. I appreciated Megan’s honest uncertainty and how she evolved—in maturity, in self-knowledge and in her faith.

Loved it…

Made me think about the disappointments in my own life, then realize how they shaped the blessings. Wonderful listen