Trusting the Currents by Lynnda Pollio
Some moments change everything you become.
Author Lynnda Pollio’s life as a busy New Yorker abruptly changes when she unexpectedly heard the mystical, elderly voice of Addie Mae Aubrey, a Southern, African American woman. Her first words, “It’s not what happened to me that matters,” begin a spirited remembering of her teenage years in the late 1930s rural South and the learned wisdom she asks Lynnda to share. As women from different times and different places, they embark on an uncommon journey together.
Narrated by Addie Mae Aubrey, Trusting the Currents is a spiritual story of self-discovery — of faith, courage, forgiveness, and the uneasy search for one’s place in life. Beginning at age eleven with the unexpected arrival of beautiful, mysterious cousin Jenny and her shadowy stepfather, Uncle Joe, Trusting the Currents explores Addie Mae’s reluctant awakening. As Jenny, the story’s mystical center, introduces Addie Mae to the spiritual world, a caring teacher, Miss Blanchard, guides with the power of reading. Romantic love enters her life for the first time with Rawley, and we experience how Addie Mae’s emerging sense of self compels her to a life-altering decision.
Throughout the story, her mother remains an unwavering source of love, even when fear and evil shake their lives. Unfathomable loss and rising trust in the “Invisibles” not only transform Addie Mae’s budding life, but leads to the author’s own spiritual awakening.
Addie Mae reveals how life blossoms when we have the courage to not only accept but also learn from mistakes and sorrow. Her story may belong to one woman, but the lessons it teaches belong to everyone willing to open their hearts and listen to the truth within their souls.
Trusting the Currents represents a new literary genre of conscious storytelling, engaging high spiritual frequencies that resonate with the reader’s heart, guiding them deep into their own truth and transformation.
RA Winter’s Review: 4.5-Stars
Trusting the Currents by Lynnda Pollio is a gripping tale. It read more like a memoir to me and was very engaging. Normally, I don’t like first person POV, but this one was done very well. Once the writer took us into the past, the book really picked up. For me, it was kinda like the coming of age tale for a young African American girl and her extended family back in the day. It’s a unique peek into the 1930’s.
The writing was beautiful and like I said, it was written more like a memoir, as if we were asked into the family room, given a cup of tea and told a story. One filled with murder, love and finding your path in life.
The story starts with the author who is trying to find her way in life then she meets Addie Mae and a whole new world opens up.
I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone who needs a pick me up in real life.
Sherry Terry’s Review: 4.9-Stars
Lynnda Pollio has done a fantastic job with her first book, Trusting the Currents. I like the cover and how it symbolizes the story in a clean, minimalist way. It fits the story well. I feel the story is written in Omni first person. I don’t normally like either as they are difficult to do well. However, Lynnda has done a splendid job with the overall point of view.
The writing is beautifully crafted and full of perfect description that effortlessly brings you into the setting. I felt like I tasted, smelled, and touched everything. This book is written in a style I’ve never read before. It’s written by the author via the main character Addie Mae. Usually, we writers have a story and we build characters and plot and setting off of that story idea. Lynnda had Addie Mae, and she told the story by using Lynnda as her writing tool. Clear as mud?
A prologue is from Lynnda about Lynnda and tells us how Addie Mae arrived, how her story made it onto the paper. I felt it was a tad too long, but it is written very well and an interesting read. I also found some filtering words I thought could have been sliced and diced for a stronger sentence. Neither of which took away from my overall enjoyment of the beautiful writing and storytelling.
Trusting the Currents is a story about a young African American girl in the 1930’s. I was totally drawn into the era and what life was like for Addie Mae during that time in American history. Her trials and triumphs and loss and growing up.
Come and meet Addie Mae, you won’t be sorry.
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