Title: Mr. Breeze
Author: Morrie Richfield
Publisher: Morrie Richfield
ISBN: 978-0615461038
Pages: 142, Paperback/Hardcover
Genre: Fiction
Review Completed: Suzanne Gattis, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
In this novel, freelance photojournalist Michael Ryan finds himself living in a world that’s unsettled, where the front page headlines daily talk of atrocities throughout the globe. It’s a time when people are simply searching for something to believe in. Reading the opening paragraphs of Mr. Breeze eerily brought images to mind of the world in which we are living in today. On a mission to rediscover what is right in the world, Ryan sets out on a mission to find stories of “goodness,” random acts of kindness and of sacrifice. Neither he nor the reader could imagine where this chase after a story would take him.Ryan’s search quickly pinpoints to an unknown stranger who is popping up around the country, performing often miraculous tasks. Reports of him are vague, as many are afraid that if they actually reported what they had witnessed, no one would believe them. Unsure of how to find this mysterious man, if he is just a man, Ryan’s search is aided by this man himself, who somehow was able to sense that Ryan was going to be searching him out. Unbeknownst to Ryan, this had been in the plans all along.
Ryan’s journey with this man, known as Zack or Mr. Breeze, is one of miracles and violence. Admitting to be known in the past by many names, including many historical religious figures, even God himself, Zack is not the typical higher power that most are accustomed to believe in. This is where the book becomes an intense read; for me, the fact that Zack was not only full of love but also full of so much anger and hatred, was disturbing. Disturbing in an intriguing way, however; disturbing in a way that challenged and pushed against all my preconceived notions and deeply held convictions. If you are a reader who likes a book that makes you think, you can find yourself at home absorbed in these pages.
As the story goes on, the reader is left to ponder whether we as a race slow down progress and hope through our own actions. It also leaves the reader rooting for and championing the cause of all that is good in the world today. Where there is darkness, there is also light.
As a writer, Richfield has a very conversational style. The pages are filled with witty comments that make you smile to yourself. The book itself has no chapters, which I honestly did at first find a little bit distracting. I feel as though this book was written to challenge what readers consider to be the norm, and leaving out the chapters was just another way to place readers outside of their comfort zone. Author Morrie Richfield has assembled an intriguing set of information, questions and thoughts for us to ponder about the meaning of our lives.
