"Powerful legal procedural"
In 1992, J. Shepard is tired of his depressing cases as
an attorney for the Los Angeles County Dependency Court
Legal project. Each client seems helpless with no hope for
the future for himself or herself and their children yet
most will do whatever is required of them to keep their
children. Still after today's session with the sovereign
of filth, J. looks forward to riding the surf. However, he is unable to sneak out as planned because
he is assigned the media visible case of indigent and
ignorant Sue Ellen Randall, who sold her baby. Sue Ellen
and her husband want the infant returned, but the foster
parents, wealthy with White House connections Corwin and
Kitty Danforth refuse to surrender Nathan. J. wants out of
the case because it reminds him of his own mother who
deserted him thirteen years ago. However, he provides
legal services to Sue Ellen. As he digs deeper into the
dispute, he begins to believe in the naive innocence of his
client. REEF DANCE is a powerful legal procedural that paints a
different perspective on those mothers who sell their
children. Readers will feel empathy towards Sue Ellen.
However, the Danforths and their attorney are so tundra
they are a wipe out, receiving no sympathy. The insight
into juvenile dependency courts is breathtaking yet
shocking. Readers will enjoy riding the waves with John
Decure and hope J. will return in future dramas. However,
the audience will feel disappointed that the talented
author failed to surf a Saving Isaiah type of wave so that
the audience would feel genuine empathy towards both
parties in the dispute. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted August 23, 2001
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