The Helper by M.N. Snow Book Review

An emotional story of hope, love and the power to help, and what people do with that power. That is how I would describe The Helper, a fantastic
novel written by author M.N. Snow that explores the story of three people with unique abilities that allow them to help others, and the
complicated lives they lead because of it. First, here is the official synopsis:

A tale that combines contemporary, speculative fiction with an ambiguous spirituality. The book explores relationships between lovers, friends,
families, and what Powers of Good there may be.

John Sloan is an ex-Marine with a life-long secret that is haunting him. He is a conduit to a healing light that draws him to people on the
brink of emotional disintegration, people who are then healed and Helped by this light. His blue-collar world is shattered when he finds that
his connection to this anonymous portal has vanished. He is alone, seemingly beyond aid, and in desperate need of a Helping himself.

The book tracks the intersecting lives of John and two other Helpers. His lifelong friend Dusty Hakalla is a mixed-blood Ojibwe, with a secret
of his own. His power to Help is remarkable, but was once destructively misused. A career Marine, his scarred childhood and momentary abuse of
power have left him jaded and bereft. Deena Morrison, also a Helper, is John’s girlfriend. Adopted as an infant, she flees John to find her
birth-mother, while carrying within herself her own secret. Another character shadows their lives as narrator, Nan’b’oozoo, the trickster god of
Ojibwe legend—at times sarcastic and petulant, at others insightful and humorous.

The novel travels from the gritty Lake Superior port-cities and Indian Reservations of northern Wisconsin to the Jewish neighborhoods of North
Miami Beach, Florida—from Parris Island to the war zones of Kuwait and Afghanistan.

The story of John, Deena and Dusty is packed full of emotional stories that jump back and forth through time thanks to the narrative storytelling
of the narrator. Watching these characters grow up separately in very different circumstances, and seeing their very different approaches to the
gift of Helping was gripping to read. This is an incredibly well-written story, that often reminded me of the same storytelling style of
Stephen King, creating eloquent plot lines with realistic characters that spoke of the various types of people you’d expect to meet in these
places and time periods written about in the book. Getting to see the impact this force of good has on these individuals, and getting to see protagonist
John give so much of himself to others, only to discover he is the one in need of Helping once his power seems to disappear, taking pieces of
himself slowly and painfully as well.

Analyzing the impact of war, racism, violence and the struggle to remain good in a world that constantly threatens to overwhelm people with evil
and darkness, The Helper is a phenomenal read that deserves to be read. The passion that this story is told with showcases a strong command
over the narrative, and author M.N. Snow showcases a talent that is too bright not to be recognized. Filled with romance, friendship and the
constant struggle to remain good, this is a powerful book that everyone should get, so be sure to pick up your copies of M.N. Snow’s The Helper
now!

Rating: 10/10