Mandolin player Billy Allman lives a simple life, one filled
with both humility and tremendous tragedy. Given a
vision from God, Billy decides that his purpose is to build
a radio station in the hills of West Virginia. Despite
all the naysayers and reasons why it shouldn't work, he sets
about to do just that. But Billy's purpose is greater even
than he realizes, tied to a childhood secret about a time in
his life when his guardian angel Malachai was called away on
other heavenly business. Although much goes wrong in
Billy's life, his life is so small and contained that
Malachai is not sure why he was assigned to observe and
protect him. Malachai's mission becomes clearer as Billy's
life hurtles toward the revelation of his secret.
It took two attempts for me to get into this story, no
reflection on the highly skilled writing of Chris Fabry.
Fabry's prose has a simple, lyrical feel to it. In telling
the story, Fabry alternates between the perspectives of his
protagonist Billy and Malachi the angel, who provides
commentary on Billy's life, making for an unusual literary
adventure and at times a slower pace than I would have
liked. Although this book is an inspirational title, it
didn't feel as though there was much of a faith journey for
Billy because Billy never lacked faith. If anything,
Billy's faith boxed him in, not allowing him to believe
beyond the boundaries that he set for himself. Since he
ultimately had to step outside those boundaries, perhaps
therein lay his journey.
I was glad when I finished that I had made that second
attempt to read ALMOST HEAVEN. I felt my own faith renewed
and heightened by the knowledge of God's grace and imagining
a guardian angel watching over me, not preventing all the
bad things but a tool for the Almighty to use to fulfill His
purpose in my life.
Billy Allman is a hillbilly genius. People in Dogwood,
West Virginia, say he was born with a second helping of
brains and a gift for playing the mandolin but was cut
short on social skills. Though he’d gladly give you the
shirt off his back, they were right. Billy longs to use
his life as an ode to God, a lyrical, beautiful bluegrass
song played with a finely tuned heart. So with spare parts
from a lifetime of collecting, he builds a radio station
in his own home. People in town laugh. But Billy carries a
brutal secret that keeps him from significance and
purpose. Things always seem to go wrong for him.
However small his life seems, from a different perspective
Billy’s song reaches far beyond the hills and hollers he
calls home. Malachi is an angel sent to observe Billy.
Though it is not his dream assignment, Malachi follows the
man and begins to see the bigger picture of how each
painful step Billy takes is a note added to a beautiful
symphony that will forever change the lives of those who
hear it.
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