Bombs Bursting in Air is a Christian coming of age novel for young adults written by Lisa A. McCombs. Americka loved her dad, and she enjoyed doing things with him, but she just didn’t share his taste in movies. Somehow, she had gotten persuaded to go to the movies with him that afternoon, and, of course, it was a war movie. You would think that three tours in the Middle East would have satisfied his interest in war, but that wasn’t the case. He seemed to want to share his wartime experiences with his family by having them watching war movies with him, but Meri really didn’t appreciate the chaos, blood and noise that accompanied those movies. She was starting to fidget as well from drinking her soda much too quickly. Her dad really wanted her to stay for the best part of the movie, but Meri couldn’t wait another minute and rushed up the aisle to the restrooms in the lobby. As she bemoaned her pathetic life while taking care of business, she was surprised to hear a response from the nearby stall. Yes, there was a fellow sufferer escaping for a few moments from a movie they’d rather skip, but had attended for a loved one. Meri was surprised to find she had common ground with Fiona. She was older and wore the kind of makeup and hairdo one associated with goths or emo-kids. That said, they seemed to hit it off really well and found themselves giggling crazily at their messed up Saturday afternoon. As they both spent a minute or two reapplying lip gloss, which they noticed was the same brand and color, they suddenly heard the first and then two more succeeding explosions and the sounds of crying and screaming. Nothing would be the same again. Lisa A. McCombs’ Christian coming of age novel for young adults, Bombs Bursting in Air, is a thoughtful and well-written story that addresses the impact of terrorism, both abroad and domestic, on young people. Many of them have parents who served terms as did Meri’s father, and the incidences of domestic terrorism in this and other countries can instill danger and risk into even the most ordinary and innocuous activities such as attending a movie with your dad. McCombs’ heroine, Meri, loses both her father and her ability to speak in that random matinee bombing, and seeing how she and her mother come to terms with their losses is inspiring. Meri’s path towards healing also takes her into a most unusual and welcoming church; a place where faith and song seemed to mesh most gloriously for her. Bombs Bursting in Air discusses questions many young people may have about the motivations of those who seem to delight in destructive and random acts of terror and the impact it has on so many, and it does so in a positive and life-affirming matter. Bombs Bursting in Air is highly recommended.
