Born: Against All Odds by Hope Silver presents the author's incredible imagination. When a soul selects Lera to be his mother, he did not know how deeply attached he would become to her even before being born. In order to be born, however, he had to ensure that Lera would not only be pregnant but also would go through with the delivery. It was love at first sight for this soul, who later would be known as Peace. But when Peace is conceived as a result of Lera's very broken relationship with a pathetic man, the odds of him actually being born become next to zero. Needless to say, Peace tried as much as he could, but Lera decided to abort the child and move on from her bad relationship. Heartbroken, yet understanding, Peace is bound to serve under an angel for a year before he can again select a mother.

The author has exercised her imagination in the most fascinating way possible. It made me wonder if this is actually what happens: a soul selects a parent, and if they are aborted, they work under an angel for a while and then select another parent. The plot has the power to make its readers think about relationships, guardian angels, and abortion. The best part is that the author, Hope Silver, has presented a non-judgemental viewpoint of the very controversial topic of abortion. Born: Against All Odds takes you on a journey of Lera's relationships, her friends' lives, Peace's immense love for Lera, and the guardian angel's duties and troubles. This book has a quite captivating presence, which I absolutely loved.

Make no mistake about it. This story is far more profound than Look Who’s Talking. Hope Silver’s Born: Against All Odds is a remarkable twist on the story of an unborn child who narrates the story from his point of view. The premise is an inversion of the saying that “We cannot choose our parents.” The soul of a baby boy wanders the earth and has chosen a young woman named Lera to be his future mother. We are drawn to believe that it is easier to choose our parents, but the yet-to-be-born child discovers that Lera’s boyfriend does not want to have a baby, forcing Lera to have an abortion. A divine rule stipulates that errors in choosing would forfeit a baby soul’s privilege to pick his/her parent for the next two years. The unborn narrator fights a crisis stemming not only from within himself but from a divine process as well.

This book will satiate your appetite for magical realism. It can also serve as an ideal substitute when kids ask where babies come from. Rather than talking about storks as door to door couriers of newborns, the virtue of waiting and choosing a deserving parent has a more heartwarming touch to it. Born: Against All Odds is originally written in Russian, but Krystyna Steiger exhausted all means to ensure that her translation in English will not let readers feel being twice removed from the novel’s original language. Hope Silver has created an unconventional story that addresses the riddles of ontology on a spiritual level and does not leave any room for doubts. It makes us feel better after reading the last page.