The Forgotten Sister: Mary Bennet's Pride and Prejudice by Jennifer Paynter

Genre: General Fiction, Historical Fiction

We all know Elizabeth Bennet's and Mr. Darcy's story, and we know about Jane and Mr. Bingley, Lydia and Mr. Wickham, and even a few sentences about what happens to Kitty. But what about that bookish, Goth-before-it-was-cool sister, Mary Bennet? What ever happens to her? While Jane Austen was content to leave her readers laughing at Mary's social foibles and pedantic sermonizing in everyday conversation, Jennifer Paynter decides to reveal the "Forgotten Sister's" story in her fan-fiction-esq book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this first-person novel, and it really made me sympathetic towards Mary as a character while generating annoyance with her popular elder sisters. While Paytner does not shy away from detailing Mary's awkward piano playing at the ball at Netherfield or her ability to say precisely the wrong thing at the wrong time, she allows us a look into Mary's thought processes and her backstory: a long illness and a deep clinical depression that left her looking less pretty than her sisters, a stint away for her family where she learned to read and memorize to control her anxiety, and a genuine faith in God to help her in her most lonely moments. From Mary's point of view we see not just the silliness of Lydia and Kitty, but also the selfishness of Elizabeth and Jane in excluding Mary, albeit sometimes unintentionally, from their company. We see a character very self-aware and more embarrassed of herself than her family is of her when she makes public mistakes.

My only criticism of the book, which was well-written and engaging, is Paynter's obvious nods in Mary's voice to the story we all know of Pride and Prejudice. This ripped me out of the world of the story somewhat, as if the fictional Bennets were aware that Jane Austen was writing a book about them, and it would've been more effective to just let Mary tell her story as if we've never heard it before.

For all her trouble, Paynter writes Mary a happy ending and you'll have to read the book to find out for yourself what that is. But this book reminded me that no matter what we see on the outside of a person, much more might be happening in their hearts, and we would do well to welcome the outcasts in. They might have a lot more to tell us than we think.

New! Flash Reviews!

I was looking back over my book reviews, and while they are thorough and entertaining (at least to me) they are SO. LONG. I've read at least a dozen, probably far more, books since I last did a review, and the idea of doing a long book review for even one of two of them rather exhausts me. So, I came up with the idea of a Flash Review, a quick, paragraph-or-two review of a book, just to give the gist of the plot/point, some concise comments, and a recommendation yay or nay. I will still do my full-length reviews, but will reserve them for books that I think deserve that sort of attention. Flash Reviews will still allow me to review books yet not feel intimidated to write something long or too-in-depth. Seriously, having a baby changes everything!

So stay tuned for a Flash Review or two!

The Muirwood Trilogy by Jeff Wheeler

WOW! It has been ages since I've written a book review. Perhaps needless to say, I've been very busy with community theater, work, and getting ready to move to a new city! I've still been reading, but rather than try to remember every book I've read since my last post and review it for you, I'll detail this latest series that I really enjoyed. Happy reading!

 Read on my Kindle!

Genre: Fantasy

Book Summary: This series of 3 books, titled The Wretched of Muirwood, The Blight of Muirwood, and The Scourge of Muirwood, chronicles the adventures of Lia, a wretched who grows up as an orphan at Muirwood Abbey,  one of the centers of learning and religion in this fantasy world. One stormy night, she meets Colvin, an exiled prince and "maston" (magic user), and in efforts to save him, is thrown into a world that's in political, religious, and moral turmoil, only to find out who she really is and her own part to play in saving the world on the brink of destruction.

Indulgent Book Talk: Three cheers for the Kindle Lending Library! I was able to read all three of these books entirely FOR FREE. I really enjoyed them. They're adventurous, have interesting characters, plots with all the promises of fantasy and few of the cliches, and were fairly well-written.

Glorifying Elements: Author Jeff Wheeler is part of the LDS church, which means these books are clean and promote generally good morals. While I am no fan of the LDS church, I can appreciate that its members generally hold morality in high esteem and I can usually trust what they produce will be safe in that sense. 

As far as the content of the story, I appreciated the struggle for good and evil, Lia's determination to overcome her own evil desires, which were her worst enemy, and the emphasis on the importance of working together to overcome adversity.

The magical force called the Medium is very God-like.

Worldly Elements: Wheeler's membership in the LDS church is a two-sided coin. On one hand, it meant that these books were morally safe; on the other hand, some of the descriptions of the magic and the Medium were a little too Mormon. One scene reminded me so forcefully of what I've read and heard about Mormon temple ceremonies that I almost felt proselytized. Discernment and a strong knowledge of the Biblical God and how He manifests Himself in a Christian's life are important to maintain while reading these books, because there are some great departures from truth and Biblical Christianity. 

General Recommendation: Yes, but read them as fiction. Wheeler might have found truth in some of the religious descriptions; Christians should be wary and skeptical. 
 

Midnight Falcon by David Gemmell

Genre: Fantasy

Book Summary: Bane, shunned by his father and his home country because of his illegitimate birth, moves away and makes his home in a different land. His new-found acceptance there is ripped away from him, and he becomes a gladiator hellbent on revenge. War is brewing between his new country and his homeland, and he must decide where his loyalties are and whether he can sacrifice what he wants for the sake of his kingdom and people.

Indulgent Book Talk: My husband introduced this late fantasy author to me, and this is actually the second book in one of his series. It stands fairly well on its own, but it's easier to understand the nuances of Bane's past if one reads the book that comes before it (Sword in the Storm). This is probably the most well-written fantasy book I've read. Gemmell handles language skillfully and can hold his own with people who appreciate the "literary." These books are definitely written with more of a male audience in mind (most of the main characters are male and there are wars and fights and beards and manly grunting aplenty), but I still find this author's plotting to be skillful and his characters interesting enough to ignore the fact that there aren't many strong female characters. Although set in an imaginary world, there is what I believe to be deliberate parallel between this fantasy world and ancient, conquering Rome.

Glorifying Elements: Gemmell does a good job of exploring human nature in all its mess, sin, and triumph. Rarely are there true good guys and bad guys in his stories; his heroes are often just as flawed, if not more so, than his villains. Bane, for instance, is a man who thirsts for violence, and once he has a reason for revenge, will stop at nothing to have it, even when others are counseling him against it. But he is selfless and looks out for others and will sacrifice his own safety to help someone. In contrast, his friend, Banouin, despises violence and thinks (rightly) that Bane resigns to it too readily. But he is cowardly and selfish. These are the kinds of contrasts that Gemmell frames in his novels.

Gemmell also explores faith and spirituality without commenting outright on it, always through the eyes and perspectives of his characters, who vary exceedingly. A religious group called "The Tree Cult" suffers persecutions much like Christians did in ancient Rome, and Gemmell seems a least a little sympathetic to the religion. But he has a knack for observing how humans really behave while trusting the reader enough to draw his or her own conclusions, which I appreciate.

Worldly Elements: These books are for an adult audience only. They are rife with war violence, and while the descriptions of injuries and gore didn't really bother me personally, I can see where others might have a problem with them. More concerning are the treatment of women; it's set in a context where men rule and women are usually seen as little more than property, but the fact that there was really only one strong female character who wasn't a love interest to counteract that was frustrating. Men in these novels frequently seek out "earth maidens" (the term the author uses for a prostitute), with little or no apology or indication that this is anything less than what men do. There are some instances of strong language, and while this book didn't have any drawn-out descriptions of sex, the book that came before this one did, so beware of that. Since this is fantasy, there are allusions to magic, spirit-ism, and animism, but these novels aren't quite so saturated in that element as other fantasies I've read.

General Recommendation: For mature readers, I think these books are really quite good, but careful discernment and page skipping might be necessary to extract their positive aspects.

Room by Emma Donoghue

Genre: General Fiction

Book Summary: Five-year-old Jack has never known anything but his mother and Room, a tiny sound-proof shack in which he was born. His mother is a kidnap victim and a prisoner, but she has somehow made Jack's tiny world magical and filled with her love and sacrificial protection. The real world, in many ways, is more traumatizing for him, and both of them must learn to overcome the horror they have experienced.

Indulgent Book Talk: This book was a gift from my mom, one that I hadn't heard of until she gave it to me. I read it in just over two days--definitely hard to put down! It is described as a thriller, and it was quite riveting, but I don't think that a book is a thriller just because it is a page-turner, and I'm not sure that is an appropriate distinction for this book. Told from the point of view of a five-year-old boy, the perspective somehow makes a horrible, upsetting situation somewhat placated and toned down, which was masterfully done and made this book readable and not too disturbing.

Glorifying Elements: Jack's mother keeps him safe and healthy under impossible odds, and I imagine reading this as a parent would be very moving experience. Also, the reader quickly understands that Jack is a product of rape, and yet his mother sees him as valuable, as a part of her, and I personally found that very counter-cultural and refreshing for a secular novel (although the book fails at one point in the pro-life theme; I'll describe that more fully below). I was also glad this book had a happy ending; it could've very easily been a depressing ending. But ultimately, despite all the evil Jack and his mother experienced, it celebrated the triumphs, sometimes just the small ones, of good.

Also, Jack's mother instills in him some Christian values. They pray to "Baby Jesus" and they talk about the saints. It's definitely watered down, but that element is there and provides a sense of hope and transcendence for both of them.

Worldly Elements: This book made such a good case for pro-life arguments until one comment made by Ma (the only name ever given to Jack's mother): "I had an abortion at 18, and I don't regret that, but..." and then she goes on to explain why Jack is a worthwhile human being and shouldn't just be viewed as living reminder of the sexual slavery she experienced. When my mom and I discussed the book afterwards, we agreed that this was so opposite of the pro-life themes that were so blatant in the book that we speculated whether an editor forced Donoghue to add that dialogue in because they thought that theme was too heavy-handed (It is also interesting to note that Donoghue lives in Ireland, with a high Catholic population and where most abortion is illegal). A shame, really. That one line really weakened the powerful impact of Jack's character.

Other elements to be aware of are scenes of rape, but since they are told from the point of view of a little boy, they are very tame. Some mild use of language. And a book about a kidnapping and imprisonment is never going to be completely rated G. But Jack's perspective keeps it toned down.

General Recommendation: I think this book is well-done and an engaging read. If you are not too disturbed by the premise and subject matter, it would definitely be one to try.

Dreamlander by K.M. Weiland

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Genre: Fantasy, Christian Fiction

Book Summary: Chris Redston is a journalist generally tired of life. He's tired because when he sleeps, he has vivid dreams of a fantasy world. Soon, he learns that the fantasy world, Lael, is as real as his own, and as the Gifted, he exists in both of them and there is a great destiny he must fulfill. He is the expected hero, but may also be both worlds' undoing.

Indulgent Book Talk: I'm just a fan of this author. She writes the kind of fiction I aspire to write, so reading her books is as much of a lesson in writing as an enjoyable read. And enjoyable this book was. I'm appreciative of fantasies that can contain themselves in one book and don't need three or four (or more!) to tell their stories, and K.M. Weiland's plotting and story-telling are riveting. I think we call books like this "page-turners?" I definitely was clicking my Kindle pretty furiously through this one!

Glorifying Elements: Weiland is a committed Christian and is also committed to flushing out those themes in her writing. One interesting thing she did that I haven't seen done very often in the fantasies I've read is include a group of people who are essentially not believers, who call for a change to "outdated traditions." Even better, these people became the majority in the book and the characters (and the reader) often felt the heroes were at impossible odds. Nevertheless, the protagonists stick with their beliefs, knowing they are right, even when most of the world thinks they're wrong.

Worldly Elements: No language or icky scenes. Some violence and battle scenes but nothing over-the-top or gratuitous.

General Recommendation: Yes! I plan to buy a hard copy of this book for rereading and sharing.

After a Hiatus...

I know I've been a little absent from this blog for awhile, but it's not because I haven't been reading! I just finished up performing a run of the Broadway musical Aladdin with a local community theater company, which took a lot of my free time, and I've also had several books going at once, which breaks up the monotony, but can make actually completing one slower. Hope you enjoy the next couple reviews!

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

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Genre: Non-Fiction, Biographical

Book Summary: Acclaimed Christian biographer Eric Metaxas writes the first biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer published in several decades. In it, he not only seeks to tell the story of the extraordinary man who lived an exemplary Christian life during Nazi Germany and became part of the plot to assassinate Hitler, but by using extensive amounts of Bonhoeffer's own writings, proves the Bonhoeffer was very much an evangelical, fundamentalist Christian, putting to rest the recent argument that he was a humanist and not a Biblical Christian.

Indulgent Book Talk: This book was long but excellent. It was dense but worth it. It was highly readable and described in detail Bonhoeffer's life, his theology, and his relationships with those around him. I started the book in the midst of the presidential election, and now that we have elected someone who I believe is perpetuating a modern-day holocaust of the unborn, it was interesting to see how one man behaved and acted in a regime that was even more flagrantly evil. While I in no way believe that Bonhoeffer's actions or decisions apply directly to our current situation (they don't; Nazi Germany was a unique evil) it was both encouraging and informative, and I am still thinking about it and how I can apply Biblical truth to living in a fallen, evil world.

Glorifying Elements: Bonhoeffer believed that one must not just believe Christian doctrine, but that Christian doctrine must influence and inform a Christian's actions, even unto suffering and death. Of the many Biblical truths that were lived out in Bonhoeffer's life, this was the most pervasive and influential. He believed in action and doing, not just sitting and thinking (though he did a lot of that too). He sought to live out the tension between faith alone saving us and works justifying our faith to world. He was not perfect, but he took this seriously and that showed in his life.

Worldly Elements: As with any Christian biography, we must know that the author is a sinner writing about a fellow sinner. Bonhoeffer was no Jesus, and he was imperfect and made mistakes. Arguably, his decision to help with the plot in assassinating Hitler might have been one of them. There are God-fearing believers on both sides of that debate, and honestly, I'm still not sure where I stand. But what can't be mistaken is that Bonhoeffer thought and prayed through every decision he made, and like everyone, regretted some of the actions he took in his life.

General Recommendation: Do yourself a major favor and invest in the hours it will take to read this book. It definitely has the potential to shift your paradigms and change your life.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Genre: General Fiction

Book Summary: Henry, a librarian, has a strange genetic disorder that causes him to unexpectedly time travel. This allows him to meet his future wife, Claire, when she is a child and witness events of his life from many different perspectives and angles, but he is unable to change the past or inevitable future. A film starring Rachel McAdams was made based on this book.

Indulgent Book Talk: This book was extremely engaging and interesting, and even though it sounds very sci-fi, it really isn't. Instead, the time traveling is used mainly as a plot and thematic device to explore how time effects our lives and how much we are a slave to fate and how much our choices matter. It's also very much a romance. I think the title is interesting in that it seems like it is going to be told only from the point of view of Claire, but it actually jumps between Claire and Henry in first-person narratives. The author is also good at keeping all the time frames straight by telling you exactly who is talking and when.

Glorifying Elements: Though they have an imperfect relationship, Claire and Henry are very devoted to each other, even when tragedy strikes their lives. On that level, that's a cool picture of marriage. Also, Claire suffers several miscarriages in the course of the novel, and in her grief makes it clear that she thinks the unborn baby is a child and is worthy of life.

Worldly Elements: Well, let's put it this way. I was really glad when I watched the movie later that it didn't have nearly as much sex as the book. There is a lot of sex described in this novel, and sometimes with crude terms. I was able to get through it because it didn't interrupt the plot and was fairly easy to breeze through, but it was still excessive. Also, Claire and Henry's sexual relationship starts well before marriage, which is of course against God's design for sex. There was an unnecessary amount of bad language, which to me is just lazy writing, and some violence, gore, and drug addition described. There is also a lesbian relationship between two minor characters, but there wasn't really any description about that except just a passing mention.

General Recommendation: Hmm. Well, I thought it was an interesting take on the whole time travel motif and the plot was well-constructed. But I'm not sure it was good enough to slog through some of the graphic mess. I probably won't reread this book.

Menfreya in the Morning by Victoria Holt

Genre: General Fiction, Historical Fiction

Book Summary: Harriet Delvaney has always been fascinated with Menfreya, an old mansion with a mysterious history. When she marries into the family and becomes heiress of the Menfreya estate, she finds out just how dark and dangerous that history is, and how her own life might be in danger.

Indulgent Book Talk: One of my good friends has always been a fan of Victoria Holt novels, which is just one of the many pen-names of a single author, and she recommended and lent them to me. This book is marketed as a romance, but I think it follows more of a Gothic novel line, like Jane Eyre. It was an easy, suspenseful, quick read.

Glorifying Elements: Harriet's character is a strong one, and she is good at rising above some of the hard situations in her life. On the other hand, she is also quick in the first person narrative to admit her faults, especially her emotions that she knows are selfish. She also cares for people, like her best friend, when the rest of the world would ordinarily reject that person.

Worldly Elements: Harriet does not always act perfectly, and can often be quite rebellious against her family. She is also has a tendency to be suspicious of others and assume the worst in them, especially in her own husband, which bothers me personally. This book also deals with murder and death quite a bit, has an instance of a child being born out of wedlock, and a few mild sexual references.

General Recommendation: For a quick, entertaining read, this is a good pick.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

Genre: General Fiction

Book Summary: Since I didn't finish it (and this review will give you all the reasons why I didn't), it's hard to summarize. It seems to be about a small English town where all the people are wildly dysfunctional and perverted and take that out on everyone around them.

Indulgent Book Talk: I write this with such a heavy heart! Everyone knows my love for Harry Potter, and I know, I know, this was never meant to be Harry Potter Book 8, but I don't understand what Ms. Rowling was thinking when she wrote this. It's exactly the kind of writing and content that so infuriated me in my creative writing workshops. Ms. Rowling, anybody can write a string of F-bombs to show anger. Ms. Rowling, it doesn't make much talent to write graphic sex scenes; the pornography industry makes billions of dollars off of a bunch of no-names doing that. Look, I am not opposed to the occasional swear word for deliberate effect or for important characterization. I've read many a book like that where profanity is used with care and for good reason, and even if I would've made a different choice than the author with my own writing, I can at least see justification within their story's context. And as writers, we want to reflect reality, and sometimes reality just isn't rated G all the time, and I get that. But this was gratuitous. It almost seemed as if, knowing that everyone would know her as the author of the "children's" series of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling wanted to prove with this book that she was a "big girl" and could write mature themes. It just saddens me, because with her wild success, she could've written anything under the sun. Why go down the same degenerate path so many authors have already trodden?

Some of the reviews I read of people who did finish the book had similar problems with it, so I know my 27-page impression is not off base. Even they say that all the muck didn't even lead to an ending that was hopeful or redemptive. Does every book need to be hopeful or redemptive? Perhaps not. But there is enough ugliness in real life that I feel like our jobs as authors or artists of any kind is to reveal beauty despite the evil, to show that there is hope beyond this dreadful planet. What's the point in just contributing to what is already nasty? I don't get it.

Rowling herself said that this book was influenced in part by what she experienced before she made the billions (yes, billions) she did with Harry Potter. In an NPR interview I read, she pontificated on how her book is a reflection of the gritty reality of poverty and what it does to people. From what I read, this is more just a literary indulgence in the worst of humanity, writing for "shock" value. I'm so disappointed.

Glorifying Elements: None, really, in the 27 pages I read.

Worldly Elements: Swearing, taking the Lord's name in vain, nasty descriptions of sex and body parts, small-minded characters. On pretty much every page. People who had read further said drugs, physical abuse, and rape come into play too. She must've been trying really hard to fit it all in there. 

General Recommendation: Emphatic no. But may I say, please do not let this book influence what you may think of Harry Potter, especially if you haven't read it yet. The books, themes, and characters couldn't be more different. If it didn't say J.K. Rowling across the top of the book, I would've never have known this was the same author. Do read Harry Potter. Don't waste your time with this one. I'm returning my copy today.

Wildflowers of Terezin by Robert Elmer

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Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction


Book Summary: Steffen Petersen, a young Lutheran pastor, was perfectly content to stay out of politics and preach positive sermons from his pulpit. But his accidental friendship with a Jewish nurse, and hearing that the Nazis are rounding up the Jews in his homeland of Denmark, throws him into a crisis of faith. He his forced to decide whether he will practice what he preaches, and what exactly that cost might be to himself and those he loves the most.

Indulgent Book Talk: Ah, another one of my World War II/Holocaust indulgences. I'm not really sure why this period of history fascinates me so much, considering how morbid it is. Then again, I've taken to looking up diseases I find mentioned in books and looking up their symptoms to find out exactly how nasty they really are, so maybe I am morbid. I'm not sure. I think I like this period of history so much because it brought out the worst, and therefore, the best, in humanity. It was a time when what was good and what was evil seemed very clear. The author does of good job of not only shaking his characters from their comfort zones, but challenging his readers to do the same, especially when it comes to, in the words of the great Albus Dumbledore, "deciding between what is easy and what is right."

Glorifying Elements: This book is mainly about a pastor who is thrust into the heat of the Holocaust drama, and who finds himself having to prove whether his faith in  God is real or not; whether it's something that's just for when life is comfortable and safe, or whether it is faith for when times are evil and days are dark. I think as believers, we are all forced to make that decision at some point in our lives, and this fictional account is encouraging. (SPOILER ALERT!) Likewise, Steffen's love for a Jewish woman and his peace with God in the midst of frightening events draws her to the Savior, and that too is beautiful.

Worldly Elements: Holocaust stories are always a little disturbing; they should be. Elmer keeps it fairly tame though, focusing on his characters more than on carnage. But you can expect some violence, blood, and disturbing depictions, but nothing gratuitous. I'd give this novel a PG rating.

General Recommendation: I love stories about people doing the right thing in the midst of great danger. If that kind of thing tugs at your heartstrings like it does mine, then you will likewise find this book a worthy read.

Christy by Catherine Marshall

Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction

Book Summary: It is 1912, Christy Henderson is 19 years old, idealistic, passionate, and hopelessly naive. When a missionary speaks at her church about a needy rural community called Cutter Gap in the Great Smokies of Tennessee, Christy jumps at the opportunity to be a school teacher to this group of desperately poor, prideful people. She quickly learns not only about the extreme hardships these people face, but also about the darkness of her own heart and soon learns that perhaps God put her there not so that she could help, but so that she would know Him more deeply.

Indulgent Book Talk: Normally, I'm very much an advocate for reading the book before watching the movie, but I first heard about Christy as the television mini-series starring Kellie Martin. On a Bookman's trip several months back I stumbled across this book, not knowing it even existed. I finally got around to reading it. It inadvertently sets itself up well to be a mini-series, since there is not one cohesive plot line, but is rather more episodic in structure. However, if any book needed an epilogue, it is this one! I was unimpressed with the ending, and felt the author had run out of steam and wrapped it up a little too quickly or conveniently for my tastes.

Glorifying Elements: I think one of the main points this book flushes out is how we should operate as missionaries to a needy world. Christy has to learn, usually the hard way, that she must function within the culture she has been placed in, rather than imposing her ideas and ways of doing things on people who have lived the way they have for generations. It is only when she begins to learn humility and patience with people she often doesn't understand does she make it through to their hearts. Also, Christy's personal faith journey is interesting in that she learns she must trust in Jesus and know what she believes for herself, that she doesn't just inherit her parents' faith.

Worldly Elements: The health-and-wealth gospel turns up fairly frequently in this novel. Even more irritating, at least to me, was the promotion of open theism (for a definition of open theism, go here). The author suggests that God is helpless to stop the evil, that it all depends on our obedience, and that He really doesn't have sovereign control over it. To make my point clearer, one of the characters, Miss Alice, tells Christy about a little girl who was raped and murdered by her step-father. Miss Alice says that the reason that happened was because a man was told by the Holy Spirit that this was going to happen, but he did nothing to stop it. This character asserts that evil happens because people decide not to stop it. That is just ludicrous. Some terrible things happen entirely out of people's control because we live in a fallen, sinful world. God, however, is not surprised by evil or frustrated by our disobedience. His will is done, regardless. At one point, frustrated by evil and bad things happening, Christy reads Job. I wish the profound principles about the nature of evil in that book had been discussed more biblically in the novel.

General Recommendation: Overall, this book is an engaging read. If you don't read it for serious theological information and are discerning about some of the teaching in it,  then it has its merits as a good curl-up-with-a-cup-of-tea book. 

Behold the Dawn by K.M. Weiland

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Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

Book Summary:  Marcus Annan has secrets, and he would prefer them to stay that way. However, the Crusades are in full swing, and a rogue monk, a war, and a woman in dire need of his help threaten to reveal those secrets and endanger not just Annan's life, but the lives of those around him as well. This is a really moving story of redemption and never being too far gone to be saved, even from oneself.

Indulgent Book Talk: I have been following the author's blog for some time now; she gives good writing advice and motivation for aspiring authors (you can find it here). Anxious to read something with a good story, and having an inkling that the Weiland was a Christian, I picked up this book. I was not disappointed. Weiland is not only a strong writer, but she also has a no-nonsense way of telling stories that I really admired. Her facts are well-researched (as far as I can tell, being by no means an expert on twelfth-century history), and her characters are believable and realistic. She also succeeds well at what I think Christian authors should be doing; that is, crafting a compelling story in its own right that reflects the love and truth of the Gospel without coming across as preachy or trite. Hurrah!

Glorifying Elements: This entire book presents the Gospel well, as I have already said. Specifically, through the troubled character of Annan, she really drives home the totality of Jesus' salvation and love for sinners. All without sounding like a gospel tract or resorting to Amish women in bonnets! Hip Hip Hurrah! She also discusses the fact that the Crusades were not representative of real Christianity, but rather a bi-product of the corrupt Roman Catholic church (the only one at the time, since this is pre-Reformation) and power-hungry government leaders.

Worldly Elements: Nothing remotely gratuitous. You can give this book a good solid PG. There is some violence (this is the Crusades, after all), but the description is restrained. There is also a mention of an intimate relationship between a husband and a wife, but again, no specific descriptions. Bad language is non-existent, except for some historical insults and name calling.

General Recommendation: A definite yes. If you have a Kindle, this one is less than $5 too. :-)

Surprised By Oxford: A Memoir by Carolyn Weber

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Genre: Biography/Autobiography

Book Summary: Carolyn, a Canadian student in English, gets a scholarship to receive her post-graduate degree at the University of Oxford in England. While there, through many a conversation, event, and friendship, she meets Jesus, who changes her life and the way she thinks about everything.

Indulgent Book Talk: This was really an indulgent read for me, to be honest. A woman, who is just about as crazy about literature as I am, gets to go study at the University of Oxford, which any self-respecting English  major would do in an instant given the opportunity, and not only gets to have literary discussions with British professors and drink pints in pubs and have "high tea" (the anglophile in me jumps and shrieks in glee), she also comes to faith in Christ in the process. This book is peppered with quotes and references from literature, and is really a jewel when it comes to the writing style. It was just a beautiful book to read. It made me want to go sit on a lawn at Oxford and gaze up at the blue sky and ponder academia and life.

Glorifying Elements: Many. Much. Gobs. I think the real strength this book has though is the way it reminded me that rarely do people come to faith in Jesus in some radical, life-changing, single moment. Instead, like many people, Carolyn's testimony is one of many conversations, many events, lots of struggling and arguing and messy thoughts and attempts to behave and failures and successes. It's very real. I think Carolyn reminds us Christians that in our attempts to share the truth and love of Jesus and the salvation He offers, we would do well to be bold and forthcoming. Words and actions are equally important. With that though, we should be patient with those we are befriending, knowing that God works on people slowly sometimes, and to not rush what God may be deliberately taking His time on. That was an important for me to remember as I continue to witness to people I love.

Worldly Elements: Don't read this book expecting systematic theology. That's not its purpose. It's one woman's story. There are a couple uses of profanity, but it is well-thought-out, appropriate profanity. I know that's weird, but if you read the book, it makes sense. Also, the conversations Carolyn recounts seem a little far-fetched to have actually occurred exactly as they are recorded, but then again, I have hung around academics, so it's possible people really do sprinkle poetry into their sentences. And of course, no memoir is a legally verifiable account of events, they are of course shaped by the author's memory and emotions. So I really don't fault her for that.

General Recommendation: I fear this book may not be quite as delightful for people who aren't as obsessed with literature and England and academia as I am. It may come across as stilted or overly philosophical. But I just loved it, and I love stories about people coming to faith, and it is beautiful just for that reason. 

The Books of Pellinor by Alison Croggon

Genre: Fantasy

Book Summary: These young adult fantasy novels, giving great homage to the tradition of Tolkien, follow the story of Maerad of Pellinor, a slave who upon her rescue by the great Bard Cadvan, finds out that she too is a Bard and that she has unusual powers. Darkness and war is brewing, and along with her long-lost brother Hem, Maerad finds that she plays a key role in keeping evil at bay and saving the world from certain destruction.

Indulgent Book Talk: Admittedly, I was interested in the first book but not initially impressed---critics quoted on the backs of the books say that Croggon is writing very much as Tolkien did, and they are right, but a battle on a hilltop late at night was a little too obvious a reference for me. Nevertheless, Croggon made interesting and troubled enough characters who were forced to face terrible odds and those plot elements kept me reading these books. If you are a Tolkien fan, you'll definitely like these books with two strong leads, a boy and a girl, and with very little romantic silliness that can be so prevalent in YA lit these days. These books are beautifully written by a celebrated Australian poet, and the world is three-dimensional and carefully thought out. By the end of last book, I had trouble pulling myself out of the world Croggon had created. Good writing indeed!

Glorifying Elements: This is a fairly traditional good versus evil series, so there is much to be praised in the characters' resolve, sacrifice, and unselfish love for each other. The thing that impressed me most though was a loyalty shown by the characters to "The Light," which is not a religion exactly, but rather an overarching sense of moral rightness that the characters are fighting to maintain. Oddly though, they speak of the Light much like it is a god, by saying things like, "May the Light protect you" or "May the Light guide your steps." In the extensive appendices, the author is quick to be clear that this is not a god to be worshiped, but I can't help but think of the eternity that exists in all of our hearts, whether we choose to acknowledge this or not. I don't think Croggon can really escape that idea, and neither do her characters.

Worldly Elements: Violence is the main complaint here; no really graphic descriptions,  but the violence is of a particularly troubling sort: among other things, kamikaze birds that attack a city and fill it with disease, evil present in the very ground characters walk on, making them physically sick, and most disturbing and too-true-to-life: enslaved and bewitched child soldiers. A strange amount of time is spent in the first novel on Maerad getting her period, which I didn't find worldly exactly, just unnecessary and bizarre. Two characters at the end do fall in love and exchange "passionate" kisses, but that's all that's really said. And of course, we have to be aware of the hints of pantheism and animism present in these books and realize who our God really is.

General Recommendation: For fans of fantasy, this is a very engaging series and very true to the genre form. For all its imperfections, I still thought it was a fun read. Visit the official website to learn more about them: http://booksofpellinor.com/

The Tehran Initiative by Joel C. Rosenberg

Genre: Political Thriller 

 
This is the second in a trilogy. The first book I reviewed here. This book continues the plot line, but as far as content advisory, nothing has changed from the first book, so refer to that review. However, one question I promised I'd answer as I continued the series was whether or not I saw evidence in these books of Rosenberg being sympathetic to the insider movement, a translating and evangelism philosophy for Muslims that, for all its good intentions, has sought to water down the truth of the Bible in order to not offend. And I am happy to report, that at least in these novels, there is no evidence that Rosenberg believes any such thing. In fact, his Muslim-background believer character risks his life to share the gospel with his countrymen, and he doesn't do it by doing things like going to the mosque and going through the motions of Islam (as supporters of the insider movement would suggest Muslim believers do). The third book comes out this fall, so perhaps we'll have wait until then for a final verdict.

I Dared to Call Him Father by Richard A. Schneider and Bilquis Sheikh

Read on my Kindle!

Genre: Biography/Autobiography

Book Summary: Bilquis, a wealthy Muslim woman living in Pakistan in the 1960’s, has a spiritual crisis when she starts studying the Qur’an and the Bible alongside each other and realizes their differences and that they can’t both be true. She secretly meets with American missionaries, who share the gospel with her.  She is still skeptical until Jesus comes to her in a dream and reveals to her that He is the Messiah. She turns her life over to him, but is not immediately ready for the conflict that it causes in her life and family.

Indulgent Book Talk: After taking a short day-long course on basic Muslim beliefs, I was interested in this book and reading of God’s miraculous work in one Muslim woman’s life. This book is a quick read and very straight-forward, no literary show is put on here.

Glorifying Elements: This is a book about one woman’s journey of faith, there is little that is not glorifying. I think one of the main things that helps us grow as Christians, particularly if we have been in the faith for longer than a year or two, is to remind ourselves of God’s saving power and the beauty of the gospel. We should never “graduate” from the gospel, and testimonies like this one should remind us of Jesus’ work on the cross and infinite love for all who believe.

Worldly Elements: Sometimes Biliquis’s faith came across to me as somewhat mystical or too Pentecostal, but there was nothing overly alarming, and those elements may have been a result of cultural influence more than anything.

General Recommendation: A resounding yes, especially if you, like me, often feel the situation in the Middle East is hopeless. It’s not! God is moving everyday in countless lives. And this is just the story of one of them.

The Importance of Fiction

No book review today, as I'm currently in the middle of a series and a biography (I often have several books going at once), but I read this interview between a blogger I admire, Tim Challies, and Russell Moore on the value of reading fiction for Christians. Thought you might like to take a gander at it: Fiction and Literature: An Interview with Russell Moore.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Read on my Kindle!

Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Summary: Henry, the twelve-year-old child of Chinese immigrant parents, is growing up in Seattle during World War II. In order to attend the all-white public school he goes to, he has to work in the kitchen during lunchtime. When a Japanese girl, Keiko, joins the school and the kitchen staff, they develop a forbidden friendship, and later something deeper, that is further complicated when Keiko and her family are sent to an internment camp in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attacks.

Indulgent Book Talk: This is one of those books that just works. I don’t know how to say it other than that. It’s not groundbreaking, it’s not the best-written book I’ve ever read, the subject matter is fairly tried and true, and in fact stands as a very traditional novel. But for that reason, I found it refreshing and enjoyable. Plus, it had a happy ending. These books very often end up unhappy, and sometimes I think authors find it trendy to end their books in sad ways. Ford, on the other hand, wanted the readers to feel good at the end of the book. And he doesn’t disappoint. The book is structured to take place in two time periods, one of them during World War II, and the other in the 1980’s, when Henry’s life is very different. It was easy to follow.

Glorifying Elements: The main theme that stood out to me in this novel was the triumph of ordinary human goodness. This played out in Henry’s feeling about the internment camps, in his loyalty to Keiko and her family, and ultimately (SPOILER ALERT), his commitment to his wife even as she dealt with a fatal illness. Henry lived in a complicated time period, and he acts nobly much of the time.

Worldly Elements: There is no need to rate this book above PG. There is no sexual content except a chaste kiss or two between teenagers, no violence except some encounters with school bullies, and no cursing whatsoever. Henry does disobey his parents, which of course goes against God’s commands, but he is a very human character.

General Recommendation: Yes. Definitely a nice, redemptive read with interesting characters in a fascinating time period.