Home Another WayChrista Parrish
Bethany House (November 1, 2008)
It isn’t often, especially in Christian fiction, when the writing overcomes a clichéd setup to address important issues with substance and humor.
When her estranged father dies, Sarah Graham is penniless. She travels to a tiny town in the state of New York to claim her inheritance. Much to her chagrin, her fathers will stipulates a six-month stay in Jonah before she can receive the money. Lazy, promiscuous and bitter Sarah reluctantly stays. God uses the flawed people of the small hamlet of Jonah to teach Sarah love, forgiveness and grace.
Sarah learns of God’s sovereignty,
“What if my car hadn’t been stolen?...What if I pulled the books off the shelves on the left, instead of the right?...How can you tell if something is just a coincidence, or if it’s – “ I swallowed once, twice. “Or if it’s more?”
dealing with suffering on a daily basis,
“But life isn’t always about what we want, is it? If you stepped away from your own personal pity party for two minutes, maybe you’d see that other people have had some pretty terrible things happen to them, too. But they’re not sitting around, hating the world and everyone it it.
Do you think Beth wanted to be burned half past recognition, or that my mother wanted Dad and Tim to die? Do you think Memory wanted an invalid for a son?”
and having joy in the face of trials – to glorify Him.
“I looked back to the stage where Beth still stood, talking and smiling, surrounded by people who loved her. She had more joy than anyone I’d ever known; not that I’d known too many happy people. But I’d met plenty who had reason to be happy – talented, rich, beautiful people with big houses and blond children, and yearly vacations on tropical islands. Beth had none of those reasons, and less.”
This compelling debut novel is full of substance and rich characters who live a hard, but realistic, life. Let’s hope we see more of them, and this author, in the near future.
Bethany House (November 1, 2008)
It isn’t often, especially in Christian fiction, when the writing overcomes a clichéd setup to address important issues with substance and humor.
When her estranged father dies, Sarah Graham is penniless. She travels to a tiny town in the state of New York to claim her inheritance. Much to her chagrin, her fathers will stipulates a six-month stay in Jonah before she can receive the money. Lazy, promiscuous and bitter Sarah reluctantly stays. God uses the flawed people of the small hamlet of Jonah to teach Sarah love, forgiveness and grace.
Sarah learns of God’s sovereignty,
“What if my car hadn’t been stolen?...What if I pulled the books off the shelves on the left, instead of the right?...How can you tell if something is just a coincidence, or if it’s – “ I swallowed once, twice. “Or if it’s more?”
dealing with suffering on a daily basis,
“But life isn’t always about what we want, is it? If you stepped away from your own personal pity party for two minutes, maybe you’d see that other people have had some pretty terrible things happen to them, too. But they’re not sitting around, hating the world and everyone it it.
Do you think Beth wanted to be burned half past recognition, or that my mother wanted Dad and Tim to die? Do you think Memory wanted an invalid for a son?”
and having joy in the face of trials – to glorify Him.
“I looked back to the stage where Beth still stood, talking and smiling, surrounded by people who loved her. She had more joy than anyone I’d ever known; not that I’d known too many happy people. But I’d met plenty who had reason to be happy – talented, rich, beautiful people with big houses and blond children, and yearly vacations on tropical islands. Beth had none of those reasons, and less.”
This compelling debut novel is full of substance and rich characters who live a hard, but realistic, life. Let’s hope we see more of them, and this author, in the near future.
Rating: Paperback
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