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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A book i almost DnF but glady didnt. Because i wouldnt be as encouraged in my faith as i am now.
Well. I have not finished this book and don’t intend to, but I cannot hold off from leaving this review while all these thoughts are in my head. And boy howdy, do I have some thoughts.
Let’s start with the first complaint I realized I had: the Hosea parallels were far too on-the-nose for my taste. Michael even breaks the fourth wall, so to speak, and points out that his name is Hosea, then tells Angel the story of Hosea to show her the comparison. Groan. Subtlety and nuance would have had a more profound effect on me, but the novel follows the book of Hosea as literally as possible and I found it cringey.
Most notably, and here’s where I’m about to get heated, I would have much preferred a story with more wooing and romance leading up to their marriage. And I DEFINITELY would have preferred Angel to want the marriage. The whole beginning of this novel was very rushed, and there was no consent involved in their courtship or marriage, which is not only unromantic, but downright disturbing.
Particularly on page 119 in my copy, the last page of chapter 8, the conversation uncomfortably plays out like this:
“Do you remember anything about the wedding? … You said yes. Do you remember that?”
“I didn’t say yes. I said, why not?”
“It will do.”
YIKES ON BIKES. That’s not sweet, that’s not romantic, and it’s certainly not consent.
This story would have been much SO more powerful if Michael had taken more time to get to know Angel, allow time for her walls to come down, show her the way towards healing and recovery, let her slowly fall in love with him. Instead he was LITERALLY told by God to marry Angel (again, painfully on-the-nose), showed little interest in her as a person but rather in his duty to marry her, and took advantage of her in a vulnerable moment to coerce her into a marriage she had previously declined to accept.
The rest of the book felt like Angel developed Stockholm syndrome. Again, it would have been so much more moving for her to begin to fall for Michael prior to marriage, and then become overwhelmed by his unconditional love and patience and hence run back to her old life. Instead, when she ran away it felt like an actual escape to me, the reader. I was practically rooting for her to get away from this man who basically kidnapped her and forced her to marry him.
There are so many instances where I could point out how controlling Michael is towards Angel, but I would run out of room quickly. Let’s just say those scenes were numerous, some of them so awful I could barely read through them, and I’ll leave it at that.
The slut shaming was also hard to take in, especially since it came from the husband who supposedly loved Angel. She did not want to become a prostitute. She did not have a choice but to stay in the brothel until Michael borderline kidnapped her. Yet he often treats her like she enjoyed the life she left behind, which is really gaslighty and cruel and does not foster a loving environment in which Angel could heal.
On another note, moving onto the writing itself, I would have liked more backstory with Angel as an adult. As soon as we meet her in 1850, we’re also introduced to Michael and the marriage storyline hits the ground running. I wanted to see more of her broken past and painful current circumstances in order to understand her character better. The lack of characterization early in the novel made it difficult for Angel to develop throughout the book. Her actions are dependent on what the book of Hosea says about her character, not the additional background that the writer could have added to make her more relatable, interesting, and human.
This novel had potential. I expected so much more from the summary on its cover and the rave reviews it seems to get everywhere. But the author took a great story idea and poisoned it with lackluster writing, a cringeworthy direct retelling of the source material, and a disturbing take on consent, marriage, and unconditional love.
God gives us free will. We can accept his redeeming love or we can reject it. He does not force us to leave behind our sinful lives and take up the freedom he has to offer. His gift of love is something we CHOOSE to accept, and the author of this novel robbed Angel of that choice.
Let’s start with the first complaint I realized I had: the Hosea parallels were far too on-the-nose for my taste. Michael even breaks the fourth wall, so to speak, and points out that his name is Hosea, then tells Angel the story of Hosea to show her the comparison. Groan. Subtlety and nuance would have had a more profound effect on me, but the novel follows the book of Hosea as literally as possible and I found it cringey.
Most notably, and here’s where I’m about to get heated, I would have much preferred a story with more wooing and romance leading up to their marriage. And I DEFINITELY would have preferred Angel to want the marriage. The whole beginning of this novel was very rushed, and there was no consent involved in their courtship or marriage, which is not only unromantic, but downright disturbing.
Particularly on page 119 in my copy, the last page of chapter 8, the conversation uncomfortably plays out like this:
“Do you remember anything about the wedding? … You said yes. Do you remember that?”
“I didn’t say yes. I said, why not?”
“It will do.”
YIKES ON BIKES. That’s not sweet, that’s not romantic, and it’s certainly not consent.
This story would have been much SO more powerful if Michael had taken more time to get to know Angel, allow time for her walls to come down, show her the way towards healing and recovery, let her slowly fall in love with him. Instead he was LITERALLY told by God to marry Angel (again, painfully on-the-nose), showed little interest in her as a person but rather in his duty to marry her, and took advantage of her in a vulnerable moment to coerce her into a marriage she had previously declined to accept.
The rest of the book felt like Angel developed Stockholm syndrome. Again, it would have been so much more moving for her to begin to fall for Michael prior to marriage, and then become overwhelmed by his unconditional love and patience and hence run back to her old life. Instead, when she ran away it felt like an actual escape to me, the reader. I was practically rooting for her to get away from this man who basically kidnapped her and forced her to marry him.
There are so many instances where I could point out how controlling Michael is towards Angel, but I would run out of room quickly. Let’s just say those scenes were numerous, some of them so awful I could barely read through them, and I’ll leave it at that.
The slut shaming was also hard to take in, especially since it came from the husband who supposedly loved Angel. She did not want to become a prostitute. She did not have a choice but to stay in the brothel until Michael borderline kidnapped her. Yet he often treats her like she enjoyed the life she left behind, which is really gaslighty and cruel and does not foster a loving environment in which Angel could heal.
On another note, moving onto the writing itself, I would have liked more backstory with Angel as an adult. As soon as we meet her in 1850, we’re also introduced to Michael and the marriage storyline hits the ground running. I wanted to see more of her broken past and painful current circumstances in order to understand her character better. The lack of characterization early in the novel made it difficult for Angel to develop throughout the book. Her actions are dependent on what the book of Hosea says about her character, not the additional background that the writer could have added to make her more relatable, interesting, and human.
This novel had potential. I expected so much more from the summary on its cover and the rave reviews it seems to get everywhere. But the author took a great story idea and poisoned it with lackluster writing, a cringeworthy direct retelling of the source material, and a disturbing take on consent, marriage, and unconditional love.
God gives us free will. We can accept his redeeming love or we can reject it. He does not force us to leave behind our sinful lives and take up the freedom he has to offer. His gift of love is something we CHOOSE to accept, and the author of this novel robbed Angel of that choice.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm sorry I took so long to read this book. It's so much more than biblical literature. It's one of those books that will make you look internally and re-examine the kind of person you want to be. I can't wait to read other Francine Rivers' books!
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting
I was captivated, even cried some, but it was a bit too detailed in my opinion. It didn’t have to be as sensationalized in the depictions of abuse and trauma to accomplish the same thing. I loved the deeper message, but overall a bit heavy handed on gory details and marriage scenes yk. Just my opinion though. However, I’m sad it’s over, I really felt connected to the characters and the setting. Can’t wait for the movie!
Someone recommended this book to me but I cannot for the life of me remember who it was. I talked about it with my sister and she looked more into the book and says she thinks it was a bad recommendation. I don't read romance and I'm not inclined to many religious books, so I was gonna see because I knew it was a recc, but I think it better I not subject myself to the time it would take when I can already tell it is not for me.
This book is incredible. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. If you need a nudge, here it is, go read this book.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes