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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall, the message was incredibly encouraging, but the characters felt too one-dimensional and the dialogue/actions too repetitive (yes, even in a retelling of Hosea where lots of things happen again and again).
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
What in the alt-right tradwife fantasy tarnation did I just read?
I hate spoilers, and normally love surprises. When the algorithm blesses me with a recommendation with good ratings, I generally give it a shot. This one shows up – historical fiction with a 4.5 – so, I’m like, let’s goooo. I was, however, not ready for this.
I got about a fifth of the way into the book, which is, admittedly, not badly written, despite a scattering of red flags planted at the tippy top of Cliché Mountain, before I start noticing something is off. There’s a pretty girl with (I hate this phrase) “daddy issues,” plus horrific sexual assault, plus trafficking, and of course the natural outcome is the most captivating sex worker in the not-yet-state of California.
Enter Captain Save-A-Hoe.
Again, the book reads well. So at first I’m like, oh yeah, there’s this handsome and successful dude with a mysterious flaw – does he think he’s a prophet? No way, but there’s some interesting association there. He wants to marry her at first sight because god told him to? Let’s read on! Let’s see what twists and turns are tucked away behind this Totally Not Hamfisted Evangelical Plot to Fix This Broken Hussy!
At some point in the book, it finally hit me, generous (naïve) as I was handling it – this story is uncritically celebrating this dude as an actual flawless prophet, and he is emotionally tormenting himself to help god rescue this hoe. (As well as physically, like oh my god, I have never forced myself to suffer a character’s blue balls so hard as I had to with this book. That’s why I gave it two stars. It was written well enough that I actually finished it, even as the weird gross parable unfolded.)
Then the other thing hit me – the ENTIRETY of this book is written about an object – sorry, a woman – who is so gorgeous that men stop her in the streets to ask for her hand in marriage. Her literal job is to have sex with men. And she leaves that job but she’s obviously just ADDICTED to being a “prostitute” because she keeps going back to riding every dick in them there hills. AND YET. There is not a single sex scene in this book.
Which is like, whatever, I mean I definitely didn’t pick up this book to get my rocks off. And I DEFINITELY was relieved to not read some kind of gratuitous account of sexual assault. But given the subject matter and the pattern here, it was a glaring and surely painstaking omission. There had to be a motive. Is this some kind of Old Testament fusion fanfic? What the fck did I get myself myself into? (Am I allowed to curse on here? I’m new to this.)
As I kept reading things like Angel asking “what do you want from me?” and her husband responding “obey” or Angel and her friend agreeing that a woman’s divine gift and sole purpose is to bear children for men, it started getting REALLY WEIRD IN HERE. Completely unironic. Just GROSS.
And pleeeeeease tell my why literally every single character is in love with Michael. Everybody exists to please him, at their own expense. They all obviously want to fck him. It’s giving David Koresh.
At this point, it’s only fair for me to take responsibility for picking up this book to begin with, instead of doing literally any research whatsoever. I feel like a shoveled fistfuls of chicken satay down my gullet and then flipped out at the server because I have a peanut allergy. But Jesus mfing Christ, i know I have nobody to blame but myself, but I still need my metaphorical epi pen.
The amount of praise for this book, though, especially from women, is cringey as hell. Anyway, if you’re looking for Black Snake Moan meets Veggie Tales, please get you a copy of this immediately. I didn’t know that intersection even existed, but I now wish I didn’t. I’m equally baffled, irritated, and impressed that I made it through the entire thing.
I hate spoilers, and normally love surprises. When the algorithm blesses me with a recommendation with good ratings, I generally give it a shot. This one shows up – historical fiction with a 4.5 – so, I’m like, let’s goooo. I was, however, not ready for this.
I got about a fifth of the way into the book, which is, admittedly, not badly written, despite a scattering of red flags planted at the tippy top of Cliché Mountain, before I start noticing something is off. There’s a pretty girl with (I hate this phrase) “daddy issues,” plus horrific sexual assault, plus trafficking, and of course the natural outcome is the most captivating sex worker in the not-yet-state of California.
Enter Captain Save-A-Hoe.
Again, the book reads well. So at first I’m like, oh yeah, there’s this handsome and successful dude with a mysterious flaw – does he think he’s a prophet? No way, but there’s some interesting association there. He wants to marry her at first sight because god told him to? Let’s read on! Let’s see what twists and turns are tucked away behind this Totally Not Hamfisted Evangelical Plot to Fix This Broken Hussy!
At some point in the book, it finally hit me, generous (naïve) as I was handling it – this story is uncritically celebrating this dude as an actual flawless prophet, and he is emotionally tormenting himself to help god rescue this hoe. (As well as physically, like oh my god, I have never forced myself to suffer a character’s blue balls so hard as I had to with this book. That’s why I gave it two stars. It was written well enough that I actually finished it, even as the weird gross parable unfolded.)
Then the other thing hit me – the ENTIRETY of this book is written about an object – sorry, a woman – who is so gorgeous that men stop her in the streets to ask for her hand in marriage. Her literal job is to have sex with men. And she leaves that job but she’s obviously just ADDICTED to being a “prostitute” because she keeps going back to riding every dick in them there hills. AND YET. There is not a single sex scene in this book.
Which is like, whatever, I mean I definitely didn’t pick up this book to get my rocks off. And I DEFINITELY was relieved to not read some kind of gratuitous account of sexual assault. But given the subject matter and the pattern here, it was a glaring and surely painstaking omission. There had to be a motive. Is this some kind of Old Testament fusion fanfic? What the fck did I get myself myself into? (Am I allowed to curse on here? I’m new to this.)
As I kept reading things like Angel asking “what do you want from me?” and her husband responding “obey” or Angel and her friend agreeing that a woman’s divine gift and sole purpose is to bear children for men, it started getting REALLY WEIRD IN HERE. Completely unironic. Just GROSS.
And pleeeeeease tell my why literally every single character is in love with Michael. Everybody exists to please him, at their own expense. They all obviously want to fck him. It’s giving David Koresh.
At this point, it’s only fair for me to take responsibility for picking up this book to begin with, instead of doing literally any research whatsoever. I feel like a shoveled fistfuls of chicken satay down my gullet and then flipped out at the server because I have a peanut allergy. But Jesus mfing Christ, i know I have nobody to blame but myself, but I still need my metaphorical epi pen.
The amount of praise for this book, though, especially from women, is cringey as hell. Anyway, if you’re looking for Black Snake Moan meets Veggie Tales, please get you a copy of this immediately. I didn’t know that intersection even existed, but I now wish I didn’t. I’m equally baffled, irritated, and impressed that I made it through the entire thing.
I’ve never been a big fan of the romance genre, but this was the majority vote in a ladies’ book club I was a part of years ago. I’m so glad it was too. I love this book and have reread three times. Wonderfully entertaining with a powerful message about the love of God.
The main character has violent and controlling tendencies that should not be romantisized
Perfect Depiction of God’s Love
This story wrapped me in it instantly. I felt the pain and shame all the way to the redemption and forgiveness. It was the perfect reminder of God’s peace.
This story wrapped me in it instantly. I felt the pain and shame all the way to the redemption and forgiveness. It was the perfect reminder of God’s peace.
challenging
emotional
sad
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