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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Wow wow wow. My first ever Frank Peretti book and again wow. I loved this book! It really helped me put the spiritual realm into perspective. I have always believed in the spiritual happenings around us but it was nice to see it side by side which what was happening in the character’s lives. I felt fired up every time I picked the book up. After reading this book I feel even more encouraged about the power of God and the power of prayer. It was exciting and thought provoking. I would definitely reread and I most definitely recommend.
Right off the bat, I’ll say that the writing is not great. In fact, if this were any other book I probably wouldn’t have read past the first chapter. But it’s not any other book.
This book is really powerful as it explains the invisible battle happening around us every day. There are so many aspects of spiritual warfare that confused me previously that this book cleared up. And it might not be a perfect representation of what happens, I guess we’ll never know. But I do think this book is worth a read. Despite the criticisms and bad writing, this book still sold millions. And I think that it is because God ordained it so.
This book is really powerful as it explains the invisible battle happening around us every day. There are so many aspects of spiritual warfare that confused me previously that this book cleared up. And it might not be a perfect representation of what happens, I guess we’ll never know. But I do think this book is worth a read. Despite the criticisms and bad writing, this book still sold millions. And I think that it is because God ordained it so.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The angels are ethnically diverse but the humans are not.
A book written from a right-wing American evangelical perspective, the issues mentioned in the content warnings are universally handled poorly. Addiction, in particular, is portrayed as something that is easy to cure. Anyone struggling with this issue might find this upsetting and should probably stay clear.
The attitude towards sex work hasn't aged well.
On another note is rape: there are three separate instances of false rape accusations in this book.
This is a right-wing conspiracy thriller and general worldview of this book anticipated QAnon. The book promotes religious intolerance and in particular intolerance of "Eastern religions". This is probably the most overtly racist thing about the book.
A book written from a right-wing American evangelical perspective, the issues mentioned in the content warnings are universally handled poorly. Addiction, in particular, is portrayed as something that is easy to cure. Anyone struggling with this issue might find this upsetting and should probably stay clear.
The attitude towards sex work hasn't aged well.
On another note is rape: there are three separate instances of false rape accusations in this book.
This is a right-wing conspiracy thriller and general worldview of this book anticipated QAnon. The book promotes religious intolerance and in particular intolerance of "Eastern religions". This is probably the most overtly racist thing about the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Mental illness, Car accident
Moderate: Rape, Suicide, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting
Minor: Drug abuse
I remember really loving this book as a teenager growing up in the church. I'm re-reading it with a much more open mind, and I find that even in just the little bit I'm re-read that it feels hokey and too black and white. It's been full of clichés so far - a small town which used to be a bastion of glory is now rundown and full of demonic spirits. This is especially true because of the annual festival the town throws. But just how tangled up in small-town life are these demonic influences? Well, we're about to find out!
If it gives you any idea what kind of ride we're in for, the book uses the term "Oriental" to describe a person/angel. I'm also not loving the bias against higher education and Psychology in particular. And Marshall Hogan has just complained about a pastor being to into "saving the whales". Honestly, may not finish this book.
It has now also referred to something difficult as an "indian arm wrestle". If nothing else, the publisher should update to remove these racist phrases.
If it gives you any idea what kind of ride we're in for, the book uses the term "Oriental" to describe a person/angel. I'm also not loving the bias against higher education and Psychology in particular. And Marshall Hogan has just complained about a pastor being to into "saving the whales". Honestly, may not finish this book.
It has now also referred to something difficult as an "indian arm wrestle". If nothing else, the publisher should update to remove these racist phrases.
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
No
For being a story of spiritual warfare, this felt rather surface level. Characters were too canned. Their dialogue didn't feel original or natural, and I could easily see where each of their threads was going to end up.
The pacing also needed some fine tuning. At times, though I was interested in the investigation Marshall and Bernice were doing, the leads they followed and facts they found were too drawn out, especially because they were really finding the same clues and turning over the same stones again and again. After the fifth time Marshall was given the same warning over his safety, I was like, "Okay. Got it the first time...and the second...let's get on with the story." On other other hand, though, the final conflict when all the different pieces face off was a flurry of things. Very choppy and tumultuous.
This story was taking on a lot, and I wonder if it was too much. Perhaps it the scope of it was told through the perspective of fewer characters, maybe just two or three instead of pretty much everyone in the town and the beings trying to invade and/or protect the town, it would have reached the depth I would have liked to see.
It should also be noted that a message within this narrative was that learning about things that are different from Christian theology is not okay and is harmful, which I don't think is true (speaking as a person who identifies as a Christian).
The pacing also needed some fine tuning. At times, though I was interested in the investigation Marshall and Bernice were doing, the leads they followed and facts they found were too drawn out, especially because they were really finding the same clues and turning over the same stones again and again. After the fifth time Marshall was given the same warning over his safety, I was like, "Okay. Got it the first time...and the second...let's get on with the story." On other other hand, though, the final conflict when all the different pieces face off was a flurry of things. Very choppy and tumultuous.
This story was taking on a lot, and I wonder if it was too much. Perhaps it the scope of it was told through the perspective of fewer characters, maybe just two or three instead of pretty much everyone in the town and the beings trying to invade and/or protect the town, it would have reached the depth I would have liked to see.
It should also be noted that a message within this narrative was that learning about things that are different from Christian theology is not okay and is harmful, which I don't think is true (speaking as a person who identifies as a Christian).
I found it okay, but I was very frustrated by the tendency at the time, to take all that Peretti said as if it were Gospel truth.
adventurous
fast-paced