You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Flat characters. Self congratulatory. Motivated me to pray more.
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It’s basically a whole book about questionable spiritual warfare and people that hate psychology
Christian fiction, but if that's OK with you, it's not bad.
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Oops! I accidentally listened to the abridged version that was only 3 hours long. Can't find it on here. Oh well. Now to the review:
That wasn't great. It wasn't for me. I know that's vague, but I am holding on to my review until I read the full novel (which my grandfather now wants me to read after the abridged version snafu).
This review is to be continued...
That wasn't great. It wasn't for me. I know that's vague, but I am holding on to my review until I read the full novel (which my grandfather now wants me to read after the abridged version snafu).
This review is to be continued...
hopeful
inspiring
Het is een goed boek en een toonpunt van de waarheid al zeg ik het zelf aangezien ik ook Christelijk ben
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ok, so I'm re-reading this as an adult and an apostate, but when I first read this I was a teen in a large non-denominational church and a fairly charismatic family. We did believe in angels and demons and spiritual warfare. My mom believes that she has attended "deliverances" where she has helped pray demons out of people. As a kid, I considered this book to be a fictional story that showcased how the world really worked.
So, yeah. That's my background.
Coming back to this story as an adult from a completely different viewpoint, two things really stood out to me.
One, my goodness, Peretti really hates higher education, huh? I mean, I already could tell from his Veritas Project books that he thinks public schools are cesspits of demonic activity and brainwashing, but jeez. Apparently, any public (read: non-religious) institution of learning is just lying in wait to poison the minds of your good Christian babes. Possible ways that they might sneak demons into your kids include doing yoga, practicing mediation, or studying philosophy or psychology of any sort. Also, "Eastern region", paganism, and witchcraft are all interchangeable, apparently. Oh! And if your church teaches religious tolerance or environmentalism , you need to leave immediately to find a wholesome fundamentalist pastor because your current one is consorting with demons.
Two, Peretti's use of rape in this story is deeply offensive and irresponsible. There are three (3!!!) instances in this book where good men of God are attacked with false rape accusations. Two of these involve children and one further involves incest. They are all false. The reader knows they are false. And they are clearly weaponized by evil people to shame good Christian men and ruin their lives.
Do I even need to explain how damaging that is? Implanting the idea in a young religious person's head that if someone in their church or in their life is accused of rape, they should just assume that it's a frame job? That the victim is possessed by demons and lying to obstruct warriors of God? We already live in a culture where victims aren't believed and rapists are unaffected by their crimes - ESPECIALLY in churches. Just. Yikes. I never want to see false rape accusations represented in fiction, as they are so statically uncommon and sexual violence is so rampant and so often unpunished. But to have it weaponized like this? As a pet trick of The Adversary? It's so unbelievably irresponsible. Unconscionable.
Besides those two points that majorly stood out to me, I found the story pretty middle-of-the-road. It's a bit slower than it needed to be, though I love a good take-down of a giant corporation as a trope. The book being so dated is also very distracting, though. And I always find Peretti's dialogue to be incredibly corny - especially when he's try to write a "sinner" character or a teen. Just yikes. And, please stop calling people "Orientals", dude. Oof.
All in all, pretty standard for a Peretti re-read. Not great.
So, yeah. That's my background.
Coming back to this story as an adult from a completely different viewpoint, two things really stood out to me.
One, my goodness, Peretti really hates higher education, huh? I mean, I already could tell from his Veritas Project books that he thinks public schools are cesspits of demonic activity and brainwashing, but jeez. Apparently, any public (read: non-religious) institution of learning is just lying in wait to poison the minds of your good Christian babes. Possible ways that they might sneak demons into your kids include doing yoga, practicing mediation, or studying philosophy or psychology of any sort. Also, "Eastern region", paganism, and witchcraft are all interchangeable, apparently. Oh! And if your church teaches religious tolerance or environmentalism , you need to leave immediately to find a wholesome fundamentalist pastor because your current one is consorting with demons.
Two, Peretti's use of rape in this story is deeply offensive and irresponsible. There are three (3!!!) instances in this book where good men of God are attacked with false rape accusations. Two of these involve children and one further involves incest. They are all false. The reader knows they are false. And they are clearly weaponized by evil people to shame good Christian men and ruin their lives.
Do I even need to explain how damaging that is? Implanting the idea in a young religious person's head that if someone in their church or in their life is accused of rape, they should just assume that it's a frame job? That the victim is possessed by demons and lying to obstruct warriors of God? We already live in a culture where victims aren't believed and rapists are unaffected by their crimes - ESPECIALLY in churches. Just. Yikes. I never want to see false rape accusations represented in fiction, as they are so statically uncommon and sexual violence is so rampant and so often unpunished. But to have it weaponized like this? As a pet trick of The Adversary? It's so unbelievably irresponsible. Unconscionable.
Besides those two points that majorly stood out to me, I found the story pretty middle-of-the-road. It's a bit slower than it needed to be, though I love a good take-down of a giant corporation as a trope. The book being so dated is also very distracting, though. And I always find Peretti's dialogue to be incredibly corny - especially when he's try to write a "sinner" character or a teen. Just yikes. And, please stop calling people "Orientals", dude. Oof.
All in all, pretty standard for a Peretti re-read. Not great.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape