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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
holtfan's review against another edition
1.0
Now hold it, hold it! Has everyone had their come to Jesus moment? Mhmmmhmm. Suitably G romantic interests drawn out from the main characters? Check. "Shocking" plot twists....that, um, sort of.
Didn't go in expecting a "Christian" thriller, so perhaps I'm reacting with surprise because of that. Still, disappointing. The message is literally "become a Christian and everything good happens. You get out of jail, crazy people are healed, and you won't faint after not eating for over 14 days." Thus, it's faulty doctrine that good things happen as long as you are a basically good person who has a nice come-to-Jesus-moment. There is also misuse of Scripture, including taking verses out of context for a self-application that is sketch at best.
Didn't find the Christianity in this novel that compelling. The actual court room scenes were incredibly dramatic, and the "thriller" takes place in the last maybe 1/4th of the book and seems at odd with the preceding 3/4ths.
Overall, I'm ambivalent about the book. I found it mediocre on almost every level, to the point of boring. However, it was "clean", and makes a pass at being Christian. Not recommended, but don't violently oppose.
Didn't go in expecting a "Christian" thriller, so perhaps I'm reacting with surprise because of that. Still, disappointing. The message is literally "become a Christian and everything good happens. You get out of jail, crazy people are healed, and you won't faint after not eating for over 14 days." Thus, it's faulty doctrine that good things happen as long as you are a basically good person who has a nice come-to-Jesus-moment. There is also misuse of Scripture, including taking verses out of context for a self-application that is sketch at best.
Didn't find the Christianity in this novel that compelling. The actual court room scenes were incredibly dramatic, and the "thriller" takes place in the last maybe 1/4th of the book and seems at odd with the preceding 3/4ths.
Overall, I'm ambivalent about the book. I found it mediocre on almost every level, to the point of boring. However, it was "clean", and makes a pass at being Christian. Not recommended, but don't violently oppose.
rfwads's review
2.0
This book was so so.... I think I would have liked it more, if there wasn't so much religious reference in it. I just felt there was so much of it, that it took away from the actual trial and story line....because of that, I wouldn't recommend this book to others, unless they are more on the religious side.
hg_'s review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Moderate: Death and Murder
brandie185's review against another edition
1.0
I was so disappointed in this book. I was thinking I was going to get a Grisham-like book, and instead I got some cheesy become a Christian, pray and all things will right themselves.
It was billed to me as a legal thriller book - legal, yes; thriller - umm, no. Unless hiking through woods, everyone turning their lives around, finding true love, and everything wrapped up all nice and lovely counts as a thriller. Okay, so there was one semi-scary part in the book, but alas, I am scratching my head at the thriller part.
Now, sometimes I want easy, happily-ever-after the book ends with everything being wonderful - but that is not what I thought this book was. I was so disappointed.
And might I also add that Whitlow makes a huge mistake that I think so many Christian authors do - the book is predictable, the message is the same old, and gaining faith (or a deeper sense of faith) somehow makes everything so wonderful and perfect - including in this book a person with a mental issue being prayed over and suddenly the mental issue goes away. I'm sorry, but real life doesn't work that way and I think that mindset sets up too many people for failure - if I had more faith, I wouldn't be depressed. If God loved me I would struggle with anxiety. Suicidal thoughts would lead my mind if only I prayed more. No. It doesn't work that way. Bi-polar can't be prayed away. Becoming a Christian - or getting a deeper faith - does not mean all wounds will heal, true love will appear and all wrongs in your life will be righted. It's naive at best to portray faith in these terms.
I wouldn't recommend this book. I doubt I will pick up any Whitlow books in the future. And as soon as I read this book, I promptly got rid of it.
It was billed to me as a legal thriller book - legal, yes; thriller - umm, no. Unless hiking through woods, everyone turning their lives around, finding true love, and everything wrapped up all nice and lovely counts as a thriller. Okay, so there was one semi-scary part in the book, but alas, I am scratching my head at the thriller part.
Now, sometimes I want easy, happily-ever-after the book ends with everything being wonderful - but that is not what I thought this book was. I was so disappointed.
And might I also add that Whitlow makes a huge mistake that I think so many Christian authors do - the book is predictable, the message is the same old, and gaining faith (or a deeper sense of faith) somehow makes everything so wonderful and perfect - including in this book a person with a mental issue being prayed over and suddenly the mental issue goes away. I'm sorry, but real life doesn't work that way and I think that mindset sets up too many people for failure - if I had more faith, I wouldn't be depressed. If God loved me I would struggle with anxiety. Suicidal thoughts would lead my mind if only I prayed more. No. It doesn't work that way. Bi-polar can't be prayed away. Becoming a Christian - or getting a deeper faith - does not mean all wounds will heal, true love will appear and all wrongs in your life will be righted. It's naive at best to portray faith in these terms.
I wouldn't recommend this book. I doubt I will pick up any Whitlow books in the future. And as soon as I read this book, I promptly got rid of it.