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bridgetsluvsbooks 's review for:
Return to Me
by Lynn Austin
*** 2.5 stars ***
Besides Redeeming Love, I have not read biblical fiction before this, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
I first picked up Return to Me when I saw a biblical fiction book club read it. I excitedly told the woman at church who disciples me about it, and she told me that Return to Me was fantastic and she loved the whole trilogy. In the hunt to read more edifying books, I ordered Return to Me, and it sat next to my bed. At Thanksgiving, I brought the book to visit my boyfriend, and we read the first chapter together. We both found the first chapter super engaging, and he was excited for me to read the book. He even asked to borrow it when I was done!
All this to say, I struggled with this book. I repeatedly put it down to read other books and was often not excited to read it. I thought that the scene-setting was beautiful, I loved the book's sectioning and the leaps forward, and I enjoyed the strong-willed and mischievous Yael. I struggled with Iddo. I found Iddo preachy, emotional, and ignorant to others. While Iddo was determined to follow the Lord, he ignored his children and his wife. I hoped that Iddo would gain dimension when his past was brought up, but he remained stubborn. Iddo was too legalistic and preachy. However, the further I read the novel, the more I understand that Iddo’s stole job was to bring God to his community as a Levite priest. If this book was only about Iddo, I don’t know that I could have finished this novel. It was not until Iddo’s wife Dinah threatened to leave Jerusalem with another man that Iddo became a sympathetic character, and I did start to like him.
I really started to enjoy this book around page 260 or so when Iddo recommits himself to Dinah. After Dinah rescues the Samaritan baby and life is discussed, I was re-engaged in this novel. Yael’s bonding with Rafi after the death of Leyla was unexcepted but handled well. I really enjoyed the last two sections of the book. A lot happened towards the end of the book. The reveal of the two prophets was biblically called for but unexcepted! I do not think that Return to Me was poorly written, and I enjoyed many aspects of this book, but I will have to settle this book with two and a half stars. I can fully understand why other people love this book, but it stalled me out at many points, and I cannot forget that in my experience of the novel.
Besides Redeeming Love, I have not read biblical fiction before this, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
I first picked up Return to Me when I saw a biblical fiction book club read it. I excitedly told the woman at church who disciples me about it, and she told me that Return to Me was fantastic and she loved the whole trilogy. In the hunt to read more edifying books, I ordered Return to Me, and it sat next to my bed. At Thanksgiving, I brought the book to visit my boyfriend, and we read the first chapter together. We both found the first chapter super engaging, and he was excited for me to read the book. He even asked to borrow it when I was done!
All this to say, I struggled with this book. I repeatedly put it down to read other books and was often not excited to read it. I thought that the scene-setting was beautiful, I loved the book's sectioning and the leaps forward, and I enjoyed the strong-willed and mischievous Yael. I struggled with Iddo. I found Iddo preachy, emotional, and ignorant to others. While Iddo was determined to follow the Lord, he ignored his children and his wife. I hoped that Iddo would gain dimension when his past was brought up, but he remained stubborn. Iddo was too legalistic and preachy. However, the further I read the novel, the more I understand that Iddo’s stole job was to bring God to his community as a Levite priest. If this book was only about Iddo, I don’t know that I could have finished this novel. It was not until Iddo’s wife Dinah threatened to leave Jerusalem with another man that Iddo became a sympathetic character, and I did start to like him.
I really started to enjoy this book around page 260 or so when Iddo recommits himself to Dinah. After Dinah rescues the Samaritan baby and life is discussed, I was re-engaged in this novel. Yael’s bonding with Rafi after the death of Leyla was unexcepted but handled well. I really enjoyed the last two sections of the book. A lot happened towards the end of the book. The reveal of the two prophets was biblically called for but unexcepted! I do not think that Return to Me was poorly written, and I enjoyed many aspects of this book, but I will have to settle this book with two and a half stars. I can fully understand why other people love this book, but it stalled me out at many points, and I cannot forget that in my experience of the novel.