A review by jessicachenard_author
The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

5.0

The Shack was recommended to me by a friend because of the storyline, a tragedy happened to a family, overcoming it & healing from it. They recommended this to me because of my own tragedy with the loss of my brother. If I am being honest I was hesitant to read this book because when my brother passed I had a few people say things like, "God has our destiny planned," basically the religious version of, "everything happens for a reason," & whether that's true or not I would advise not to say those words to a grieving person. No one meant harm by it BUT it may have started my growing reservations about faith. Luckily, this review of this book has nothing to do with that! I was very touched by this book & pleasantly surprised with its meaning! I even cried during the chapter of Mack & him looking through the waterfall. I won't give any spoilers away but I do want to write out the quote in the book that I was probably searching for all along: "Mack, just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn't mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don't ever assume that my using something means I caused it or that I needed it to accomplish my purposes. That will only lead you to false notions about me. Grace doesn't depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets & colors." In the book, the next sentence Mack says is "Actually, that's a relief," & let me tell you I choose to believe this outlook about destiny because that's how I felt... I exhaled with the weight of a few years rolling off of my shoulders & thought about the relief I felt. I could write many more sentences that I loved but I'll leave it at that!