The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner

I've been conflicted as to how to begin this column and decided to just start typing;  seems the best way to break the silence.  I'm going to be reviewing books and CD's here. The majority will be Christian based and some might just be excellent books or music I want to draw your attention to. I hope you'll feel free to leave me your comments good or bad.  Let me know if you've read the books and your opinion. Keep an eye out for Give Aways with My Reviews!

And so let me kick off this inaugural column with one of the books I've been reading that I've really liked. One of my favorites that I read earlier this spring was The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner, published by WaterBrook Press (September16, 2008).

The Shape of Mercy

When Lauren Durough, who was raised in a life of luxury, strikes out on her own and is determined to make her own way. She takes a part-time job from a retired librarian named Abigail Boyles, who hires her to transcribe some journal entries of her ancestry Mercy Hayworth who was a victim of the Salem Witch Trials.

Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl, Mercy, who lived and died so long ago. As the fervor surrounding  the witch accusations increases, the journal indicates how Mercy becomes trapped in what is going on around her. As Lauren reads on she finds that the secrets of Mercy's story extend beyond her diary and live on in the mysterious Abigail.

Lauren feels for Mercy force her to take a look at her own life, including her relationship with Abigail, and others in her life.  As Lauren works towards the end of the diary she finds that in the story as in her life, it is built on misconceptions that have shaped her life, and she has to make the decision whether or not to change her attitudes towards them.

Review

I was completely blown away by this book! Every once in a while you read a book that you have to tell everyone about and that's what I'm doing with this one! It starts out as such a simple story, but you can't put it down. You're immediately pulled into this incredible story. First of all, it's such a unique story. As Lauren delves further and further into the diary, the reader starts seeing how the events of 400 years ago parallel many of the issues in Lauren's life. I couldn't put this book down. The story of Mercy's life was mesmerizing. With every twist and turn I was on the edge of my seat. This is a great book and I'd recommend it over and over.

I was incredibly moved by the story of Mercy. For myself, the depiction of the people and events surrounding the Salem Witch Trials was presented in a way that gave a lot more depth to what happened. I've read about it before, but was affected much more with this book. As further pages in Mercy's diary are revealed we experience first hand the terror of the times, the fear of losing loved ones, and the strength and courage it took to keep your faith in God during those trying times.

If you're looking for a Christian book with a clear message, this isn't the book. If you're looking for a love-at-first-sight story, you'll be disappointed. But, if you want to read a wonderfully written and compelling story that will stay with you for days...this is the one to pick up.

This is just one of the books I've uncovered in the past few weeks that I thought would be of interest and I have more coming. There is some absolutely wonderful Christian fiction being published as well as non-fiction. I'm looking forward to bring as many as possible to your attention.

Comments

[Holly]

I, too enjoyed The Shape of Mercy so much. I didn't think I would, but read it because it was the book for the month. I'm so glad I did.
Thanks for sharing!