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Jen's Reviews > The Shack
The Shack
by Wm. Paul Young
by Wm. Paul Young
Jen's review
bookshelves: chicks-dig-it, spirituality-religion, schmutzwasser, shivers, sisters-book-club
May 22, 2009
bookshelves: chicks-dig-it, spirituality-religion, schmutzwasser, shivers, sisters-book-club
Read in January, 2008
** spoiler alert **
If you like your spirituality like a boxed dinner (just add meat!) then this book is for you.
The gist
A parent struggles with his worldview after a family camping trip ends in the abduction of his daughter by a serial rapist/killer.
Divine intervention comes by way of an invitation to the place where his little girl breathed her last. Masochism, curiosity, and a longing for answers and closure compels him to go alone to the spot. God appears, taking three forms:
1. Big black Momma God ("Sho 'nuff", "True 'dat")
2. Jesus, the granola carpenter
3. The Holy Spirit, an Asian chick named Sarayu (The Cheshire Cat
in disguise, fresh from the Betty Ford clinic)
These forms alternately challenge and minister to the main character. The voice telling the story is not the main character and may very likely sound like
1. Peter Falk, from the Princess Bride
2. Sam Elliot, voice of Smokey the Bear and narrator of the Big Lebowski
3. a clueless intruder who claims to be a friend of the curious masochist
The beginning of the book is blah, the middle drags (Oh yes, Jesus! How it drags!), and the end question and answer part does little to help the genre of spiritual fiction.
If you are looking for a skeletal plot to help move along a postmodern Christian/theological/spiritual framework I suggest A New Kind of Christian by Brian D McLaren.
The gist
A parent struggles with his worldview after a family camping trip ends in the abduction of his daughter by a serial rapist/killer.
Divine intervention comes by way of an invitation to the place where his little girl breathed her last. Masochism, curiosity, and a longing for answers and closure compels him to go alone to the spot. God appears, taking three forms:
1. Big black Momma God ("Sho 'nuff", "True 'dat")
2. Jesus, the granola carpenter
3. The Holy Spirit, an Asian chick named Sarayu (The Cheshire Cat
in disguise, fresh from the Betty Ford clinic)
These forms alternately challenge and minister to the main character. The voice telling the story is not the main character and may very likely sound like
1. Peter Falk, from the Princess Bride
2. Sam Elliot, voice of Smokey the Bear and narrator of the Big Lebowski
3. a clueless intruder who claims to be a friend of the curious masochist
The beginning of the book is blah, the middle drags (Oh yes, Jesus! How it drags!), and the end question and answer part does little to help the genre of spiritual fiction.
If you are looking for a skeletal plot to help move along a postmodern Christian/theological/spiritual framework I suggest A New Kind of Christian by Brian D McLaren.
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Mother whatsherface after a twinkie binge, with a bit of Madea and Aunt Jemima.And it is a straw hat. I will clarify with another pic so you can see its loveliness even better.
Someone tried to book rape me with this one. I successfully resisted, but still live in fear.
Amanda wrote: "Someone tried to book rape me with this one. I successfully resisted, but still live in fear."Booksringmybell is reading it now- book rape in progress. I think she said her aunt was the perp. My sister picked this winner for our sisters' book club. Sigh.
Just read your Shack review. If you ever get to read my stuff, let me know and I'll leave town. You may be right (I don't want to read the Shack), but you're scary.
Stan, there are plenty of books that I have liked and reviewed honestly that received more stars. You picked a stinker, no fair! There are plenty of people on GR who think that this book *changed* their lives so I don't think Bill Young is crying when he goes to cash his checks at the bank. But I almost cried when I read this thing- the writing was that bad. And he ruined ladybugs for me, which is just a plain evil thing to do to someone.
Poor ladybugs.
Jen wrote: "Stan, there are plenty of books that I have liked and reviewed honestly that received more stars. You picked a stinker, no fair!
There are plenty of people on GR who think that this book *change..."
Ouch! Just having a bit of sport.
(Jen, I love what you write and the way you write it. But, let's face it, for a writer it could be scary, couldn't it?)
Keep up the good work.
PS: it also scares me to think what those lives must have been that got changed by this jewel...
There are plenty of people on GR who think that this book *change..."
Ouch! Just having a bit of sport.
(Jen, I love what you write and the way you write it. But, let's face it, for a writer it could be scary, couldn't it?)
Keep up the good work.
PS: it also scares me to think what those lives must have been that got changed by this jewel...
Oh, I understood. Just sending the love back your way. Sarcasm is a beautiful thing.
And just to prove that am not merely a vermicious knid of a reviewer, here is my review of D2's book- good writing is good writing is good writing.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....
I agree and yet- sometimes stupid christians accidentally feed the poor and stuff and I try to remember that. It's hard, though.
Excellent!Sam Donaldson, the toupee guy? Or Sam Elliott, the sexy (rawr!) cowboy voice?
Eh, you're the first one to notice that mistake- I hope to God that it wasn't a Freudian slip, because Sam Elliot's voice was Smokey the Bear and he's much sexier (if you want to see a really bad Ray Milland movie with Sam Elliot in it, try the old Frogs! horror flick- my boys love to watch it and laugh)- I'm going to edit this now and uncheck "Add to my Update Feed" so no one thinks I'm floating it for votes.
Sam Donaldson has a nice voice, too.I love when old reviews are judiciously floated. I've missed so much good stuff in the years before last October. Strap on those inflatable arm bands and toss 'em out there!
In my mind the voice was Robin Williams - As in the Hook Robin Williams, not the World According to Garp Robin Williams.
I can understand that, Scott, but if I take away the imaginary vocal sex appeal of the narrator then I'll have to drop the book another star. My hearing the gravelly voiced Sam Elliot is a strange kind of mercy and grace here.
Jesus, the granola carpenter Sturdy furnishings out of crumbled whole grains? That IS a miracle!
Amanda wrote: "Someone tried to book rape me with this one. I successfully resisted, but still live in fear."Me too, I could not be fooled!
I think that's literary harrassment, Miriam.
Jen wrote: "I think that's literary harrassment, Miriam."Yes, if you need a lawyer, Miriam ...
Thanks, but they're already bankrupt.
I'd like to introduce you to Alcatraz, a deeply troubled, teenage, tattoo artist on a spiritual quest to find God. www.lovegodandtattoos.com
I would never have touched this book, but now I know the real story. Was God #1 like Mother whatsherface in The Stand? Or more like Bagger Vance?