jmthompson017's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
menfort's review against another edition
4.0
A feel good about yourself and humanity book. I was disappointed in the ending, I wanted it to end differently...but still good with beautiful imagery.
sheridacon's review against another edition
2.0
Maybe it's because I tried the audio version, but this book seemed so contrived to me. When it broke down & started to remind me of a bad Whoopi Goldberg impersonation, I just couldn't take it anymore. It wasn't funny & it wasn't good...and I'm pretty sure I know how it would have ended. Blech.
amydm's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as The Shack, but still good food for thought
mchoneyb's review against another edition
2.0
After reading the Shack, I couldn't wait to see what this one was about. I have to admit, I was disappointed. I'm trying to put my finger on exactly what it is about this book that made it not my favorite, and I think it's probably a couple of things. One, I think the author was trying to make too many points at once. Two, I think there were some weird moments in the story that were supposed to make it feel more light, playful, casual, whatever, and those moments just ended up being more awkward and weird instead.
Don't get me wrong, there were a few helpful points to learn from the book. Like what happens to us when we think of ourselves and shut others out. The imagery used in the story I think illustrated that point well. And, there were a few gems of lines that I found wise and valuable, like when Tony is talking to Jack about self-image and the soul:
"Tony you are a root," Jack said, interrupting his spiral, "and only God knows what the flower will be. Don't get lost castigating yourself for being a root. Without the root, the flower can never be. The flower is an expression of what now appears so lowly and unimportant, a waste."
But, I think the thing that really made this book a 2 star for me, was that I couldn't find that one thread, the one that you hold onto until the end, and as long as you hold onto that thread, the story can go anywhere, because you've caught the main thing. I still don't know what the MAIN thing was in this book.
As for reading it yourself, who knows, maybe you'll find the thread that I couldn't and it will all make sense, and then you can explain it to me. But as for right now, I think there was great potential for this book to address some very important spiritual issues, and unfortunately, I think it fell short.
Don't get me wrong, there were a few helpful points to learn from the book. Like what happens to us when we think of ourselves and shut others out. The imagery used in the story I think illustrated that point well. And, there were a few gems of lines that I found wise and valuable, like when Tony is talking to Jack about self-image and the soul:
"Tony you are a root," Jack said, interrupting his spiral, "and only God knows what the flower will be. Don't get lost castigating yourself for being a root. Without the root, the flower can never be. The flower is an expression of what now appears so lowly and unimportant, a waste."
But, I think the thing that really made this book a 2 star for me, was that I couldn't find that one thread, the one that you hold onto until the end, and as long as you hold onto that thread, the story can go anywhere, because you've caught the main thing. I still don't know what the MAIN thing was in this book.
As for reading it yourself, who knows, maybe you'll find the thread that I couldn't and it will all make sense, and then you can explain it to me. But as for right now, I think there was great potential for this book to address some very important spiritual issues, and unfortunately, I think it fell short.
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