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A review by peasandkaris
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
1.0
This is an extremely dangerous book. I recognize that it is supposed to be an allegory following the tale of Hosea in the Bible, but the ideas it sets forth about sex and romance are dangerous. In my opinion, this book is not appropriate for teenagers or anyone who hasn't fully thought through romance, marriage, and gender roles within a marriage.
First, this book completely ignores the idea of consent or bodily autonomy. Throughout the novel, the main character, Angel, is forced to do things against her will. Whether it's sleeping with men at the brothel or even being forced out of bed to go on a hike, she is given no autonomy over her own body. When she denies the romantic advances of the male protagonist (her future husband), he refuses to back down--asking her over and over again to marry him despite her obvious objections. Even after they end up together and she runs away, he runs after her--further showing that he doesn't value her boundaries. The entire novel is a story of Angel running away or saying no, and her husband, Michael, going after her anyway.
Second, I don't like the way that Satan is portrayed throughout the novel. Angel's own thoughts are said to be put there "by Satan", to the point where her ideas about her own life are seen as subservient to that of her husband's. This totally takes away from her agency as a woman, and reinforces the idea that women should have no voice or thoughts of their own.
Third, the male character in this book, who is supposed to be the romantic one in the story, is abusive verbally, physically, and emotionally toward the main character. I am fine with reading about abusive characters, but I am not fine with authors making them out to be the romantic, "good" ones.
Fourth, Rivers' breaks a few cardinal rules of writing. She tells, rather than shows--and often times, what she tells us about the characters is in complete contradiction to what the characters do--IE. a moment where she tells the reader that the Michael doesn't want a wife to just cook and clean for him, after we've read a portion where Michael literally forces his wife to cook and clean for him and berates her when she won't. Rivers also changes narrative viewpoint halfway through sentences. It's a really choppy read.
tl;dr: This story is incredibly misogynistic. It furthers the idea that women have no agency or autonomy over their own bodies, and romanticizes abuse.
First, this book completely ignores the idea of consent or bodily autonomy. Throughout the novel, the main character, Angel, is forced to do things against her will. Whether it's sleeping with men at the brothel or even being forced out of bed to go on a hike, she is given no autonomy over her own body. When she denies the romantic advances of the male protagonist (her future husband), he refuses to back down--asking her over and over again to marry him despite her obvious objections. Even after they end up together and she runs away, he runs after her--further showing that he doesn't value her boundaries. The entire novel is a story of Angel running away or saying no, and her husband, Michael, going after her anyway.
Second, I don't like the way that Satan is portrayed throughout the novel. Angel's own thoughts are said to be put there "by Satan", to the point where her ideas about her own life are seen as subservient to that of her husband's. This totally takes away from her agency as a woman, and reinforces the idea that women should have no voice or thoughts of their own.
Third, the male character in this book, who is supposed to be the romantic one in the story, is abusive verbally, physically, and emotionally toward the main character. I am fine with reading about abusive characters, but I am not fine with authors making them out to be the romantic, "good" ones.
Fourth, Rivers' breaks a few cardinal rules of writing. She tells, rather than shows--and often times, what she tells us about the characters is in complete contradiction to what the characters do--IE. a moment where she tells the reader that the Michael doesn't want a wife to just cook and clean for him, after we've read a portion where Michael literally forces his wife to cook and clean for him and berates her when she won't. Rivers also changes narrative viewpoint halfway through sentences. It's a really choppy read.
tl;dr: This story is incredibly misogynistic. It furthers the idea that women have no agency or autonomy over their own bodies, and romanticizes abuse.