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A review by waterfairy
The Outsider by Penelope Williamson, Penn Williamson
4.0
This book has been on my TBR for quite a while. Rachel and her son are member of the Plain (a religious colony similar to the amish). One night, they come across an Johnny Cain, an outsider (anyone who is not Plain) who has been shot. Rachel nurses him back to health and he stays on. From the beginning they both feel a bond, attraction towards each other and as he stays it grows on to love.
This book is told mainly from the point of the Plain family. Apart from Rachel and her son, there are POVs from other Plain members. As a result, we get an good idea of the Plain way of life. I'm not a christian so some of these bible references and such might not have such an impact as it might have to a christian/ a person who knows bible. Even with that, I was able to appreciate those references. The one POV we don't get is Johnny Cain's. As a result, we see and get to know Johnny from the POV of others. I'm not sure whether having that would have made it better.
This book explores the topic of redemption, the Plain way of life and raises the questions - when you are banned from your religion, does that mean that you can no more realize God? Can't people with different beliefs (even when they are a non-beliver) live together even if they have to compromise on some of their beliefs? Does compromising one of the way/rule/commandment means that you have forsaken God and that belief forever?
Overall, I loved the book but somehow [b:The Passions of Emma|1055927|The Passions of Emma|Penelope Williamson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180564678s/1055927.jpg|2223241] still remains my favorite of the author.
This book is told mainly from the point of the Plain family. Apart from Rachel and her son, there are POVs from other Plain members. As a result, we get an good idea of the Plain way of life. I'm not a christian so some of these bible references and such might not have such an impact as it might have to a christian/ a person who knows bible. Even with that, I was able to appreciate those references. The one POV we don't get is Johnny Cain's. As a result, we see and get to know Johnny from the POV of others. I'm not sure whether having that would have made it better.
This book explores the topic of redemption, the Plain way of life and raises the questions - when you are banned from your religion, does that mean that you can no more realize God? Can't people with different beliefs (even when they are a non-beliver) live together even if they have to compromise on some of their beliefs? Does compromising one of the way/rule/commandment means that you have forsaken God and that belief forever?
Overall, I loved the book but somehow [b:The Passions of Emma|1055927|The Passions of Emma|Penelope Williamson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180564678s/1055927.jpg|2223241] still remains my favorite of the author.