Book Review: The Shack

I approach every book I read as a writer, and there are a lot of rules when you write fiction--if you believe in rules.

The Shack breaks the rules, but it’s a magnificent read by a self-proclaimed “accidental author.” At times I didn’t want to put it down. At other times I didn’t want to pick it up. At times it was too much for me---a completely different way of looking at life. At other times my heart nodded with the truth God, in His beautiful grace, had already shown me. Encounters we’d already had. Loving visitations, heart to heart.

As a writer, I’d heard about this book from other readers. Actually, a 30-year veteran editor was the first to bring this book to my attention. She spoke of how it was a best-seller and self-published (though Hachette Book Group is getting involved now and helping spread the influence of this book). I later learned the story was too controversial for Christian publishers and too “Christian” for secular ones. I tend to steer clear of things controversial, and I resist getting swept up into the latest wave the culture is riding. But, when a dear and trusted friend, (the faithful, Jesus-loving keyboard player for our worship team at church) recommended the book (a friend, the best source of word of mouth marketing) I couldn’t justify my resistance as well.

What I found was wondrous. Impacting. Life changing. The epitome of using darkness to magnify God’s light. Of using the contrast of hatred and evil to show God’s goodness and amazing, life-giving love. I found a God encounter like I wouldn’t have anticipated and couldn’t have written.

Warning: this book isn’t for the faint of heart—both because it goes places in God you’ve never imagined and because it deals with tough subject matter—abusive fathers and the heart of a serial killer. There are words in this book, phrases which traditional Christian publishers have excluded from their books. But the wording fits the characters and is not used just for the sake of “spicing things up.”

If you’re willing, this book can bring amazing nuggets into you world. And you can leave this story wanting more of a relationship (or in your relationship) with Jesus, with God the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Wanting communion. Wanting love. Wanting freedom and having the means to get there. Wanting to forgive someone who hurt you and perhaps finally having the tools in God to do it. I found a friend in the midst of my own sorrows. I found freedom is waiting for me in love and trust. I’m glad I took the plunge and read The Shack. I hope you will, too.

If you’ve read it, leave a comment. What’d you think? What was your biggest takeaway? Mine? That whole expectation thing. I’m learning to live in expectancy in my relationship with God, not expectation. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know what I mean. What was your biggest a-ha?