book review | land of silence

I took Land of Silence on a road trip, which was good... because I wouldn't have gotten anything done at home if I had been there. It was hard to put down. :) In some ways, it's just another Christian fiction book about a girl and a boy... but there are also some deeper themes running through it that I really appreciated.

It is not just a story. It is a story that takes you back to the day, begging you to ask yourself the question: who was the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment? This is author Tessa Afshar's fictional interpretation of her life, her dreams and ambitions, and her struggles. And honestly, she could be any of us.

The two themes that come to mind as I'm thinking back through the book are guilt and pride. Both are things that, for better or for worse, sometimes cause us to turn in certain directions at critical points in life and affect what we focus on and what we accomplish. Guilt over her brother's death pushed Elianna to set everything aside and throw herself into her father's fabric dyeing business, where she realized some incredible personal talents that she may never have discovered otherwise.

At the same time, that guilt and some pride and stubbornness keep her trapped in her trade when there were ultimately other, better things for her future.

And so it is with us... our experiences motivate us and act as little rudders in our lives; turning us this way and that way. But we cannot forget Who has ultimate control over the waves and the winds, and the rudders cannot do anything against His power. In the same way that Ethan pursues Elianna in this story; so He pursues us... even when we don't deserve Him.

The other theme I noted was redemption... and isn't that the story of our lives?

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my review.