I figured out what "speculative fiction" means... stinking hard to review!! So, this 5 star rating is going to come with a lot of caveats and might still end up meandering into confusion. If so, be assured if you decide to read the book, it will all make sense - probably.
First off, the book is undoubtably Christian, the message is strong even if the story seems somewhat harsh. The first few pages may make one wonder why they even picked the book up. It starts as uncomfortable reading. As the plot-line slowly takes shape, however, the genius in the choices becomes very apparent. That does not mean an understanding of the story is obvious, that comes slowly and, at times, with great frustration.
Kate Pepper is a high-powered executive, driven by her abusive boyfriend (who is also her boss.) Success is achieved at all costs and anything less than perfection, whether in her appearance or her performance, is unacceptable. Luckily, she is capable enough to accept that - until a brush with a knife and a faucet of running water change it all. Kate is suddenly thrown into a nightmare of terrible visions every time she encounters water. Not sure if she is descending into madness, Kate searches desperately for answers. As her life slowly disintegrates around her, she finds friends in very unexpected places and slowly learns to deal with her past, her fears and her future.
As the reader follows Kate through the total weirdness that these hallucinations entail and tries to figure out what the heck is going on right along with the character, one cannot overlook the quality that encompasses the writing nor the creativity behind this totally unique and ingenious take on one's journey toward God. For that alone, this book is well worth the read.
First off, the book is undoubtably Christian, the message is strong even if the story seems somewhat harsh. The first few pages may make one wonder why they even picked the book up. It starts as uncomfortable reading. As the plot-line slowly takes shape, however, the genius in the choices becomes very apparent. That does not mean an understanding of the story is obvious, that comes slowly and, at times, with great frustration.
Kate Pepper is a high-powered executive, driven by her abusive boyfriend (who is also her boss.) Success is achieved at all costs and anything less than perfection, whether in her appearance or her performance, is unacceptable. Luckily, she is capable enough to accept that - until a brush with a knife and a faucet of running water change it all. Kate is suddenly thrown into a nightmare of terrible visions every time she encounters water. Not sure if she is descending into madness, Kate searches desperately for answers. As her life slowly disintegrates around her, she finds friends in very unexpected places and slowly learns to deal with her past, her fears and her future.
As the reader follows Kate through the total weirdness that these hallucinations entail and tries to figure out what the heck is going on right along with the character, one cannot overlook the quality that encompasses the writing nor the creativity behind this totally unique and ingenious take on one's journey toward God. For that alone, this book is well worth the read.
