Lauren Davis

The themes in this book are of my interests and are intriguing. However, the way they are presented in such an overly obvious way makes it read like a pre-teen novel. Many cliches and plainly cheesy portions of the book are distracting. The character development is not the best. Characters do things that seem quite out of character and therefore the author often loses credibility or sense. This is also an issue when much historical inaccuracies are presented throughout. I find it ironic that there is so much obvious emphasis on women’s rights, but the author incessantly describes the female characters as “small, tiny, frail, thin, full lips” etc. (and idolizes it) which just reiterates the pressure to be the “idealic” woman. Nothing really happens in this book. Yet, it’s quite long. What could be said in several pages could be said in about one. The story line drags on and on as the reader sits waiting for something to happen. I enjoyed reading within this time period and the fantasy of that is likely what kept me reading. I can’t say I’d recommend this, sadly. And the novel makes me wonder if she had an editor at all! If she did or if she had a good one, this could have been a success.

I believe Angie is a fun writer, but this “study” is basically a paraphrasing of part of the Bible, often not in the context of Jesus’ life as the abstract states. The book is said to be for adults, but it is extremely elementary and could be used for children who don’t yet know the Bible. I prefer reading the Bible itself and forming my own theological discussions over this busy-work elementary paraphrase.

Tributaries by Ryan Brod, a collection of essays on the author’s life as a skilled fisherman, woodsman, and hunter, is more deeply an exploration of what it means to satisfy a true passion, the friendships that come with it, and the father-son relationship that ignited and carries it. Brod guides readers through his secret, and sometimes surprising, favorite fishing and hunting spots throughout Maine and Florida. With him, we wait in suspense to see what he will catch and what he keeps chasing. We envy his relationship with his masterful father, witness the wonders of virginal nature, and ponder the complex processes of life and death of both animal and humankind. The memoir reads like a peaceful classic, each chapter pulling readers deeper into the places of another’s life we would not otherwise see. It is also contemporary and bright, a series of prosaic perspectives. We visualize blood on snow, steam from organs in icy air, the iridescence of a fish finally caught, but let go to live on, and the feeling of lying in bed with excitement-induced insomnia. Chapters end with lines like, “a green iguana shimmies over sun-bleached stones” or “turning for home, he imagines cold, clean water upon his tongue”, leaving readers anticipating what next we will find, fish, hunt, or admire.

This book is nearly 300 pages of elementary phrases repeated over and over and over. In addition, there are numerous grammatical errors and issues in syntax and sentence structure. There is no definition of “respect” or “love”, nor active practices outlined until the eighth chapter. My advice is (if you must go through this waste of a book) to begin at chapter eight. It continues to be unnervingly cliche and poorly written thereafter, but at least there are a few active advises noted. The author is often wrong about the polarizing assumptions he makes about each sex. There are so many great marriage books for Christians; I advice skipping this one to avoid wasting time and to get actual active help with healing your marriage.