Daisy Chain (Defiance Texas Trilogy, Book 1)
by Mary E. DeMuth
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mary E. DeMuthEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-03-03
ISBN: 0310278368
Number of pages: 361
Publisher: Zondervan
Book Reviews of Daisy Chain (Defiance Texas Trilogy, Book 1)
Book Review: Fine writing but the only pastor is a tyrant who could scare unchurched away from church & Gospel
Summary: 3 Stars
Mary DeMuth's prose is lyrical, even in the hard, painful parts of this missing-child story. I loved her setting with the heat, the dust and the odor of this small town in Texas. And I loved all her characters and the way she slowly unpeeled their secrets.
But I am concerned that one character will discourage the unchurched from ultimately hearing the Gospel: Hap, the preacher-father. Once a mild and loving carpenter and family man, he becomes not only a stereotypical fire-and-brimstone country preacher, but also a wife-beater who hurls his children across the room. Jed, the 14-year-old abused son, even longs for the happier carpenter days.
Daisy, his little buddy who goes missing, does tell Jed, "Your family ain't normal." But outsiders reading all of this have no idea how not normal this is.
The character who should most represent Christ, the only trained leader in organized religion is this legalistic, hard-hearted, proud, unspiritual, phony, hot and cold, violent, wife-beating tyrant.
What does this show the unchurched about organized religion? I'm sure most people will figure this is not the norm. But not all.
And somewhere down the road, we may learn how, if, or why seminary changed Hap.
***But some people may only read the first book.
So, for the sake of balance, I wanted another pastor to step in at the end of the story. One *showing* a *typical shepherd's love and kindness* to the wounded families. One with a more *realistic* life to show the little church--and the unchurched reader.
***To be fair to the author, I asked her if instead of my posting this, she could write a qualification here, stating that this is a rare extreme. For the sake of outsiders reading. Especially in the light of a few lurid news stories.***
***But she said Hap represented legalism and false religion. She said that Christ refuted the Pharisees and Christ would have refuted Hap.
Okay.
***And that one would not reject the New Testament just because it showed Pharisees.
Granted. But here, we see Christ represented by a few laymen--while the Pharisees are represented by the pastor. The only pastor.
Being in church all my life, I've never seen an indication of this extreme in my pastors' families. Most of us reading the book know that the vast majority of pastors are wonderful people. They are compassionate leaders who present God's love and life principles--and eternal life through Jesus. And they sin, they stumble, they pick themselves up in God's forgiveness. And they go on doing many more good things. And a loving church family, with that compassionate leader, offers hope and love and support through life's triumphs, tragedies, and ordinary days.
But we need to consider those that don't know all this.
The unchurched could read this story and think, "Yeah, another bad pastor, just like in the news," turn away from church and never hear the Gospel of Christ. And that is as edgy and realistic as it gets.
Plus, we should be careful not to add to the trend of it being PC to knock only Christians. Us. The extreme outcome of that, persecution of any group, begins with fostering disrespect and disparagment. Of us. And we are seeing that around the world and in this country right now.
****Yes, I know it's "only fiction."
But fiction represents and misrepresents. Read For Your Life Paper Joseph Gold says some believe that _Uncle Tom's Cabin_ started the Civil War. And _Dr. Zhivago_ was banned in Russia for three years. Fiction changes minds.
***A song says "You're the only Jesus some will ever see." Like it or not, so are our books. We can't avoid that realism just for the sake of a realistic story.***
I just feel we should be very cautious about how we represent--or misrepresent--truth--especially the church--to the world. Eternal destinies are at stake.
Although I have none here, I save negative comments for critique group. Opinions are subjective. But they can influence an author's numbers unfairly. Why voice a negative subjective opinion to all the world?
***Except where there could be eternal ramifications.***
The story and craft are 5-star-excellent. But the *only preacher* in the story bothered me so much, I give the book 3 stars.
I have agonized over this review. I know Mary DeMuth and she is huge on talent and heart and spirit and love of the Lord and of others. May God bless and use her because she's a wonderful person and a powerful, excellent writer.
While I have you on the line, may I recommend a new favorite of mine:
Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be
Summary of Daisy Chain (Defiance Texas Trilogy, Book 1)
The abrupt disappearance of young Daisy Chance from a small Texas town in 1973 spins three lives out of control---Jed, whose guilt over not protecting his friend Daisy strangles him; Emory Chance, who blames her own choices for her daughter's demise; and Ouisie Pepper, who is plagued by headaches while pierced by the shattered pieces of a family in crisis. In this first book in the Defiance, Texas Trilogy, fourteen-year-old Jed Pepper has a sickening secret: He's convinced it's his fault his best friend Daisy went missing. Jed's pain sends him on a quest for answers to mysteries woven through the fabric of his own life and the lives of the families of Defiance, Texas. When he finally confronts the terrible truths he's been denying all his life, Jed must choose between rebellion and love, anger and freedom. Daisy Chain is an achingly beautiful southern coming-of-age story crafted by a bright new literary talent. It offers a haunting yet hopeful backdrop for human depravity and beauty, for terrible secrets and God's surprising redemption.Christian Living Books
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