“We understand what we WANT to
understand.”
Leaving a life of privilege to
strike out on her own, Lauren Durough breaks with convention and her family’s
expectations by choosing a state college over Stanford and earning her own
income over accepting her ample monthly allowance. She takes a part-time job
from 83-year-old librarian Abigail Boyles, who asks Lauren to transcribe the
journal entries of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, a victim of the Salem witch
trials.
Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped in the worldview of the day, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstition, and Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.
The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?
Almost immediately, Lauren finds herself drawn to this girl who lived and died four centuries ago. As the fervor around the witch accusations increases, Mercy becomes trapped in the worldview of the day, unable to fight the overwhelming influence of snap judgments and superstition, and Lauren realizes that the secrets of Mercy’s story extend beyond the pages of her diary, living on in the mysterious, embittered Abigail.
The strength of her affinity with Mercy forces Lauren to take a startling new look at her own life, including her relationships with Abigail, her college roommate, and a young man named Raul. But on the way to the truth, will Lauren find herself playing the helpless defendant or the misguided judge? Can she break free from her own perceptions and see who she really is?
The Shape of Mercy, another novel from acclaimed
author Susan Meissner is a Christian historical cautionary tale of the dangers
that can happen when humanity abandons the grace of God. As Meissner does with
the story she creates, the historical significance of the tragic events which
occurred during one of our nation’s darkest periods, the Salem Witch Trials, brings
together the lives of three generations of women who learn the very definition
of love first-hand.
The
significance the Salem Witch Trials can still play in today’s society boils
down to the dreaded fear that, once someone says something untrue about
another, as long as other people are ready and willing to believe the same
misconceptions, that person is whatever believed to be. Once something is taken
away, however, such as credibility and a respectable reputation, it can never
be returned.
The
story flows together very nicely, enticing all who pick it up until the last
page is turned. Although a work of contemporary Christian fiction, the novel
has all of the qualities of great secular pieces of literature—mystery,
suspense, heartache, and lovable characters. There are a number of twists and
turns which lead up to an unpredictable ending. The fingerprints of God are
evident. God, Himself, set beside Meissner and breathed inspiration into her
ear.
Expectations
are a dangerous thing, as The Shape of
Mercy’s readers will discover for themselves through the tales of each
woman. Yet, one will not be disappointed by holding high expectations that the
journey experienced throughout the 305 pages will be life-changing and present
new perspectives on life. May I be so
bold as to suggest that this novel will haunt you—in a positive way—and challenge
you to avoid presuming individuals are a certain way before you get to know the
essence of their God-created souls?
Pick
up The Shape of Mercy. It is living
proof that God can—and will—use whatever He desires to inspire us all to make a
difference in this world, regardless of what the world expects of us.
Forgive.
Live. Love.
On a
personal level, of all the great literary works I have read in my twenty-two
years on this earth, I have never been so spiritually connected, involved,
heartbroken, and changed by one solid title. It is further proof to me that
things aren’t always as they seem. As challenging, difficult, and unfair as
life can be, God always has a greater purpose in mind, even when it seems
impossible to find a reason for needless, senseless, cruelties. As my heart
broke for all Mercy Hayworth had to endure as the result of several young girls
with a craving for evil—and furthermore, because lives were lost in reality—the
beauty of God’s grace shone even brighter. When the world breaks us down, God
lifts us up. Just as Meissner places the character of Lauren in the middle of
Mercy and Abigail, He leads us to those we need most.
*I
received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this
review.*
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