Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Book Review: The Shack

The Shack is one of those self-published phenomenons that slowly builds sales through word of mouth--and the virtual word--in the manner of Same Kind of Different As Me. The Shack has its own website that promotes the book, including forums for readers. It is also available on amazon and other online retailers.

I wouldn't have read or known about this book but for the recommendation from my brother. Here's how that went: he is facing serious back surgery later this week and so we had an email exchange about books he could read during his lengthy recovery. I recommended Same Kind of Different As Me, but warned him about the very painful descriptions of the death from cancer of the author's wife in the book. You see, my brother and his wife lost their precious daughter to cancer nine years ago. She was five when she was diagnosed and went through a lengthy, and ultimately futile, series of painful treatments, dying at age nine. I wanted him to know that was in the book in case he preferred to avoid reading about it.

However, he responded by saying: " All the really good books usually make me cry. That's okay with me. It usually just means that it has a profound message and I like those books. Sometimes tears are the only way to express how much something means to us--words are inadequate--and that is okay." Then he urged me to read The Shack, which revolves around a father's grief over the murder of his five year old daughter by a serial killer. My brother said it was the best book he had ever read. He sat up all night reading it in one sitting and then couldn't go to sleep because he kept thinking about it.

Of course I had to read it. I noticed that Eugene Peterson praised it as "the Pilgrim's Progress of our time." And Bunyan's allegory is a good comparison for The Shack, which is also an theological allegory. The grieving father, Mack, meets God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the very shack where his daughter was murdered. He is full of anger, guilt and grief and his relationship with God has been fractured. The appearance of each person of the Trinity is not what Mack expects, but then God tells him "this weekend in not about reinforcing religious stereotypes."

Each person of the Trinity engages in theological discussions with Mack about the nature of God, free will, love, redemption, God's plan for mankind, the role of relationships, etc. Although sometimes I found the writing stilted, or too precious, still the vision presented is powerful, imaginative, appealing and almost understandable. As I've admitted before, I'm not an expert theologian so I will leave examination of the theology of the book to others.

I wouldn't say it is the best book I ever read, but it is intriguing and spiritually uplifting. But then, I don't have the personal experience my brother did which caused him to resonate so powerfully with the story. I will say that I have a renewed feeling of hope and purpose after finishing it. It is a fascinating book and like my brother, I'll be thinking about Mack's discussions with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit for quite some time.

12 comments:

robert austell said...

Jody,

My wife and I went to Barnes and Noble with gift cards we got for Christmas (yes, it's taken that long)... and The Shack is a book that caught my eye. I hadn't heard of it, but it looked interesting.

I found it fascinating - though I agree with your comments... not the best book ever, but definitely thought-provoking. I thought it came across like an imaginative sermon at times... kind of didactic... but good didactic. :) And in the end, it was much more interesting and engaging than a lecture on the problem of evil.

I think it's something that will have to sit with me for a while. I'm glad I read it. I'll have to think about sharing it - I'd be interested how it would come across to someone who had experienced profound loss.

Jody Harrington said...

Robert,

Thanks for your comment. My brother, who has suffered a profound loss, found the book very comforting, but he has had almost a decade to grieve. I would be reluctant to share this with someone with a very recent loss though.

Alan said...

Being a Portlander The Shack has been a bit more in the spotlight. I had a pastor friend recommend it and when I finally read it I had two reactions.

1. This is okay. It's not perfect but it has the ability to bring someone closer to God and to an understanding of how suffering relates to God's plan

2. It's going to be slammed by those in the church who don't like an African-American woman image as God.

I tell people who read this that it is a metaphor just like Bunyan and to not get caught up with the images. "God is Spirit".

It is a book worth recommending. IMHO

Alan

Anonymous said...

I read 'The Shack', and heard an Episcopal priest preach a sermon on the Trinity based on it. It's not, in the strictest sense, an allegory. It's genre is more creative non-fiction. I thought it bumped up against heterodoxy and modalism, but didn't cross that line. I found the author to be more fanciful than creative. And it didn't add much to my understanding of theodicy. Where it really resonates is in its' treatment of forgiveness. I could see using 'The Shack' in a well-facilitated seeker-friendly book group discussion with seeker type neighbors who haven't opened a Bible. At the end of that study I would recommend the participants take the ALPHA course or another 'entry-level' Bible study to read more about the nature and character of God and the Trinity as revealed in scripture.

My 2 cents!
PresbyG

Mary Beth said...

Hmmmm. I'm not sure I'm up to reading about a serial killer. But I'll try it from the library & let you know what I think. :)

Reformed Catholic said...

Here's a review by Tim Challies that is very in depth:
http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/a-review-of-the-shack-download-it-here.php#comments

Jody Harrington said...

Thanks, RC. I'm not familiar with Tim Challies, but I'm not surprised with his critique of the book. As I said in my review, I'm not equipped to write a theological analysis of the book but write from a the viewpoint of a fairly well informed layperson.

revhipchick said...

thank you for the book suggestion. i haven't read any fiction in such a long time and have been looking for something.

i'm totally up for an African-American female God right now. i could probably use a good cry as well.

thanks!

Rev SS said...

I too am adding this to my "to be read" list. I'm thinking it's probably as close or closer to the reality of our triune God than many of our churches' proof-texted interprestations of scripture.

Anonymous said...

thanks for the tip :)

Trish Pickard said...

While reading The Shack, I kept thinking it would be great if there was a study/discussion guide to go with it. I finally decided that God was urging me to write one. I would be glad to send you a copy that you are welcome to copy and share with others. Email me at prayerdigm.bookstudy@yahoo.com
Trish Pickard

tracysbooknook.com said...

I have to say that "The Shack" by William P. Young was a very thought provoking read.

After reading the book, I was left pondering several things about it – which is a true testament to the book's worth. I had several questions on the validity of some of the descriptions of God but I had to humbly admit that there may be no answers this side of heaven for how God presents Himself to each individual.

I posted a more in-depth review of this book on my own blog www.tracysbooknook.com.

-Tracy