The Atonement Child

Rating:
Summary: Mesmerizing!
Review: I recieved this book as a Christmas present because I'd seen it in a bookstore and it intrigued me, so I requested it.

My family certainly regretted it! I ignored all of them Christmas day, becaue I was completely wrapped up in this story of Dynah and her brutal rape. The characters were fantastically believable, and the situation they find themselves in is incredibly real. Readers will find themselves indignantly scolding all the characters that betray Dynah. The pace never slows, and Francine Rivers grabs you and will not let you go.

Dynah's inner conflict as she struggles with the decision of whether or not to abort her unexpected child is utterly palpable, and her face-to-face encounter with the Creator is spell-binding.

You will not come out of this book unchanged. And if you happen to support abortion, I, as a born-again Christian, challenge you to read this book and still come out supporting it.

This story is about the redemption only available through Christ, and it's a fascinating read. I recommend it to anyone who has ever sinned. (And that's everyone.)

Rating:
Summary: A real look at Abortion
Review: I have to say that I fell in love with this book. At first I thought that the characters were a bit shallow, but then I realized that this was not just a story about Dynah. It was more a story of sin being passed through the generations. River's took a multifaceted look at abortion, presenting the different reasons women turn to it. In all situations abortion seems to be the best and easiest way out, but the characters show that there are many lasting consequences that may not be apparent beforehand. I loved this story, and highly reccomend it.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: It took me all of a day and a half to read this book. This book is so powerful and inspiring, you will immediately want to recommend it to any and everyone. Not only does this book send a powerful pro-life message, it also makes you realize how easy it can be to have an intimate relationship with God. The way Dynah continually spoke to our Father and listened to Him when she was seeking His guidance inspired me. I now find myself doing the same thing more and more often. In addition, you can see the many ways that God can and will work in our lives if we just allow Him.

Rating:
Summary: The Atonement Child
Review: This is an awesome book which shows the Power of God's forgiveness and love in the midst of pain. I could not put it down for three days. I laughed and cried. I think it could help a woman journey to her own place of understanding God's love and forgiveness no matter what has happend in her life and no matter what other people think.

Rating:
Summary: One side of the issue
Review: Dynah is a young woman who is attending a Christian college when she is brutally raped. When she discovers that she is pregnant, she finds little support from her fiance, her family, or her college and she is pressured by many of them to have an abortion. There is no doubt where Francine Rivers stands on the subject of abortion. She is squarely against it and she uses everything in her writing arsenal to put across that point. Even while agreeing with her viewpoint, I feel that she has not done the topic justice in this book. The plot is very predictable from the very beginning and the characters are one-dimensional. It seems as if every woman in the book has had an abortion at one time or another and that is not realistic. There are several questions left unanswered at the end of the book. Who will take care of Dynah's grandmother? How much support will Dynah receive from her father? How will Joe finish his education? If you want to read better Francine Rivers books, I recommend her Women of the Bible series.