Rating: 
Summary: Poignant, Powerful, Passionate...
Review: Even from the very first page, it's as if the words are lifted up off the page, enrapturing you into this poignantly powerful and passionate story of a young girl struggling to make sense of it all. She's coming of age in a society, led by her Grandpa Herman, where almost everything is a sin. Reynolds' portrayal of this type of religion was astounding, yet hauntingly disturbing. I cringed and felt my stomach grow a couple of notches just reading her descriptions of their beliefs and punishments of "sinners". In many ways, I related so well to this book. I do not come from a family that is nearly as fervent as this community was, but like Ninah, I've cast my own questions about God and struggled to find "the truth". I read the book in one day - not because it was an easy read - but simply because I couldn't put the book down. Reynold's writing style makes it easy for you to read each page without effort - as if it was a song in your head. My only disappointment was the ending. I agree with one of the other raters who said that it didn't leave her much closure. The Rapture of Canaan is a beautifully piece of work that you must not miss out on. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is everything all in one
Review: Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds
320 Pages
Published by Putnam Publishing Group, reprint 1997
Paperback and Hardcover This book is a tale of awakening for the 15 year old narrator Ninah Huff. She lives in a strictly religious community, The Church of Fire and Brimstone and God's Almighty Baptizing Wind, founded by her very strict grandfather, Grandpa Herman. In Ninah's community, any type of pleasure or self indulgence is harshly punished by varying means, such as sleeping in a bed full of nettles, a dunking in the freezing cold pond, to sleeping in an open grave or being locked in a cellar for forty days with no contact to the outside world. Ninah, as well as everyone else in the community, has led pretty sheltered lives, having very little contact with others not part of their community. Grandpa Herman insists that everyone in the outside world not part of their community was destined for eternal damnation when the tribulation comes. Ninah catches mere glimpses of how life can be outside of the community, and inevitably begins to make friends with these people, and is forced to question Grandpa Herman's teachings when she refuses to believe that her newfound friends are headed to Hell. Ninah's confusion does not end with those of the outside world; soon she begins to question many other beliefs within her community. Ninah tries to repent, and takes on a prayer partner, James, but soon enough, Ninah and James, at the peak of adolescence, fall in love, and find it hard to resist their feelings for one another. Soon, Ninah, more confused than ever, finds herself pregnant, and is weighing the wages of her sins. Her attempt to tell James ends disastrously, and she finds herself facing this predicament alone. She begins to recall Grandpa Herman's favorite words "The wages of sin is death" and cannot believe that the miracle growing inside of her is a sin, and will not be convinced that her and her baby will spend eternity in Hell, despite all she has been taught to believe. The newborn Canaan is taken away from Ninah immediately after birth and given to her infertile sister, who has "volunteered" to take the child, though claiming that because of the circumstances of his birth, Canaan will never amount to much. Ninah is torn apart, and more confused than ever, but soon learns that God's magic works in the most unseemingly ways If I were to rate The Rapture of Canaan I would give it a 4 out of 5, it's flaw being that at the beginning of the book, I had a little trouble getting into the book, but once I did, I could not put this book down. The Rapture of Canaan will shock and anguish the reader; some parts of the book just gave me a sick, empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. The characters of this book are in some ways very fictitious, but sometimes they seemed so real that Ninah could have been me, or the girl next to my, my own sister or best friend. Some of the content of the book may seem like it could never happen, but it could, and does everyday in many cults and religious groups gone awry. The theme of Rapture comes to light with Ninah's realizations, true love means nothing unless you are strong enough to bear it's burdens, which Ninah does, and becomes a stronger, better person because of it. I would suggest this book if you are looking for something to horrify you, shock you, and joy you all in one. The Rapture of Canaan has it all, the only thing I regret about the book is the lack of closure in the ending.
Rating: 
Summary: nasty, just nasty
Review: if it was the author's intent to disgust me, then she was successful. i put off reading this book, and now i know why. i think the author's intent was to come up with a story to make us rethink our value systems/religious beliefs...but she did it so immaturely...concentrating on the bizarre punishments to feel jesus's pain. let's take the basic same events, and set the story in a normal child's life...one who isn't in a cult-like religion...still have her struggle with her morality...and i think you have a much better story.
Rating:
Summary: Ninah's story will capture you...
Review: This book is written from the perspective of Ninah, a young girl on the verge of emotional, sexual and spiritual growth living within an extreme religious group. Her life is filled with prayer, penance and the storytelling of the one truly strong person in the community, her grandmother. Ninah falls off of the path of rightousness and onto a road of trouble when she falls for her prayer partner James and ends up pregnant. The aftermath is touching, sad and uplifting all at the same time. Ninah is a vulnerable yet strong character who questions her spirituality at every turn. Grandpa Herman wants the members of the community to live up to his rules and doctrines instead of God's. Ninah refuses to give into this blind faith of follow the leader. She knows her heart and she lets it lead her to her own salvation and helps to bring peace and honesty to the community. Sheri Reynolds writes a gripping story, one that is symbolically rich and strong in characterization. This is a must read, regardless of your faith and beliefs.
Rating:
Summary: Rapture of Canaan
Review: Ninah is a 15 year old girl who lives in an isolated southern church community. Her Grandpa Herman is the reverand at the Church at Fire and Brimestone. Growing up in this strict family is not so simple. For a simple mistake can call for a big punishment. For example, when Ben tired drinking a bit of liquor. Grandpa Herman tells him to clear him of his sins he has to undure a night in a grave. As you can tell living life in this family is not so easy. But during all the commotion Ninah finds comfortation two people, Nana and James. You could call Nanna Ninah's confidant. She can tell Nanna anything, and she knows that Nanna won'y say a thing. Then there's James. James is Ninah's pray partner and newphew by marriage. James and Ninah start to fall in love which raises a few eyebrows. But they keep on with their relationship, until the day Ninah finds out she's pregnant. She imediately called it Jesus's baby, because Ninah and James are accused of fornifaction. Now Ninah is forced to be isolated form everyone else until the baby is born. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes to read books that contain religious events and ideas. Or if you want a book that has twists and turns all thoughout the plot line.
Rating:
Summary: So Beautiful!!!
Review: This was a good book. I read the paperback version, and I read it rather quickly in comparison to other books. It's
a story of what can happen when you let religion take over your life.
The Church of Fire and Brimstone and God's Almighty
Baptizing Wind is a very strict structure. Punishments range from lying on thorns to sleeping in graves. Our heroine,Ninah
gets a prayer partner, and when they get a little too close,
watch out what happens! The words just seem to flow one after another,
making this a very easy to read book. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read. This reviewer gives
The Rapture of Canaan a 4.5:)
Rating:
Summary: A must-read novel about faith and freedom...
Review: Rapture of Canaan is an honestly good book. A highly engrossing tale about an extremely religious commune and the severity of their faith. A novel of sharply-crafted twists and turns and one that will play with your emotions. This is a story of one girl's faith in her church and in God and her struggle to balance freedom within the iron walls of the world in which she lives. Grandpa Herman, founder of The Church of Fire and Brimstone and God's Almighty Baptizing Wind, has a flock to tend to -- his congregation, where some mimic Herman's steadfast and unnerving faith, and some who occassionally stray from the righteous path. And perhaps the most surprising stray of all is his granddaughter, Ninah. Twelve-year-old Ninah, who finds difficulty in controlling her first adolescent stirrings, manages somehow to twist them and convince herself the things she does with her prayer partner, James, is nothing more than learning about Jesus's love through each other. And once the community finds out, the whole system of the Church is shocked to a halt. "The wages of sin is death," says Grandpa Herman. The story plays out wickedly as the truth of Ninah's transgressions plummets to an end....The rapture has come. The Rapture of Canaan is a powerful and stunning novel. Shari Reynold's prose is a tapestry of faith, religion, fear, sadness, life and death, all woven to create a picture of a cult-like existence and how it effects those in which it governs. A truly page-turning saga that expresses the all-encompassing love for Jesus and the trials of a girl finding her way. An uplifting and frightening mix. A great read.
Rating:
Summary: Neat-o!
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It was very descriptive, and tragic, with out being overwrought or cheesy. The flashbacks to grandma's side of things was interesting, and the surprise at the end was excellent! This is for sure one I will read again.
Rating:
Summary: Great read
Review: The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds is definitely a great read. It's about a 12 year old girl named Ninah who grows up in a strictly religious family, falls in love with her cousin, James, who soon commits suicide when he finds out Ninah is
pregnant, and much more.
The ending I would have to say is a little bewildering, but I would still highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read, and I hope Ms.Reynolds writes many more great books.
Rating:
Summary: Very interesting story
Review: This book is pretty good! I was not interested in it after I found out it was about a "cult" but it was not what I thought. I enjoyed it and only give it 4 stars because a few parts were slow. This girl goes through a lot growing up in this religious community. Lots of twists and turns you will find interesting.
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