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The Rapture of Canaan

The Rapture of Canaan

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.19
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Shallow and contrived - but luckily a quick read
Review: I am almost a bit embarrassed because I was the one to suggest this book for my book club (mainly because the author, Sheri Reynolds has taught at my university).

This book tries so hard to be profound, yet gentle. However, I found both the theme and the charachters overly simplistic - the cultish verision of Christianity presented is forceful, yet lacks true impact, and the characters ultimately end up mere charicatures instead of believable personalities.

The protagonist, Ninah, never seemed like a real teenage girl to me - too often she was given language that was too grown-up or insights that were too formulated. For example, would she really have been able (in the first half of the book) to recoginize that her grandfather (and leader of the religious community) is "self-righteous"? I did enjoy several descriptions of Ninah's experience of growing up, and they felt true to what a girl experiences (her getting her period and the unexplainable shame it entails is a believabe example); however, so much of her thoughts smack of a grown-up's vocabulary and adult feminine progressive insights.

Also, even the most sympathetic character in the book, the Grandmother, eventually turns out to be a disappointing one-dimensional figure whose sole purpose seems to be to perpetuate the Wise-Woman-Knows-All-Things-Best-in-Life. She is simply not presented with any real-life flaws. Her "flaws" are actually admirable since they are based on devoted love (her reason for staying married to the evil Grandfather) or her lies (which are simply survival stories since no real damage is done).

Overall, I do not think this book could have been written by a man - it exudes the ultra-modern feminine wisdom which I have heard cleverly be labeled subcutaneous ckick-lit. The (in-your-face) metaphor about Ninah's weaving representing her being a master of her own faith is a typical contrived attempt of feminine bonding. So is the predictable and clicheed birth-scene. (Starkly missing in contrast is the actual descriptions of the sex scenes during prayer).

The parts of the book dealing with religion are also just skin deep. There is no depth to it, merely a collection of hideous details of medevial sadistic practices. Even if that is what it all boils down too, there is not enough explaination of the reasons the people stay in this community or why there even are newcomers - after all, the events take place in America, and not in an isolated rural culture such as can be found in modern-day Afghanistan. The adult members work outside their community and the children attend public school, so there is obviously opportunity to escape. What I am trying to say is that the author does not do a very convincing job in relaying WHY there is such devoted community among the members.

Finally the language is very simple, and the book is a therefore a speedy read. One of the best aspects of the book as a whole...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good book, the ending left me wanting a little more
Review: I enjoyed reading this book. It was simular to Reynold's other book "Bitterroot Landing" in that there are abuse and religious themes running through both of them. The only thing I didn't like was that the ending left me wanting a little more. It wasn't that the ending was terrible, on the contrary, I felt it was very symbolic. What I wanted was to see how things ultimately turned out for the main character and her family.

Rating: 5 stars
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: 4 stars
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: 5 stars
Summary: Gripping read!
Review: The beginning of the story begins in a way that will bring you into the community in which the young character lives. The story continues with beautiful substance including consistent, beautiful metaphors. It's the kind of book that you definitely find yourself reading again and again.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: what happened to the ending?
Review: The picture that Reynolds painted of religious tabacco country was pleasing to read. While the characters were not very deep, they underscored the righteous fury they must have contained within themselves. I wish there would have been more to the ending. The book's symbolism (Ninah's Mary and Canaan's Christ) were thought-provoking, but the ending just...hung. What about the predictable power struggle? How would Laura feel about Ninah's promise to Canaan? How does Nanna handle her husband's inevitable demise? I just did not feel this story had a satisfactory climax.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Powerful story of a girl raised within a cult-like lifestyle
Review: The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds is a powerful and startling novel about cult-like lifestyle and the naivety that goes with the minds of the people within. The story is interwoven with fanatical faith, religion, fear, sadness, life and death - all the makings of a cult-like lifestyle and how it affects those in which it governs. Mesmerizing, intriguing, and a true page-turner, this "realistic" tale expresses the all-encompassing love for Jesus and the trials of a girl finding her place in life. A must read, Fantastic story! Compares to: "Memoriors of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden, "I Know This Much is True" by Wally Lamb, "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: A Novel" by Rebecca Wells; "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb, and "When It Rains" by Marjorie Spoto. "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier, and "Mystic River" by Dennis Lehane. A Must Read.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: nasty, just nasty
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: 4 stars
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: 4 stars
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:)


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