A friend and I got on the subject of books. She asked me if I had ever read any books from Oprah’s Book Club. I told her that I hadn’t read many because I figured someone died, or a child went missing or something bad happened in every book that she chose. Now, I don’t know if this is true or not; it’s just what I have always thought; that Oprah would want to pick something that would really pull at those heart strings.
My friend had been holding a book that she wanted me to read. She laughed and said, “Well, someone DOES die in this book, but it’s really good.” So Sunday evening I began reading The Rapture of Canaan written by Sheri Reynolds. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. I finished it last night at 2:30 in the morning! The sections aren’t divided by chapters, only large spaces, so it’s really easy to just keep reading on and on.
It’s about a young girl named Ninah Huff who has been brought up in the Church of Fire and Brimstone and God’s Almighty Baptizing Wind her entire life. The book goes through what her daily life is like and what all of the rules are that they must live by. Her Grandpa Herman, the founder of the church, has tweaked the Bible to say what he wants it to say. Therefore, he has made his own rule book which the congregation must follow. People are scared to do anything in this community or they will receive the wrath of Grandpa Herman.
I was amazed at some of the punishments inflicted, but I bet if you looked around today there are church’s that still behave this way. I don’t want to say a lot and give things away; you’ll just have to read it for yourself. However, the entire time that I was reading this, I wanted the main character to just leave, but things like that don’t happen. When you’re a child, you have to do what your parents are doing and that’s that.
I laughed out loud when I read these words spoken by Grandpa Herman at the end of one of his sermons, “I want every head bowed and every eye closed”. My, oh, my! This is exactly what our pastor would say at the end of each of his sermons. Now, I’m not saying the two are anything alike because they aren’t, but he used to say those exact words each and every Sunday.
It’s an interesting book that keeps you wondering what the outcome will be. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.