The Rapture of Canaan - Sheri Reynolds

Summary:At the Church of Fire and Brimstone and Gods Almighty Baptizing Wind, Grandpa Herman makes the rules for everyone, and everyone obeys, or else. Try as she might, Ninah can't resist her prayer partner, James, and finds herself pregnant. She fears the wrath of Grandpa Herman, the congregation and God Himself. But the events that follow show Ninah that God's ways are more mysterious than even Grandpa Herman understands.
Photo and summary from barnesandnoble.com

My Review: I must agree with Kim's review in that this novel is indeed very thought provoking. While reading this novel one can not help but think about ins and outs of religion, especially extreme manic religion. The book also induces pondering on the choices one must make in their own lives to battle for an identity we can call our own while others have an alternative plan for us.

I read this book in only two days, much of this time with a knot in my stomach. Having read the back summary, I spent the first hundred pages with this sense of dread. I knew this 14 year-old girl was going to end up pregnant, yet kept hoping it was some sick joke. I knew I could not prevent the inevitable yet could not put this novel down. I will warn you that a few situations within this novel (one towards the end in particular) were extremely uncomfortable. Thankful the author spares us much of the detail.

Though the book held me utterly captivated I can not say that I enjoyed my time within the novel. It is an extremely well-written book on a topic that lends itself to exploration. I just would have preferred to explore from an alternative side. I was especially disappointed with the ending as it felt incomplete and it left me unsatisfied.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

If I had to sum it up in one sentence it would be: A story of a young girl's agonizing struggle to survive the extreme religious beliefs of her family and find her true identity.