This year, PADERBORN2READ—The English Book Club celebrates the twelve days of Christmas with twelve curated reading recommendations for the festive season and cozy winter days.
The third day of Christmas, with three French hens—possibly symbolising the Holy Trinity:
The Shack by William Paul Young
recommended by PADERBORN2READ member Yasha
Mackenzie “Mack” Allen Phillips, a devout Christian, is a happily married father of five children. He seems to have it all—until Missy, his youngest daughter is kidnapped and murdered. Blaming himself, he falls into a deep depression, losing all joy in life, and begins to question his faith in God. Then, four years later, he receives a note, signed with the nickname his wife has given God, asking him to meet at the shack in which Missy’s bloody clothes were found. Suspicious that the sender might be his daughter’s killer, Mack arrives ready for a fight—and meets God.
The Father, who happens to be a woman, the Son, and the Holy Spirit speak to Mack about themselves and the world, the meaning of life, and especially the value of forgiveness. In truth, this is not a novel; beyond the very premise, there are no twists, turns, or thrills in it. Instead, The Shack reads much more like a work of religious philosophy, in which Young allows God to explain Himself (or, much of the time, Herself), offering a profoundly loving perspective on the world and making a case for universal forgiveness, using the framework of deeply kind and loving characters talking to a man struggling with unimaginable grief.
Now, in case you are not a member of the club who has had the pleasure of knowing me for a while: I am not a Christian. If you are one, then this is the right book for you; if you are not one, then I would still recommend it, simply because it is a joy to read (once you get past the initial child murder), thanks to the author’s unwavering commitment to seeing the beauty in the world, as well as all the people that live in it.
