I seldom read Christian fiction, but I was told that I must read this book. I was told that it’s so amazing it’ll change my life.
The cover states that The Shack has the potential to become the Pilgrim’s Progress of our generation.
It hasn’t.
It’s badly written and full of plot holes. The theology clears up some concepts that I’ve grappled with. But the inconsistencies of the fiction jar so strongly that I found myself throwing the book across the room a few times.
I feel that I’ve been cheated. I’m annoyed that this book has stolen my time.
Thanks for sharing! I’ll stay away from that one.
Yup Michelle, it’s a good example of how NOT to write.
Good luck with NaNoWriMo!
So unless I see it really, really cheap, I won’t buy it.
I have to admit that I bought The da Vinci code though, and even managed to plough my way through it.
Steve, I’d hesitate to define The Da Vinci Code as Christian fiction, as it doesn’t try to convert readers to Christianity, as The Shack does. If anything, it did the opposite, by raising doubts in the minds of those with a shaky faith. And even though The Da Vinci Code i slated by serious writers, it is infinitely more readable than The Shack.
Thanks for popping in – nice to see you again!
Hi Dusty,
This book is reminiscent of the hysteria that other tome of drivel: ‘The Secret’. People seem to be in a blind rush to find a guru to reveal the secrets of life. 7 steps to this, 5 days to that. I heard it described once something like Oprah with her legion of kaftan wearing vegan gurus on a cocktail of heroine, coke and bad bong. Anyway. By the way – nice blog – I like your style.
. Off the wall!
Hi Rodney, welcome!
I’ve managed to avoid ‘The Secret’ so far. But now that you’ve mentioned it I’m bound to be plagued by converts. Your imagery has short-circuited my brain. Thanks.
the only time that something has such a negative effect is when it really touches a nerve and the only time that something touches a nerve is when there is unbearable truth to it…
let go and let God…
No exactly sure what u mean anon, but I gather you are a Christian. There is nothing Christian about The Shack. The Theology is not only shaky, it is infantile and heretical to the point of absurdity. I am a practicing Christian, and cannot stand the plethora of New Age self help masquerading as authentic Christian teaching. This kind of Chrisitianity distorts the Gospel and makes God out to be some old benign simpleton. He is not. The thing that irriates me most I guess is that these guys write fiction and people read it as ‘theology’. What a crock. Read Theology if you desire to be informed about Theology, not some guy’s story which is designed to pull at heart strings but requires you book your brain by the door. Love God with all your heart, yes. Soul, yes. And Mind. Why does everybody forget that last one? These writers make me tired!