The Host: PatThe Book: The Shack
The Response of the Book Club Members:
The book club members had one lively discussion of this fiction novel by WM. Paul Young. First of all is this book a retelling of an actual experience or a work of fiction? Answer: this is a fiction novel.
Second, we had both very positive and very negative responses to the book. Take a look below.
Bev: I got the message of the book and found it reassuuring but I didn't appreciate the writing style or how the writer chose to present his ideas.
Laurie: I think this book made the Holy Trinity feel personally accessible and re-emphasized that God is there for us during all our life; from the biblical scholar to the individuual in a crisis of faith. He keeps loving, believing, and supporting us even when we have turned our back on Him.
Carol: In my opinion, this book tried (too simplistically) to explain and provide answers for the unimaginable: the death of a child.
Joann: I liked how the book started but I didn't like how the story unfolded when Mack returned to the shack but I can see that the beauty of this book is the religious response this book has generated in people of all religious persuasions so I think most everyone would benefit from reading it.
Dickie: The Shack brought up some nice 'reflections' for me but overall was too syrupy and neatly tied up for my tastes.
Cindy: I think this book would be comforting to anyone in a crisis-emotional or spiritual.
DJ: It started strong, and uneasy for me, and lapsed into an idealistic message of how to embrace your relationship with a higher power and stepping outside your comfort zone.
Haelie: I liked the "story" aspect of the book and the revelations that Mack underwent in his life. However, when he got to the shack, I felt the book turned into a lecture series on theology. Many of the points were redundant. Yet the book was an easy read and there were some good insights.
Connie: The one basic instruction I sometimes miss is to see life through another person's eyes...whether superficial and contrite or deep and moving. The key is both are important to God and therefore, ought to be important to me! Although the book is fiction, I'm sure there is a true life story behind it. I gained from having read The Shack.
Maura: God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit can be found anywhere and anytime you are open to receive and embrace.
