Review: Thought Provoking Christian YA
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 12, 2012
I cried real splishy splashy tears, the mark of a good book. This was such a moving and thought provoking story to be aimed at a younger audience but I think older readers would enjoy it too. William Woodall really gets into the mind of a 14 year old boy. What I like about this author is that he's not trying to be like anyone else. He's not copycating C.S. Lewis like so many others try to do. He's not afraid to approach the Christian aspect but he doesn't beat anyone over the head with it either.  His work is unique and I really enjoy it.I think he should have included discussion questions at the end of this book because there are so many ways to start a conversation with the many themes it contains.I would give the writing 4 stars only because the characters weren't as distinct as in other books I have read by this author. For instance, the names Brandon and Brian were so similar I kept confusing them. I thought the two main characters could have used something in their speech to set each one apart. I really enjoyed the unique way he has of putting things though. Here's an example."Nor did he dream, except the sweet and simple dreams of the pure at heart, of the kind that nourish the soul but are never remembered."I should also mention that the writing reminded me of a bedtime story in places. Some people might find that a bit distracting but I felt it added to the fairy-tale fantasy feel. I give the story line 5 whole stars. I'm sure someone has written about similar things but this felt original to me.The Christian aspect I'd give 5 stars also. It is very appropriate for the intended YA audience but also appealing to a much wider age range. I could see reading this book in a homeschool setting. I guess because there are so many nuggets of truth hidden in there. It's about Heaven. It's about bad things happening for a reason. It's about deciding for yourself what matters most in life. It's a really good book!I am working on his short story collection next.Note: I wasn't asked to review this book and I bought my own copy. I'm a blogger and I have access to tons of free books. I just love this guy's work!