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Book Review of Ordinary Grace

Ordinary Grace
AZmom875 avatar reviewed on + 624 more book reviews


I noticed that one genre for this book is Christian. Atria published this book and isnt known as a Christian book publisher, it is a division of Simon and Schuster. I also researched the author William Kent Krueger, who is not known as Christian writer.I do believe that this book has been mistakenly labeled Christian because the main character's father is a Pastor of 3 churches in Minnesota.

I was hooked on this book in the Prologue. There is an amazing quote by a Greek playwright, Aeschylus; "He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain, which cannot forget, falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God." The author was a Greek Playwright, therefore he was not likely referring to God but a greek god or gods, but it still is a great quote. I was touched by this quote. It is referred to more than once in the book.

If that alone isnt enough to make you want to read more, let me just explain, that this book reads to me much like To kill a mockingbird, or another great coming of age book where a child must come to terms with some of the ugliness of the world.

The main character Frank is telling the story some 40 years after the events in 1961. Because he has 40 years of hindsight, he can tell the story still as he felt as a boy of 13, but with the wise words of person who knows the outcome, and knows a great deal about forgiveness.

If there is one book not to miss this is it. This books is worth your time. I dont give books 5 stars very often.

You might really like this link after you have read the book. It discusses ordinary grace vs Awful grace and a short discussion with some quotes from the book. Since it might contain the most meat of the book or spoilers dont just jump to this link.

https://dwkcommentaries.com/2014/02/26/the-extraordinary-ordinary-grace/