When a "lizard woman," a self-mutilating preacher, a tattoed monk, and a sleazy lobbyist find themselves in the same North Carolina town one winter, their lives are edging precariously close to disaster...and improbably close to grace.
Valentine, due to her own drastic self-disfigurement, has very few friends in this world and, it appears as if she may be destined to spend the rest of her life practically alone. But life gives her one good friend, Lella, whose own handicap puts her in the same freakish category as Valentine. As part of Roland's Wayfaring Marvel and Oddities Show, a traveling band of misfits, they seem to have found their niches in an often curiously cruel world.
Residing in a world where masks are mandatory, Valentine has a hard time removing hers, because of her disfigured face but more so because of her damaged soul. It is much easier for her to listen endlessly to different versions of a favorite song, Embraceable You, and escape reality. Yet, life has more in store for her when she meets Augustine, replete with the tattoos, dreadlocks, and his own secrets. With his arrival, Valentine's soul takes a turn.
Lisa Samson's Embrace Me made it on my favorite books of 2008 list. This is definitely an "edgy" christian fiction novel that deals with issues and people normally not written about but that will touch your heartstrings and get you to think about what forgiveness looks like.
Vicki of Reading At The Beach hosts A-Z Wednesday, this week's letter is "E".
15 comments:
Sounds like a great book! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'll definitely be adding this to my list!
Interesting cover.
http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2010/03/to-z-starts-with-e.html
It's been a little while since I've been here. I really love the new look and you always have great books to share. Thanks
My `E` book is here: http://newhorizonreviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/encyclopedia-of-ancient-worldusborne.html
Sounds fascinating. Thanks for spotlighting it.
Sounds like an interesting book.
This is certianly an interesting premise. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
This is a great "E" choice! Very different! Thanks for playing
This book sounds so good!!
Great, another book to add to my I MUST READ list!! I started a list for Kaye (Pudgy penguin's recommendations) now I'm going to start another one dedicated to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This sounds like quite a story.
Sounds interesting. I haven't read much Christian fiction, but this is one I might try. Thanks for featuring it.
What an interesting book!
Lisa Samson is about the only christian author I like anymore--for the very reason that her stuff is on the edgy side-or in my opinion--more real. This one looks pretty unique and I think I will put it on my wish list. Great :E: choice!
*smiles*
As always a great review. thank you. I'm very late in commenting, but hopefully not too late.
This is going on my list immediately! I don't know if I've ever read edgy fiction.
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