Into the Fire

When reading novels, writing my “reviews”, and finally sometimes checking others’ reviews, it’s fascinating to note the differences in opinions from myriad readers. We all read the same book, and yet we can experience it so differently. Not always of course but sometimes. Enough times to make one wonder about how opinions are formed.

If you read my review on Monday of Christa Parrish’s new release Watch Over Me, you’ll remember I said there was enough “light” injected into the story to keep it from being totally “depressing”. And I meant those precise words. Another reviewer referred to the story as “dark” and implied that some of it was difficult to read even though this reviewer really enjoyed the story.

That response got me thinking about what we bring to a story. I wouldn’t have categorized Christa’s story as “dark” unless it had taken some unexpected turns into truly dark places. Yes, the characters suffered emotionally in soul-crushing ways, but they were not foreboding characters. This of course results in semantics. I associate “dark” with evil or psychologically foreboding states of mind—like serial killers or demonic beings.

I grew up in a loving home with a brother who was nine years older than me. A solid family, strong work ethic, established moral fiber, genuine love from my parents, encouragement to pursue dreams. The good stuff. As I was growing up, my brother’s and my lives became more distant because of the age difference. I was still a young girl when he took off for the Navy. By the time I got to college, the conflicts of war and the Cultural Revolution raged in this country. And it changed me. Slowly but steadily it robbed me of things I once held sacred. Not rooted in Jesus or even knowing how to be, my experiences exceeded the boundaries I once believed to be valid and important.

So when I enter into a story, this is the background which influences how I interpret someone else’s word pictures. This background also determines much of how I write my own. I wonder if the reviewer who tagged the “dark” designation to Christa’s story might have grown up in church and might not have experienced a serious temptation to stray. Or perhaps this person is very sensitive to those things which present a crisis of faith.

I consider myself a tender-hearted person and sensitive to the Lord’s touch whether by word, thought, or deed. I’m an animal lover but have no respect for outfits like Peta. (I don’t even know if I spelled it right and refuse to dignify the group by checking on it.) Yet my preferred television programs are things like CSI (all of them), Bones, NCIS, Criminal Minds, and the like. Go figure. Now most of their episodes are “dark”. Contrast that with I hate, and always have, horror films. In fact, I think I’ve only seen two in my entire life—when I was in junior high school!

Anyway, it’s interesting to read the same books and see them through different eyes. When we write them, we intend to communicate certain things depending on our particular objectives for the story. Some authors have few, others have many. One thing most of us writers can count on is readers having differences of opinions on how well we accomplished those objectives.

Lord, thank you for helping us to desire to see your ways above all others—not something that comes naturally to us. Holy Spirit, we need your interpretations on a daily basis. Thank you for loving us enough to help us navigate through this time on earth. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.