Into the Fire

The first Charles Martin novel I read and reviewed was back in June of 2012. That was Chasing Fireflies published in 2007. I've finally added my second Charles Martin novel, Wrapped in Rain, to the mix, published in 2005 by Thomas Nelson. No excuses for my slowness in joining the long line of appreciative readers, especially since I truly enjoyed both books.

Wrapped in Rain tells the timeless story of Tucker Rain (aka Tucker Mason by birth) and his half-brother, same father Rex Mason, Matthew Rain (aka Matthew Mason). Housed in the massive mansion known as Waverly Hall by the heartless and cruel Rex Rain, who turned anything he touched into more money to indulge his wanton ways, but raised by their loving and God-honoring housekeeper Miss Ella Rain, the two youngsters grew up in fear and loathing of their father whose only attention to them was given via fists and painful outbursts or by his outright ignoring their existence. They learned to hide in massive unused fireplaces and wherever they could to escape his drunken rages while they waited for him to leave again on business.

As it turned out, Miss Ella Rain suffered his serious wrath along with the boys, but she never quit praying for the man or "her" two boys. She gave them her time, her deepest love, and taught them to develop their skills under her encouraging instruction coupled with her strict but loving discipline using the bible as the ultimate authority.

Tucker tells most of the story from his perspective, having achieved recognition the world over for his photography. His brother Matthew, who everyone calls Mutt, hasn't faired so well. His scars from Waverly Hall and Rex Mason are more obvious and he's spent the last several years at Spiraling Oaks under the sensitive care of "Gibby", his psychiatrist. Hearing so many voices which orchestrate much of his reactionary behavior, Mutt finally decides it's time to leave Spiraling Oaks. He escapes, and Gibby calls Tucker.

In the middle of rescuing his brother, Tucker finds himself rescuing his childhood first love Katie and her five year old son Jase. Divorced and trying to outrun a violent ex-husband, Waverly Hall, Miss Ella's old cottage, and the barn which houses Miss Ella's brother's and Tuck's stallion Glue suddenly have new residents.

With stunning visuals painted with careful words, Charles Martin fills in most of the blanks with multiple flashbacks and Tucker's running conversation with the deceased Miss Ella who typifies the Holy Spirit. There are all kinds of pain in this story with much needed healings, forgiveness, emptiness, and resolutions. With a satisfying and hard-fought-for happy ending, Charles Martin gives us pain and pleasure, sorrow and joy, rare bits of humor and absurdity, and the tough journey of unmitigated evil versus unfettered goodness. When the remembrance of Miss Ella's incessant faith finally overcomes the residual evil crushing Tucker's soul, the results give him back his hope for a life worth living.

As a sidenote, I glanced at the Amazon reviews of Wrapped in Rain and was somewhat surprised to find a "one-star" account which gave a picture of some of today's culture. The questions posed by this female reviewer depicted the immediate reliance and dependence on government intervention via Child Protective Services, etc., to solve this situation. I wondered how she could've read this story and not understood the isolation of the inhabitants of Waverly Hall (let alone how incompetent the government can sadly be in these kinds of situations), the mindset and heart of a faith-filled and loving black woman whose call it was to take care of those boys at all costs. She obviously didn't like the story but possibly for all the wrong reasons.

Charles Martin created a somber but beautiful tale of lonely, broken, and needy people who were united in their adulthood and given another chance to break away from a past that wanted to define their present. Instead, a gentle, loving housekeeper's faith conquered all the evil, and love did in fact win just like Miss Ella said it would. Her memory soaked them in love and wrapped them in rain.

Father, you have those stories we need to tell. Help us tell them to honor you. Lead us and may we always follow. Please continue to bless Charles Martin as he follows your lead. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.