Since reading The
Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock there seems to
be a theme of books set in northern lands, and here is another one.
Also little Other People's Houses it has been categorised as “youth”
fiction.
Perhaps one of the
likely reasons for the youth label is that this is a compact story,
if it was marketed for adults it might be a novella.
There is an
emotional intensity to the tale, which is sustained at this length
and which over a longer format would have sagged.
The pairing of Jack
and Joseph is key – the contrast between the troubled Joseph and
the settled life of Jack – Jack's responses to the new dynamic in
his family drive the narrative, you come alongside Jack and see the
events unfolding through his eyes. The possibilities for both good
and bad within the world seem to expand for him.
It is a book that
explores the hope that can be found within the midst of tragedy, for
every person we encounter who is selfish and small minded Schmidt
tells us there are more who are generous and open-hearted.
While I don't think
it is particularly a “Christian” tale, it is definitely one that
bold to claim that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness
will not overcome it. In the face of the daily news we probably need
tales like this to encourage us to continue to seek the diamonds in
the dust.
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