The Masterpiece
The Masterpiece
By: Francine Rivers
Enjoyable read. I have to admit, I was a little worried about where the author was going to be taking Roman and Grace's relationship. It was starting to feel like Rivers' was making it seem like physical attraction trumps friendship and is the only necessary component to a successful marriage, that the rest can 'be figured out.' I mean, yes, you should be physically attracted to your future spouse, but if there is no friendship foundation, you don't have much. I get tired of books and movies where there is a clear 'better choice' for a mate and they always choose the 'bad guy/girl' that they just can't stop thinking about because they are so utterly hot. Like... can we be smart human beings and use our brains for change?
So, anyway. Without giving too much away, I appreciated how Rivers' ended up handling that relationship and think she did a good job with it. The book is long- no page-turner- but a good drama/romance story that I still enjoyed and looked forward to picking up and reading everyday.
Oh. Beware of some Christian cheesiness. I like reading good, clean books but not particularly fond of some Christian literature because it just feels a little cheesy or unnatural.
For example, no one says 'I have a thing for Jesus.' And don't (unless maybe you're over 60) have pictures of Jesus all over their house (Spoiler alert: no one knows what he looks like!) I am all about prayer, but there's just something about reading people praying to God in books that just feels unnatural. The angel and demon parts are a bit out there.
Also, after helping with a youth group for 5 years, I can tell you that the event Grace attends with the youth pastor and the things that transpire and conversations had are a bit idealistic. So just a heads up. Don't let any of this keep you from reading the book, because it has a lot to offer, but just wanted to acknowledge that the 'Christian depiction' is a bit lacking.
Sidenote: Someone needs to update Francine on current parenting practices! We don't warm up bottles in the microwave or let infants sleep in bed with us. Just sayin'. Be safe out there.