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Worlds Unseen is a Christian fantasy novel. It is the
first book in a trilogy. The synopsis on the back of the book is
much more eloquent than I am, so I will quote just a small portion
of it: "Maggie Sheffield's life has been haunted by seemingly disconnected
tragedies, pieces that form a puzzle she doesn't understand. Her
confusion about the past mirrors that of her whole world: they've
been taught that the empire saved them from destruction, but then
why does the empire seem bent on enslaving its own people? They've
been taught that stories of an ancient war, a terrifying enemy,
and a majestic king are all myths -- but then why are those who
try to learn more about them sabotaged or killed?"
I enjoyed reading as the pieces of a complex puzzle of who people
were and how they related to one another began to fall into place.
I also enjoyed the characters and the magical and spiritual dimensions
that were expertly woven into them. These traits were akin to spiritual
gifts. I would caution that if you are opposed to any type of spells
or magic, then this is probably not the best fit for reading material,
as there are creatures that materialize out of mist, spells, and
magic in this book. It is probably most appropriate for young adult
and older readers.
As a novel, it was interesting and had beautiful descriptions,
interesting stories within the story, and beautiful language. In
terms of the Christian allegory, I seemed to miss the point. There
were bits and pieces that I could completely fit into my understanding,
but there were other parts that I couldn't quite fit into my understanding
of God and his son Jesus Christ and the true history and future
of our world and God's creations. As I read, I kept trying to place
the story into my understanding and felt very frustrated when I
couldn't. If I had read this book purely for fun, not knowing that
it was intended to be a Christian allegory, I would have wholeheartedly
loved it. Nevertheless, I will still recommend the book because
the story telling is beautiful.
Product review by Marisa Corless, MH, The Old Schoolhouse®
Magazine,
LLC, January 2011
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