"The world you live in is just a sugar-coated topping! There is another world beneath it: the real world" is one of my favorite quotes from the movie, Blade. Morpheus says something similar in The Matrix. As a Christian, I think the quote perfectly captures the human experience since there's another world that we're normally unable to see or hear: the spiritual world. So when I read the description for Hope Against Hope: The Fight for Lilly by M.A. Henry, I was thrilled that the book includes the spiritual realm as an integral part of the story.
Four-year-old Lilly is kidnapped from her home, and while friends, family, and church members all pray for her safe return, angels battle against the demons that plotted Lilly's snatching. Eight-year-old victim Holly, likewise, was taken when she was four, so she wants to help Lilly too, but what can a child do? And will the FBI and CARD (Child Abduction Rapid Deployment) be able to put the pieces together and bring both girls home?
CTMH is my favorite genre, and I'm usually able to divorce myself from the situations in such tales. Not this time. I was in tears by the time I hit page three, and I kept a box of Kleenex by my side as I read; I couldn't help but think of when my children were young and how devastated I would have been had they been taken. Henry was very adept at keeping me hanging on too; I read the 217-page book in less than three days. There wasn't much heavy action in the book, but the suspense did keep driving me. Still, even as I sympathized with Lilly's parents, Lydia and Allen, I also couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't done a better job of teaching Lilly about strangers. "Strangers" of every sort - total strangers, acquaintances, family friends, etc. - have to be defined, and various scenarios need to be discussed in a way that little ones will fully understand. That's one thing I hope parents will take from this story.
There were a number of secondary characters in The Fight for Lilly, and I liked most of the good guys, most notably Joe and Resa, a couple who were very helpful to the search. Henry did a wonderful job creating backstories for certain players, causing me to empathize with them even more. Becca, a nonbeliever who recently lost her Christian grandmother, Nannie, especially tapped my heart, and I cheered for her to overcome. Agents Riley and Sanders also had my full support along with the assigned police. In addition, the villains were given psychological profiles, so I was able to see them as more than just cookie-cutter bad guys; it didn't make me like them, but I did understand them better. The trials that little Holly went through angered me so much that I wished punishment on her captor more than I'd ever wished it on a fictional character, and his boss earned my undying loathing and disdain as well.
As much as I loved the inclusion of the spiritual realm, I was somewhat disappointed that the angels and demons weren't featured more, and their final battle left me still hungry. I especially wanted to read more about Tenare’ and Qavah, Lilly's and Holly’s guardian angels, respectively. The story’s ending made me wonder if the author is planning more books; if so, I hope she gives an even more in-depth view into the spirit world. Still, the spiritual insights that Henry did pen were very captivating, and I found myself thanking God for His creations, though I'm unsure if I believe that every person has a guardian angel - or influential devil - following them around. The author's inclusion of ample prayer, relevant Bible passages, and a scripture reference also increased my appreciation for Henry's diligence.
Unfortunately, the author wasn’t nearly as careful with the grammar, as I found many typographical missteps, including punctuation errors, problems with compound words, and extra words. Additionally, there were several issues with syntax, and the author had a bad habit of switching verb tenses throughout the book. I strongly urge her to have future books professionally edited and perhaps put out an edited edition of this book.
Due to the noted issues, I am rating The Fight for Lilly 3 out of 4 stars with a hearty "Amen!" I highly recommend this spirit-filled book to adult readers of all faiths who enjoy tales involving the spirit realm, people interested in spiritual warfare, and spirit-curious bibliophiles. I do have to give warning, however, that this book also involves child abuse, child rape, sexual assualt, and a spattering of profanity, though most of the latter use hyphens instead of letters.
- The Ten CommandmentsSo let it be written.
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The Fight for Lilly
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