Review of Let The Children Come
-
The Maroon Owl
- Posts: 8
- Joined: 16 Jul 2019, 23:25
- Currently Reading: Fish in a Tree
- Bookshelf Size: 1003
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-the-maroon-owl.html
- Latest Review: One If by Carol B Allen
Review of Let The Children Come
[Following is a volunteer review of "Let The Children Come" by Tom Fay.]
Have you ever considered what life would be like for your favorite historical figure if he or she lived in the 21st century? Tom Fay has done just that in his book, Let the Children Come. George Müller was a 19th-century evangelist that Fay has transported to our current age with the hope that this generation may glean wisdom and encouragement from his life.
The story begins with George as a 15-year-old. His mother has just died, and he immediately feels like an outsider in his own family. His coping method of choice is drugs and alcohol, although his rebellious habits started long before. 5 years later, and despite his brother’s efforts, George is still into the party scene. At college, George is pursuing his father’s dream for him to become a lawyer. When George’s old stoner buddy, Beta, picks him up from the airport during summer vacation, George’s life gets turned upside down. Beta has given up his old life and confesses to George that he is now a Christian. He invites George to a bible study where George also is changed. He switches his major to Theology, despite his father’s protests, and begins his journey as an evangelist and missionary.
As the story continues, the focus shifts to the development of George’s ministry and his relationships with his family. He was a very humble and generous man with a burden to help orphans. George Müller’s life was filled with great success and great tragedy. However, regardless of his situation, he always clung to his faith and belief in the goodness of God.
Let the Children Come is a very creative approach to a biography. Not only is it written as a narrative, but it imagines the subject in the future in order to provide a realistic context for a 21st-century audience. Fay has worked hard to imagine dialogue consistent with George Müller’s actual character. There was a strong theme throughout that successfully communicated George’s unshakable faith.
Overall, the book is well-written with the exception of a few typos. To be honest, I would have liked the book more if it was written in a literary style with a strong plot. However, I cannot fault Fay for staying true to his mission of delivering a biography.
This book is for audiences aged 13 and up. I would recommend this book to Christian families to read and discuss together. I could even imagine a Christian school using this book as a starting point for a research project on George Müller or other famous missionaries.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The creative risk of putting George Müller into the 21st century worked. It was easy to imagine the characters as people you would meet at church. The modernization of George Müller’s struggles and details of his ministry seemed appropriate, and Fay’s purpose was achieved.
******
Let The Children Come
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Have you ever considered what life would be like for your favorite historical figure if he or she lived in the 21st century? Tom Fay has done just that in his book, Let the Children Come. George Müller was a 19th-century evangelist that Fay has transported to our current age with the hope that this generation may glean wisdom and encouragement from his life.
The story begins with George as a 15-year-old. His mother has just died, and he immediately feels like an outsider in his own family. His coping method of choice is drugs and alcohol, although his rebellious habits started long before. 5 years later, and despite his brother’s efforts, George is still into the party scene. At college, George is pursuing his father’s dream for him to become a lawyer. When George’s old stoner buddy, Beta, picks him up from the airport during summer vacation, George’s life gets turned upside down. Beta has given up his old life and confesses to George that he is now a Christian. He invites George to a bible study where George also is changed. He switches his major to Theology, despite his father’s protests, and begins his journey as an evangelist and missionary.
As the story continues, the focus shifts to the development of George’s ministry and his relationships with his family. He was a very humble and generous man with a burden to help orphans. George Müller’s life was filled with great success and great tragedy. However, regardless of his situation, he always clung to his faith and belief in the goodness of God.
Let the Children Come is a very creative approach to a biography. Not only is it written as a narrative, but it imagines the subject in the future in order to provide a realistic context for a 21st-century audience. Fay has worked hard to imagine dialogue consistent with George Müller’s actual character. There was a strong theme throughout that successfully communicated George’s unshakable faith.
Overall, the book is well-written with the exception of a few typos. To be honest, I would have liked the book more if it was written in a literary style with a strong plot. However, I cannot fault Fay for staying true to his mission of delivering a biography.
This book is for audiences aged 13 and up. I would recommend this book to Christian families to read and discuss together. I could even imagine a Christian school using this book as a starting point for a research project on George Müller or other famous missionaries.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The creative risk of putting George Müller into the 21st century worked. It was easy to imagine the characters as people you would meet at church. The modernization of George Müller’s struggles and details of his ministry seemed appropriate, and Fay’s purpose was achieved.
******
Let The Children Come
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: One If by Carol B Allen
