Featured Review: The Message? by Avam Hale

[Chinazo Anozie]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Message?" by Avam Hale.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Avam Hale’s debut novel The Message?: A thinking thriller about change and choice was written with the intent to both entertain and challenge readers, and I am fairly certain that Hale has managed to accomplish such a task within the pages of this book. In a message from the author preceding the book, Hale states, “If I get even one ‘hmmm’ out of you I will have succeeded.” I definitely experienced a few moments of “hmmm” as I read this story.

Leah Warner was just a meek, mid-Western widower with two children when a tragic car accident sent her into a coma. Though her prognosis isn’t so great, after three weeks in an unresponsive state, a miracle occurs. Not only does she wake up, fully aware of her surroundings, but the external cuts and bruises on her body are practically healed, and her internal fractures are almost fully mended. Much to the amazement of her attending neurologist, she shows no sign of brain trauma.

But Leah also claims to have been with God while she was in her coma, and God has sent her back with a simple message to share with the world: He loves everyone unconditionally, and He wants everyone to set aside worldly possessions and achievement and just love each other as well. While Leah does not intend to endorse any particular religious affiliation as she spreads this message, she soon discovers that merely promoting such a simple concept of love and selflessness comes with consequences. Her message gets mixed up in philosophy, religion, politics, and economics as they all play a role in the lives of all Americans, regardless of whether or not they believe her story.

Despite my rather simple summary of the story, this book actually contains a variety of interesting characters whose lives and roles weave together to form the overall plot, which ultimately revolves around Leah Warner. Dr. Marcus, Leah’s neurologist, is my favorite of all of the characters. A man of science, but also a man of God, Dr. Marcus is a rather subtle hero in the book as he tends to be the one to bring all of the other characters together. He is also just a really nice guy, and I had a bit of crush on him as I was reading.

While this book is definitely entertaining, I wouldn’t exactly call it a “light read.” It will make you think about religious, political, economic, and philosophical ideas. The author is obviously well-educated and did appropriate research to discuss a variety of issues. However, I never felt like the book promoted any specific religious or political agenda. It was simply a very insightful, fictional story of how one woman came to believe in God from her own experience.

I give this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. There were a handful of errors throughout the book, mostly in the form of missing periods at the end of short quotations, but these errors didn’t decrease the overall quality of the writing. They especially didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story as a whole. I recommend this book to readers who are looking for a book with deep meaning. Get ready to meet some interesting characters along the way.

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The Message?
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Like ALynnPowers's review? Post a comment saying so!

This truly seems like a great read and a book I will enjoy. I will definitely check it out.

[Ella Oyieko]

This is a great review.we all learn new ideas from our experiences, just like the woman who believed in God out of her experiences.

[jeanmtdb]

Thank you for your review. While this isn't my favored genre, it is interesting that so many views weigh in. Science, religion, politics, and the human element have their "take" on this subject. Congratulations on BOTD!

[Chinedu Nwakaji]

Thanks for the great review. I look forward to reading this book so as to have my own moments of " hmm"

[Michelle Menezes]

I'm not fond of books with religious elements. I did give one a try recently and was disappointed, so I don't think I'd be reading one ever again. Though Leah's journey seems amazing, I'll be skipping this one. Enjoyed your review though.

[Julius Nwohiri]

Leah Warner is a character I would definitely want to know more about. Clearly a work of fiction. However, I would want to know if this is remotely related to some real life person. The theme feels so real. Good review. Congrats on the BOTD

[Claire Zondo]

Thank you for the review! I'm definitely going to read the book.What shocks me though is Dr. Marcus, Leah’s neurologist, being a man of science and also a man of God, it is commonly one or the other, as science typically disproves the presence of God.

"Three criteria have to be satisfied in order for life to begin. First, groupings of self-replicating molecules had to join together. Second, copies of these molecular groupings had to differ such that some were more able to exploit resources and resist environmental obstacles than others. Third, the differences had to be heritable, such that under favorable environmental conditions, some varieties would proliferate "- scientific defintion of the origins of life

In todays world trying to convince people to love and be selfless would be hard, as you as a person are judged by what you have and what you dont, everything is shifted to fit the image of want the person wants.

[Yvonne Monique]

It is interesting to think what would happen if this would have been a real story. Would people take her message seriously? Would she get a group of followers? Would people say she's crazy?

[Hussein21]

This is a thriller novel centering on a woman who claimed to have encountered God. This isn't my type of book as I am skeptical about such things. Congrats on the book of the day

[Misael Carlos]

I’m looking forward to digging into this novel to find out how Lea Warner survived her coma and how her miracle will affect those around her including her children. It an intriguing plot which will challenge readers on many aspects. Congrats!

[Emerizx]

sometime, we may not know how blessed we are until we pay a visit to the hospital. The gift of life is a priceless, we come appreciate it more when sickness comes our way. How we spend our life here on earth is our gift to God. congratulations on BOTD.

[Temilolu2]

You did write a great review and I would love to read this book just because it's about love and selflessness and I want to understand the miracle of her recovery.

[Iva Stoyanova]

The story sounds intriguing but I'm not sure if it's for me. I'm not into complex books but I'm sure many other readers will be entertained by this story.

[Obaaku Amponsah]

This is such a miraculous thing. God is so wonderful. Just by reading the review am already in love with it I don’t know what will happen to me when I read the whole book.

[todwyer01]

From a sampling, this seems like an interesting story about a woman who awakens from a coma healed of all the injuries that she had. It appears to be worth a second look. Well done.