Five Days in May, book #9

 

This book.  This book.  I don't even know where to start.  I was so excited to read it, but I was not too far in before I realized this was probably a mistake.  I even picked it for Book Club and earlier this week sent an apology text telling everyone it was a super sad book and if they had not started reading it yet to not even bother.  I couldn't see too much Jesus in it, every single person was in a really hard situation, and I was not anticipating it ending well. (I mean, just look at the cover!) 

But, four good things came from this book.

1.  The writing was indeed amazing.  This is one where by reading the book the author is so descriptive that even though the setting in 1963, you can see -- hear -- smell -- FEEL -- everything as though you were right there in the middle of the action.  That could be one of the reasons this book was so challenging to read, it FELT real.

2.  In the last 20% of the book everything started coming together -- and fast!  Just like the tornado that was about to rip through the little town.  It almost as if the tornado was symbolic of the action in the book. 

3.  There is some Jesus in it.  Even though it is not as obviously stated, He is there, protecting the ones who need to be protected; softening hearts, emboldening souls and bringing reconciliation.  

4.  In the end, the bad guy dies, the good guys win and life turns around for them, but also a good guy died.  But in the big picture of things, that was ok too.  

Do I recommend it?  That is not a question for me to answer.  If you enjoy books intense like this, then yes, read it.  If you don't, then don't.  Your life will not be missing anything if you don't.  But I will say, for someone who likes to stick to cowboys, indians, pioneers, westerns, romance, I read it.  I lived to tell.  And it took me on a ride I won't soon forget.

Three members of the McIntosh family are setting appointments with death: Friday, May 10, 1963. That's the day an F5 tornado will rip across Oklahoma, obliterating everything in its path.  Pastor Mac McIntosh lost his faith when his wife died — it's time to end the charade. But when a mysterious inmate called Princess is set to be executed, he grudgingly agrees to meet with her in her final days.  Princess has watched Mac and his family for years, looking out through someone else's eyes. She speaks to Mac's heart with insight and grace, while in her own heart she harbors a secret she's determined to carry to her grave about the little sister she confessed to beheading 14 years ago.  Princess knows the monster tornado is coming. She calls it The Big Ugly and she pleads with Mac to run! But by then, it's too late. For all of them. (picture and description from Amazon)

We might need to take a break before we just into something else.  Or read something light and funny.  

Keep reading, even when it is hard!

Melissa