Classics Review of Frankenstein with Lorilyn Roberts

Frankenstein

by Mary Shelley

Review by Lorilyn Roberts

A Christian Psychological Thriller

 When my professor asked me to read this book, my first thought was, “Why would I want to read Frankenstein? He is a monster and I don’t like those kinds of books.” But I downloaded it on my Kindle and began reading, expecting to be bored and thinking I probably would struggle to finish it.

        Quite to the contrary, Frankenstein is a suspenseful, psychological thriller. As an author wanting to study and emulate the best classics ever written, I have attempted to highlight some of the strengths of Frankenstein and the techniques Mary Shelley used to draw the reader into the story, creating a book whose name 150 years later is still synonymous with the word “monster.”

        Writing in the first person, Shelley’s words are descriptive and pregnant with feeling. The reader is immediately propelled into the story, wanting to learn who this eccentric protagonist is that’s planning a trip to the North Pole.

        Shelley uses the technique of letters written by the protagonist, Walton, to his dear sister to set the stage and background.  Later on the voyage, Walton meets up with Victor Frankenstein. The creator of the villain, Victor, pours out his tearful tale to Walton concerning the monster he created, where the reader is taken on a journey of emotions that vacillates between compassion and abhorrence.

What makes a good book is what the reader continues to ponder and reflect on afterwards. I began to personalize Victor Frankenstein – what monsters have I created in my own life? What wreck have I made of others’ lives? What will follow me all the days of my life? What enticements have I pursued against the advice of others because I was foolish? What consumes me that is beguiling and evil? How much control does the devil have over my heart that sends me down lonely paths of destruction and despair?

The theme of this book is haunting. There is never a word spoken of Christianity or the Bible or Scripture; yet so much of the content is based on the nature of man and his need for redemption—the concept of man’s depraved nature, but also his unquenchable thirst for love.

        Even the antagonist is a victim, and the reader has pity and compassion on the monster despite his demonic nature. It’s a shame that the name “Frankenstein” is so associated with the grotesqueness of the creature and not as an incredible classic that anyone aspiring to be a great writer should enjoy. Too few books today delve into the psychological nature of man and the condition of the human heart in such a profound way. My hope is to embrace the challenge of writing with a Christian worldview without the reader being told they are reading such a book. To show rather than tell, as is the case with this story, is the penultimate example of great writing.

    

Reflections on Crime and Punishment with Lorilyn Roberts

Reflections by Lorilyn Roberts on

Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

 Crime and Punishment is the most profound fictional book I have read on evil and suffering. I remember when I was young and foolish—the “crimes” I committed, followed by outlandish lies I told to cover my tracks. I believed I wouldn’t get caught because I was smarter than everyone else. They are memories I would like to bury somewhere in a cave and forget. I was caught in every instance and soon learned I was not extraordinary.

Never mind the “punishments” I received. What I learned early on is I have a conscience. A relentless whisper spoke to me even when I didn’t want to listen. My guilt pricked my soul like a thorn, bothering me more than I could have imagined. I did not know I would feel so miserable before I committed each of my various “crimes.”  I was forced to carry a heavy burden that painfully weighed me down until I either confessed my sin or my guilt was discovered. The suffering was relentless and did more to drive me to a loving God than the severe discipline I received from those who showed no grace.

Crime and Punishment addresses this psychological suffering in a most profound way. The protagonist, Raskolnikov, believes he has unveiled a hidden truth: That there are two classes of beings—those who are ordinary and those who are superior. The superior individuals are those who commit crimes that are deemed later to be justified because the end (a better society) justifies the means (killing an innocent person). He cited examples of great conquerors such as Alexander the Great.

Raskolnikov subconsciously acts on his newly discovered “truth” by murdering a “leech” on society. But then he is forced to kill an innocent observer to cover up his actions. Thus began the story, and the rest of the book lays out the immense suffering brought on by Raskolnikov’s refusal to come to terms with his wicked crime.

Even when Raskolnikov publically confesses his crime at the end of the book, because of pride, he is unwilling to admit personal guilt. His suffering continues, making him ill and adversely cutting him off from society, friends, and family. Only his dear, long-time friend Sonya, gives him grace, traveling with him to Siberia. Sonya, a former prostitute driven to such circumstances by ill-deserved depravity, lived her life sacrificially for others. Despite her intense suffering as the result of family sins, she exuded love, drawing strength from reciting Scripture, which became her saving grace.

Sonya never gave up on Raskolnikov. In the end, it was her unconditional love that brought Raskolnikov to repentance, and through repentance, salvation.

It is difficult for me to add more to this commentary without destroying the beauty of Dostoevsky’s writing. What speaks to me the most about this book, besides the profound truths portrayed, is the way Dostoevsky writes. Every scene is fully developed; each person’s thoughts and motivations are explored; detailed attention is given to societal norms—the good, the bad, and the ugly; and the overarching themes of suffering and hopelessness hang broodingly over the pages. The surprise ending supports the truth of Scripture—that all evil can be conquered by grace. Sonya’s faithfulness and love for Raskolnikov overcomes the darkness, leaving the reader with hope that God can redeem the vilest of creatures.     

Showcasing Amanda Stephan

      Amanda Stephan is just a normal, everyday country girl. She resides near Columbia, TN with her husband and children, three cats, one dog, and multiple roosters that love to roost under their bedroom windows. She loves to laugh and have a good time, and loves to read a good book. 
     Out of love for her family and love for God, she finds writing to be an opportunity to share God's love for others in a fun and entertaining way. Her first novel, The Price of Trust, was published in May of 2010, her second novel, Lonely Hearts, is due for release at the end of October, 2011, and her Slade series was just picked up by TreasureLine Publishing.
      If you were to ask her to share one thing about herself that most people don't know, she'd have so many to choose from that she'd probably hesitate for a moment. Not quite a recluse, she's rather camera shy, doesn't like to be in the spotlight, and absolutely LOVES to have her feet tickled. But she would say her most interesting accomplishment is that she laughs like Scooby Doo.

You can usually find Amanda lurking in several online places at once like her 

Facebook fan page

Facebook authorpage

Twitter  
her website  or book website
or her personal blog

About the Book: - Read an excerpt below.

2_Chapter_Excerpt_-_Lonely_Hearts

K Dawn Byrd, Ten Things I Learned on my Publication Journey

"A few things I've learned along the way"

during my publishing journey.

by K Dawn Byrd

1)      If you don't have patience, you'll get it during the publishing process. I'm not a very patient person. I want what I want now! I've learned to apply the old Army slogan, "Hurry up and wait." Everything moves at a snail's pace and you might as well accept it.

2)      You never know what you can do until you give it a try. I'm 43 years old and wondered if I could get inside the head of a young adult well enough to write a young adult novel. Judging from the emails I've received from young adults, somehow I pulled it off. I've had several ask me to tell the story of a secondary character. Shattered Identity, the sequel to Mistaken Identity, will tell Lexi's story and will be out in April.

3)      My cover artist normally knows what's best. Never have they given me exactly what I've asked for on a cover, but that's fine because I'm not a cover expert. Only once have I had a cover that I truly hated and my cover artist was nice enough to work with me to come up with something I liked.

4)      Not everyone will love what you write. The lowest ranking I've ever received was three stars and I can live with that. It's important to develop a thick skin early on because not everyone will love what you write. Even NYT bestsellers get bad reviews.

5)      Never underestimate the power of networking. I've attended two conferences in the last two years and loved both of them for various reasons. It's so important to invest in conferences where agents and editors you're interested in will be on faculty.

6)      NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) was one of the best challenges I ever took. It changed the way I write forever. It's a yearly Internet event where authors come together and take the challenge to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Give it a try. It's always during the month of November.

7)      My editor knows best. I'm lucky enough to have an editor who I truly respect and trust. Sometimes, I question what she says, but when I think it over for a little bit, I know she's absolutely right.

8)      Writing is a lonely hobby. You'd better enjoy being alone because you'll shut yourself away for hours during the writing and editing process.

9)      I need my writing friends. There are times we all feel down and wonder why we write. It's great to have encouraging friends who will lift you up. In my case, I can't NOT write. I've tried. I once went for a month without writing and was one of the most miserable people on the face of the earth.

10)   Don't write for money or fame because they may never come. Write because you love it. I write for the simple joy of placing words on the page.

K.Dawn Byrd, Author of:
Queen of Hearts (April 2010) & Killing Time (August 2010)
Mistaken Identity (June 2011) & This Time for Keeps (October 2011)
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/KDawnByrd/Page.bok

      BLOG: http://kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com; WEBSITE: www.kdawnbyrd.com

Cure For the Common Life book review

Cure For the Common Life

Max Lucado

c. 2005

Thomas Nelson

ISBN 9780849900082

Filled with encouragement, Lucado’s book gives Christians a boost to discover our uniqueness to showcase the glory of God. Not ourselves, not even to contribute to society, but to praise and glorify our Creator. What an intriguing and refreshing way to think of ourselves in God’s eyes.

The spirit has given each of us special gifts to make a big deal of God.

How do we find them? This book is divided into two parts: the first is an exploration of our uniqueness; the second, a workbook showing us how to find it.

Lucado gives pages of statistics from surveys that show Americans claim to be unhappy going to work. Since God wants us to work, what do we do? How do we break out of the “epidemic of commonness?” Lucado counsels us to find our true talents by studying ourselves and learning who we are so we can match our abilities with suitable work. “Re-relish your moments of success and satisfaction. For in the merger of the two, you find your uniqueness.”

We’re also encouraged to understand the concept of “enough”; or not to let gathering stuff compound our ability to honor God. The author encourages us to know God and to be fully known by accepting the price he paid for us, keeping our focus and worship on him. And in that vein, think of our work at worship. After all, it belongs to him. Make everything count-even the smallest of deeds

Filled with stories of people from Biblical through modern times who listened to God and themselves to discover their innermost gifts, Cure For the Common Life will cheer the reader who is also searching for purpose. The second part of the book, the workbook, guides us through the S.T.O.R.Y. process: finding our sweetspot (reflecting on enjoyable things done well); the recurring themes in our lives; optimal conditions (what kick-starts and keeps our interest); the relationships in our lives; and the Yes! component-what I can do to improve and affect others. There are also notes and a chapter by chapter study guide.

I received a copy of this eBook from BookSneeze for review.

Review of A Wedding Invitation by Alice J Wisler

A Wedding Invitation

Alice J Wisler
c. 2011
Bethany House
ISBN: 9780764207334
$14.99
Contemporary Fiction

Past and present collide after Samantha attends what she thinks is her former roommate’s wedding. While visiting her esoteric aunt at a butterfly launch during a memorial service, a former student from the refugee camp where she worked several years ago invites her to a meal and destiny.

Wisler’s story of a quiet young woman with a broken heart and living in a rut is a sweet tale of misunderstanding, mistaken identity, judgment and forgiveness. Set in the early nineteen-nineties, with flashbacks to the mid-eighties, the tale is woven between Samantha’s experiences teaching American customs to Vietnamese refugees in the Philippines, awaiting placement after the end of the conflict. Samantha gives her heart to a fellow teacher, Carson, who’d promised his college sweetheart he’d remain faithful. When Sam realizes Carson means to keep his promise, she forgets about a future filled with plans to become a teacher, goes home and works for her emotionally reticent widowed mother.

After the chance encounter with her former student who is delighted to let her know that Carson lives nearby and would like to see her again, she eventually and reluctantly meets him. Their stories gradually come out and the misunderstandings are laid to rest. Even the wrongly accused student doesn’t hold Sam’s accusations of theft all those years ago against her, and asks for help finding the mother who gave her up for adoption.

Told in first person, A Wedding Invitation is an upbeat message that happiness and love involves risk, faith, and trust, and that helping others can revive even the dampest of spirits. Readers who enjoy the music and sounds of life at the end of the twentieth century, the news, the songs, the food and fun of the era, will enjoy this tale of a quirky aunt, mom, and shy young lady ready to come out of her shell.

The Measure of Katie Calloway

The Measure of Katie Calloway

By Serena Miller

c. October 2011

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

ISBN: 9780800719982

14.99

Historical Fiction

Miller’s story about an antebellum abused wife fleeing north to Michigan timber country and winds up as a cook in a rough and tumble lumber camp is a satisfying step back in time.

Katie Calloway, young and naïve Pennsylvania minister’s daughter, marries her brother’s West Point friend and moves south to become mistress of a slave-run plantation. Not only does she enter the strange and confusing world of ownership of other humans, the War Between the States becomes a reality and she is left alone when her husband goes to fight. The story begins a couple of years after the conclusion of the war, when all that’s left to Katie and her young orphaned brother is her pride. Realizing that her husband does more than just despise her, she takes Ned and runs.

Blessed with jumping into the right place at the right time, Katie meets Robert Foster, owner of a lumber camp, who is in need of a cook. At the camp filled with rough lumbermen for a winter of work, Katie is thrust into an experience that will either make her stronger or break her spirit for good. Getting along with the wounded camp cook who is supposed to help her is only the first bump in the road. Falling in love with the wounded widower, Robert, and his children, and keeping her secret, is compounded when a former slave of her husband’s shows up to work at the camp. And when her brutal husband eventually tracks her down, will anyone come to her rescue?

Miller’s use of shanty song refrains to open each chapter is a delight, and adds just the right nuance to each section. I could hear the singing and fiddle playing, smell the pine trees and the flapjacks during her wonderfully smooth narrative. Characters that capture your heart, from the surly trickster Jigger, to the gentle carver Cletus, to Moon Song and her baby, to Skypilot, the once-upon-a-time preacher, readers of historical romantic inspirational fiction will escape to the years immediately following the Civil War in the boom time of Michigan with this lovely read. Reminiscent of other great reads, like Naomi Musch’s Empire in Pine series.

Serena Miller is the author of Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio, as well as numerous articles for periodicals such as Woman's World, Guideposts, Reader's Digest, Focus on the Family, Christian Woman, and more. She lives on a farm in southern Ohio.

Available October 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group