Reflections

A glimpse into the turbulent biblical beginnings

The Wanderer’s Legacy by Natasha Woodcraft

As the third book in the epic Wanderer series, The Wanderer’s Legacy is a captivating read. Woodcraft transports us to a largely unexplored period; life is basic, yet people live for hundreds of years. Following the sparse biblical text, she shows us the first few generations torn between allegiance to God and worldly ambition. In her richly imagined world, the characters develop realistically as the complex plot progresses.

An innocent girl exposes racial bias

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Boldly perceptive, eight-year-old Jean Louise Finch, aka Scout, reveals the shameful racism of a small town in Alabama in the early ’30s.

An improbable quest

A Very Private Grave by Donna Fletcher Crow

Why did Father Dominic give Felicity a wrapped-up journal just before he got himself murdered? And what was so significant about that cryptic notebook, which recorded his travels in the footsteps of the medieval Saint Cuthbert? Somebody – could it be a fellow member of the monastery, the American wife of the author of a controversial book about the Saint, the mysterious bird-watcher, or someone else? – seemed hell-bent on getting their hands on that diary, even if others had to die on the way.

Rescuing exploited girls

Before the night comes, by Matt Roper

Our Western eyes can hardly believe what Matt Roper and his Canadian friend Dean Brody discover, as they drive along the longest highway in Brazil. An 11-year-old girl is offering her body to the passing lorry drivers for a few Reals.

Emotional hangups

Just Benny by Alex Banwell

Setting

Benny’s dad, Ola Welander, rejects him. Janet, his mum, pampers him. His sister, Emma, loves her little ‘Pestie’ but finds him exasperating at times. Other kids mock ‘Weedy Welander’, all because he suffers from frequent epileptic seizures. As a result, Benny withdraws to the only place where he feels safe: his mother’s arms. ‘I’m rubbish at everything’ are his favourite words.

Football, fun and furry friends

Two Old Fools – Olé by Victoria Twead

This is the second of many in Victoria Twead’s Old Fools series. Having sold up everything in the UK, Vicky and Joe have relocated to a tiny village in the Spanish mountains. We hear of their adventures with colourful residents and furry friends.

Peek below the surface

The Victor by Patricia St John

Philo, the son of a fisherman in first century Tyre, is traumatised by his sister’s sinister illness. When his father drowns, the family is thrown into poverty. Only little Ione provides a ray of sunshine.

The rise and fall of a unique Christian shrine

Glastonbury: The Novel of Christian England by Donna Fletcher Crow

Donna Fletcher Crow’s epic historical masterpiece brings to life the mystical Glass Isle of Glastonbury with its imposing Tor. In each era, the ruling monarch and a key spiritual leader are highlighted. As conflicts rage, we follow the wavering spark of faith in Jesus Christ and the icons that assure its continuity.

What’s going on in the world?

I’ve been thinking about Jesus’s promise to his followers:

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10)

To whom does that apply? And where are the people who enjoy this rich and satisfying life?

Will their stars bring them to Eden?

Find me in the Stars, by Jules Larimore

Another fascinating tale set among the tensions between the Catholic authorities and the Huguenot recluses in southern France during the seventeenth century reign of the Sun King Louis XIV.

This second book in the The Huguenot Trilogy introduces new aspects: romance and the dangers and vicissitudes of flight to the relative safety of the Protestant neighbour countries.