Chuck on ’Daisy Chain’ |
by Gina Dalfonzo |
Catherine has written before about Mary DeMuth's new book, Daisy Chain. Now, in today's BreakPoint commentary, Chuck Colson weighs in on this sad but inspiring novel.
DeMuth is a Christian and an award-nominated novelist whose books often deal with issues of abuse. Yet at the same time, they intertwine themes of grace and hope. Daisy Chain tells the story of a young boy named Jed who’s struggling with both his best friend’s disappearance and his father’s abuse. On the surface, Jed’s father looks like the model pastor and family man. Only his wife and children know what happens at home when his rage spirals out of control.
DeMuth herself is a survivor of a different kind of abuse, having been molested as a child. Her goal in writing about abuse, she once said in an interview, is “to show folks two things: That God can heal even the most horrific abuse. And to educate parents and professionals about abuse.”
I’m not a big fan of “message” books, where the writer neglects his or her craft and just concentrates on pushing an agenda. But Mary DeMuth is not that kind of writer. Her books are beautifully and sensitively written, and her characters are realistic and well-developed. She has a true gift for showing how God’s light can penetrate even the darkest of situations, and start to turn lives around. Even her villains are not beyond the reach of God’s grace.
(Image © Zondervan)
I'm humbled and so thankful for your kind words about Daisy Chain. What a blessing!
Posted by: Mary DeMuth | May 05, 2009 at 09:49 PM