The Encounter

 

 

 

-My random thoughts-

It was a short, yet sweet novel.  A story of forgiveness, love, and finding the truth.  It also was a powerful point of, things may not always be as you thought.

-Publisher's description-

A wealthy businessman travels to Fairbanks, Alaska, to learn why his mother abandoned him when he was a child, and in the process learns that not everything is as it appears to be.
The Encounter, the unique new book from best-selling author and counselor Stephen Arterburn, is a moving parable involving Jonathan Rush, a wealthy and famous entrepreneur, who is tortured by bitterness toward his mother who abandoned him when he was four. He travels to Alaska to find her but instead meets an enigmatic old woman known only as Mercy. Mercy has the information he needs but is strangely reluctant to talk to him. Somehow Jonathan must find a way to persuade a frightened woman to unlock the secrets of his past.
The book includes an invitation to the readers to verify the facts of their own stories, to accept the reality of their existence, especially the most painful ones, and to live in forgiveness. The end result is a healthy new way to look at life with an ability to share hope with others for the future. Healing is possible but requires truth, acceptance, and forgiveness, including of oneself.

-Info to know-

Author:  Stephen Arterburn

My recommended age:   13+

Their recommended age: NA

Publisher:   Thomas Nelson

Number of pages:  176

·         Characters:  Well, they were 'there'.  There wasn't anything to them that just struck me and made me go, "WOW", but they weren't exactly plain and boring.  Erika kinda reminded me of Sally on 'Cars', but other then that, they were ok.

·         Plot:  I knew.  I knew what was going to happen, but {cough} that might've been due to me reading the last page before the first.  Even though I did know, it didn't spoil it for me.  Just made me anticipate it all the more.

·         Writing:  The writing was interesting.  First person for Jonathan Rush, Third person for Ada.  It wasn't hard to follow along, just interesting.  I'll give that to Mr. Arterburn, he did something different.

·         Cover:  I didn't grab it for the cover, but, now that I've read the book, I like the cover a whole lot better.  Not that I didn't before, just it wasn't like 'Invasion's for me. ;-)

·         Ending: It made me happy.  But, I dunno, there was an element of, well, I think it would've taken a real life person longer then it did Jonathan to make the sudden change from hate-to-love.  Maybe it was due to Ada almost dying, I dunno.

·         World building   t gave me a bite of Alaska alright.  A cold bite, and makes me want more! :-D

Cons:

To short! I think Mr. Arterburn should've stretched the process out longer.

 

 

Pros:

It was a sweet book, and people could learn from it I guess, if they had bitterness issues.

The writing style was interesting.

 

Language:

None.

Romance and sexual content:

Jonathan has been married and divorced twice due to his bitterness problems.

Ada had a son before a husband, but it is something she regrets. 

Violence:

None.

 

Drugs and drink:

Jonathan drinks wine with Ada in the end, but it isn't in a drunk, but dinner, way.

 

Ratings:

Well, it was a nice book, but, not popping, stunning and magnificent.  There wasn't anything to make me go, "I LOVE THIS BOOK!!".  It was just a sweet, mosing read.  So, I'm kinda torn.  I guess, in the end, I'm going to give it a:

 It isnt' 'bad' or 3 star worthy, but not truly 5 stunning stars.  So 4 it will have to be.