Mystery, intrigue all in ‘Shack’
Maryjane Bowyer
The recently released novel “The Shack” by William P. Young is possibly the most intriguing book I have ever read.The book revolves around Mack coping with the disappearance of his youngest daughter Missy.
After days of searching, the police team, along with Mack, finally come across a small shack, and inside was the little red dress Missy was last seen in, completely soaked in blood.
Later on Mack goes out to get the mail and finds a letter asking him to meet “Papa” at the place where Missy’s dress was found.
His own father has been dead for decades, and the only person he calls “Papa” is God. He immediately believes that God is going to be at the Shack where Missy was murdered, and after days of contemplating whether or not he should go meet God, he borrows a friends Jeep and is off to the woods.
Upon arrival at the shack, he is greeted by a very large black woman, a small Asian woman, and an Arab man. The black woman is God, the Arab man is Jesus, and the Asian woman is the Holy Spirit.
From there the three act as a team trying to uplift Mack and show him that it was not their fault Missy was dead, and that the reason no one ever found Missy’s body was that angels had picked it up and brought it to Heaven.
The book, although not fabulous and kind of strange, was interesting. It held my attention for the three days it took to read it. At times it made me want to get in the fetal position and cry all night, and at others it made me feel refreshed.
Although I might not suggest “The Shack” at my next book club meeting, I definitely wouldn’t say it’s a bad read either. If you have a couple extra days on your hands and are into religious fiction this is the book for you.
