Among the Gentler Books

A great bonus of being in a bookstore on a regular basis is the opportunity to overhear, and often partake in, fascinating conversations. A frequent theme is the difference between books and movies, as well as reading versus watching television. I hear many a bibliophile declare – with at least a little hint of pride – that they don’t have TV at their house.

The other day, I heard a variation on this conversation about the American television diet, and it still has me thinking. A new author commented how his book is about the rural American life, in part because he wants to give rural people the chance to read a story to which they can relate. He said that, of late, the only programs on nightly TV are about murder, sex, drugs, and criminals, or the lifestyles of the spoiled and metropolitan. Almost every single one of these popular shows is set in a city.

This is an excellent observation. Gone are the days when we came home to watch the Waltons, or Little House on the Prairie, or the Andy Griffith Show. There’s not even any more Seventh Heaven or Northern Exposure. I guess “rural” isn’t in right now for “Must-See” television. This may have resulted in another recent trend – the genre of Christian fiction becoming a major financial force over the last five years. Several years ago, there were only a few popular, contemporary writers regularly publishing bestselling Christian fiction. Moreover, there were only one or two authors writing “Amish” Christian romance. In the last year, that number has increased exponentially. Suddenly, readers are faced with a plethora of books about “Rachel’s Choice” or “Leah’s Redemption”. If rural isn’t hip, then why the demand for stories about a simpler life?

The need for an alternative to nightly scenes of forensics and cleavage became even more clear to me as I read Gentle Forbearance, the first novel from Christian author Rachel Castellanos. Though the plotline is fairly predictable, that’s not unusual for a romance book, even by the most experienced of authors. Surprise twists and deep symbolism are not really the reasons people pick up a romance. With Christian romance, readers expect a gentle love story, with lots of references to the hand of God at work in the characters’ lives. Rachel Castellanos delivers these within a well-developed setting and amidst a network of believable and likeable characters. In Gentle Forbearance, the main romantic leads, Cassie Wilson and Jacob Dawson, do fall in love, but Castellanos credits her readers with more intelligence than many of the “Love Inspired” or “Steeple Hill Café” series books, allowing her characters to struggle through old hurts and other relationship challenges before coming to a satisfying resolution.

Although I only dabble in Christian fiction, I found myself drawn to this book, wanting to see how Castellanos would show God’s path in the lives of her characters. This reminder of faith, of believing that God is working in one’s life even when it seems painful or difficult, represents some of the best of what Christian fiction has to offer its readers. I have hesitated to write a review of Christian fiction in general, because I don’t want to offend in my observations that too many Christian authors dumb down their stories, or rely on too-neat “coincidences” to make their stories work, or do little justice to the real pain that people suffer – even people of deep faith. I have enjoyed books by Karen Kingsbury, Bodie and Brock Thoene, and Janette Oke; however, these criticisms can be fairly directed at a number of chapters in these authors’ works. While readers may want to read stories of gentleness, a simpler life, less ugliness and maliciousness, fewer crimes, and more heroes and heroines who strive for the deeper and higher meaning of hope, love, and faith, the bottom line for me in critiquing Christian fiction comes down to this: Christians aren’t dumb. Or, at least, they are no dumber than the rest of the population, or of the representatives of any other faith.

Rachel Castellanos’s first book shares some of the same problems as those from her sister authors in Christ, but she is just as good as Janette Oke and Marta Perry – if not better – and each of these women has thirty plus published books on their resumes, with literally hundreds of thousands of copies sold. Just like her main character, Cassie, it is my guess that Rachel did not believe in herself and her talent as much as she should have, and so went with a publishing firm that offers “author-financed” plans, giving Gentle Forbearance a higher cover cost than is usually comfortable for buyers. Nevertheless, I highly recommend that fans of Oke, Perry, Lewis, or Kingsbury take the plunge: we’re sure to see more from this talented new author, and you can say you knew her when.

Beverly Hillbillies or 90210? Check out Hobo’s past zip codes at his blog, http://frommyshelf.blogspot.com. City Christian or country Christian? Tell Hobo about your creeds at frommyshelf@epix.net. Watch for Hobo’s new Amish book, where he travels to an Amish farm.