Skip to main content

Echoes

Echoes by Robin Jones Gunn


Falling head over heels for someone on the internet, finding it hard to move on after a painful breakup, these are all elements in Robin Gunn’s new book entitled Echoes.  I think the real heart of this book was met in Lauren’s character, her being given the opportunity to step out in faith that although her heart might be crushed again, she was willing to step forward.  To be honest, I had a little trouble getting into the story because I think some of the characters were not fully developed in the way they could’ve been.  For instance, we get a little window in Lauren’s fiancée Jeff, as one who is on the quick path to success, monetarily, but we don’t get a lot of backstory about why he kept pushing the issue to move to New York and why he acted in such an abrupt manner.   In Lauren there is a tinge of teenage gush mixed in with her driven self, pursuing certification in teaching and being a banker.  Yet, I was hoping for some more engaging details about her family, her dreams and what makes her tick.

As far as the plot moves along, this book carries its focus with Lauren’s connection with an online person named K.C.  After over a year of exchanges through email, they decide to meet.  I won’t disclose everything but what happens turns out to be the opposite of what you might think.  Mindy, Lauren’s married friend at the bank showers her during the novel with spiritual platitudes about God providing the right time for the right person.  Mindy provides someone who is an overseer or guide to help Lauren in her life and the big decisions she faces.  Nosy and downright amusing is Mindy’s character in the book.  As the email exchanges grow more personal between Lauren and K.C., the plot moves toward a climax where the two characters can meet.

On a sidenote, I think the issue of online dating/emailing or chatting could be helpful to discuss as part of reading this book.  In the book, Lauren goes from a sense of trepidation to emotional infatuation with this online presence in a very quick time.  Also, I thought it was odd that you would email someone for over a year and then decide to meet.  Now, I think this time distance providing Gunn with the opportunity to develop the relationship, but I got to admit that after a month or two, you would want to meet someone. 

For a quick read, a developing story of releasing one’s fears in the face of a breakthrough, this novel will reach many hearts, mainly women.  I think it fell short in a lot of ways, but maybe that’s because I’m a man.

Thanks to Waterbrook/Multnomah Blogging for Books for the review copy in exchange for review.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saving Casper

Saving Casper: A Christian and an Atheist Talk about Why We Need to Change the Conversion Conversation by Jim Henderson and Matt Casper http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Casper-Christian-Conversion-Conversation/dp/1414364881 Many readers will quickly know the authors of this book from their previous release Jim and Casper Go to Church.  Jim and Matt’s new book entitled Saving Casper focuses on the way we talk about conversion in the church and the devastating ways we have pushed away atheists and other non-believers by our posture.  Both Jim and Matt traversed the national landscape, meeting in churches and asking hard questions about faith, conversion, and life. The basic premise of the book and travel is laid out here in their words, “Part of what Casper and I are trying to achieve when we speak to a group of Christians is to help people move a little bit on their “judgment meter.”  This capacity, while intellectually and often theologically uncomfortable,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Essential Christian Doctrine

  Essential Christian Doctrine , General Editor John MacArthur Pastor John MacArthur has for years been teaching the Word of God in both pulpit ministry, books, and conferences with an aim to displaying God’s revelation to his listeners in a winsome and foundational manner.  This new book, Essential Christian Doctrine takes an entire life of teaching and preaching and encapsulates the main contours of the Christian faith for its readers.  John in a systematic way highlights the most necessary teachings from Scripture including God’s Word, the Trinity, while also including sections on Man and the Future. One of the most helpful ways the authors bring to light biblical truth and theology is the way in which they group together particular themes.  In the section on the Holy Spirit, instead of a complex discussion of personhood, word pictures of the Holy Spirit are introduced in a discernible and profitable manner.  The metaphors for the Holy Spirit include fir...
Post a Comment
Read more

God's Grace for All of Life

The Romance of Grace by Jim McNeely III To be honest, when I received this book in the mail I had visions of what it might be like with a title like, ‘The Romance of Grace.’  The emotional rollercoaster and one-sided perspective on how our emotions fuel our faith was my presumption about the book, but this was the furthest thing from the truth as I started reading.  The Romance of Grace by Pastor Jim McNeely III is a careful look at the movements of grace in the way God pursues us with his love and his desire to get us to love him back.  McNeely writes, “We are entering a cosmic romance with a passionate lover, and He is interested in our heart’s truest desire.  His deepest objective isn’t to make us more moral; it is to get us to love Him back.  Virtue is the fruit, not the root” (18).  Why is this helpful?  For one thing, beginning with God’s initiating grace frees us from starting out on the wrong foot in the way we tell the story and...
2 comments
Read more