Francine Rivers

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

Hi, new community. How are you doing? You look lonely.

Okay, I think I'll start with a topic I started discussing on Easter with my friend's grandmother-in-law. We got on the subject of Francine Rivers, and she was saying how she didn't want to read those books because she didn't like the idea of rewriting stories from the Bible with extra details.

I have to say that I have had my own hesitations about that. I've read a handful of Rivers' books (*loved* Redeeming Love), and though I enjoyed the Lineage Series (haven't finished, but have read most), I found myself constantly saying, "Hey.. it doesn't say that.." I mean, I guess it still could have happened, and I get that she's just trying to fill out the story so we can relate to it more, but I don't know. Also, I found myself looking at the character differently (and maybe not in a correct way), based on how she portrayed their personality or motive in their actions. So...yeah. I'm not sure where I stand with that. What do you think?

Also, has anyone read The Atonement Child? I have it on my bookshelf but haven't had a chance to read it yet. Should I hurry or is there no rush?

Comments

[eattheolives.livejournal.com]

So after I just got done saying how I hardly ever read Christian fiction ... well ... I do like Francine Rivers. :) The Atonement Child is actually my favorite out of all of hers. Once you read it and get introduced to Joe, I think you'll see why. :)

Fictionalizing biblical stories is a hard one. I actually haven't cared much for most of the ones done by authors who identify themselves primarily as writing to a Christian market, but I really liked a more secular-market book called The gilded chamber : A novel of Queen Esther by Rebecca Kohn. I think it might be because in a fiction book I'm more interested in the culture and lifestyle than the actual spiritual content of the stories - when I'm studying them for spiritual edification, I read the Bible. :) More secular authors tend, in my experience, to be more focused on getting the historical details right rather than just making everything religious.

I feel as if I'm explaining myself very badly!

[hestergray.livejournal.com]

I remember reading The Atonement Child, and I really enjoyed it. It's a very good story.

Have you read her Mark of the Lion trilogy yet? I feel like I bring those up a lot, but they're my favorite Francine Rivers books. They take place not long after Jesus' death and resurrection, when Christians were being persecuted. The story is fictional, but the history is fascinating.

Another author who has rewritten stories from the Bible is Orson Scott Card. He has a trilogy called Women of Genesis. The first one is about Sarah, the second one is about Rebekah, and the third one (that I haven't read yet) is about Rachel and Leah. They're very well-written, and I liked how he fleshed the stories out. (I think he's better at it than Francine Rivers.) I think he was accurate about a lot of historical things, but I guess I don't know for sure. I mean historical things like the kind of society and stuff.

I understand your hesitations about books like this. For me, I don't like or dislike them as a whole. There are some I enjoy and some I don't. And I always just keep in mind that it's a fictional retelling.

[glori.livejournal.com]

Nope, I haven't read any books by Francine Rivers, yet. I guess I'd feel most comfortable reading a novelization about a Bible story by an author I trust. Hmm...never really thought much about it.

[jennymae.livejournal.com]

I've never read any Francine Rivers--in fact, I've never heard of her, but I have to say that I lean toward the grandmother. I mean, I don't dislike or have a problem with Rivers per say, but I just think it'd be...weird...to write extra stuff to "stories" from the Bible. I think I've read one book called Titus which did that...oh, and I suppose The Bronze Bow, but for both of those, it wasn't taking a famliar Bible story and adding to it...it was just making up new characters that interacted (some) with Biblical character(s).

On a different, but similar note, I enjoy reading fanfiction to some extent...but I've never tried or been able to read fanfiction based on biographies such as the Little House books or the Bible.

Anyway, interesting thoughts.

P.S. I will hopefully post my (meager) April book list on both my journal and here. :-)

[ruthieroo.livejournal.com]

Atonement Child was the first Francine Rivers book I read and it is my favorite.:-D But then I didn't like Redeeming Love so now watch, you'll read Atonement Child and hate it.;-)

I second the recommendation above for Orson Scott Card's "Women of Genesis" series! I've always been a bit wary of fiction about biblical characters but something about this series really appealed to me.

[thatloopyqueen.livejournal.com]

I had a love/hate relationship (mostly dislike) with Redeeming Love until I was nearly 3/4 of the way through it, at which point I was suddenly gripped by the truth being portrayed, and literally felt it to be life changing. I have never forgotten this book, and am thinking of reading it again. It has been a huge help to me personally, and also in how I view the women that I work with in the jail and RU ministry.

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

Francince Rivers is one of my favourite Christian authors. Her "Mark of the Lion" series is her best work, but "The Atonement Child" a close second.