How do you think this book compared to our own Mormon community?
Were there any characters that you related to or felt were justified in their actions towards Batsheva?
How do you respond to someone whose actions/choices seem a bit "unorthodox" in regards to being LDS?
What makes a religious community strong? Is it unity? Diversity? Individual faith? Refreshments?
Could this book just as easily be called "The Relief Society"?
This was a very thought provoking book. I was very interested to see all the parallels between their community and ours. Let me just say at the beginning how thrilled I am to be LDS! Our religion is not even close to being overwhelming compared to theirs. :)
ReplyDeleteThat said, I know we have backbiting and pride in our organizations, but I truly don't believe it is this bad.
I wasn't very fond of the way this book ended. I know she was trying to get us to figure out what was going to happen on our own, but I felt like she could have tied things up a little better than she did.
This book will definitely make me take a look at myself and how I treat others which is ALWAYS a good thing. Thanks Charlynn!
I agree with you about the ending. I like things neatly wrapped up, and I thought Batsheva would leave, though I was glad she didn't. It would have made things too easy for them if she simply disappeared.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I wasn't really a fan of the way Batsheva treated the party situation. It was out of control and as the adult supervision, she should have put a stop to the behavior that was going on. I get that she wanted them to trust her and be their friend but there are still boundaries that should be clear.
I found Batsheva's enthusiasm for her new faith inspiring. I admired her for seeking out her own testimony, so to speak, about every aspect of her faith. She wasn't fake about it either. She wasn't just putting on a show to show how faithful she was. She really meant it and she wasn't afraid to ask questions and seek the answers.