Friday, March 26, 2010

The Shack- Psychological Suspense






The Shack- Psychological Suspense

The Shack, by William P. Young, is a suspenseful and psychological novel that keeps the reader guessing all the way to the end. The protagonist, Mackenzie Phillips (Mack), having suffered an abusive childhood exhibits a resentment towards authority. When his youngest daughter is brutally murdered, her body is discovered in a shack- hence the book's title. The tension increases and several twists in the plot develop, each one introducting a new character, including an African-American woman name Papa, a Middle-Eastern man, an Asian woman and a wise woman name Sophia, who plays a special role in Mack's healing process. Reflecting on his failures, pains and regrets, Mack is forced to explore lurid secrets that expose his past as well as the mystery of his daughter's disappearance. Anyone who has been mired in past mistakes or failures or had their heart borken will surely relate to Mack's plight. But regardless of a reader's experiences, I still highly recommend The Shack, which, as the book's promotional material suggests "is a metaphor for the places you get stuck, you get hurt, you get damaged...the thing where shame or hurt is centered."

1 comment:

  1. You have picked some of the most interesting titles to read. You've got to get your book discussion group going - this would be a great title for discussion. Let me know if you'd like my help in getting things started.

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