My October books seem wildly different – one a nonfiction study of imagination, the other a dual timeline mystery. But perhaps they aren’t so different after all (I often discover this about our Book Club books). In one, I studied the imagination. In the other, I used my imagination and I witnessed a gifted writer using her imagination. A joy! Explore imagination through these two books with me in my October book club takeaways.
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Imagination Redeemed
Imagination Redeemed: Glorifying God with a Neglected Part of Your Mind by Gene Edward Veith Jr. and Matthew P. Ristuccia
I was drawn to this book some time ago by the title and the fact that I appreciate the work of one of the authors, Gene Edward Veith. (I’ve read many of his books and reference them often.) Knowing Veith was a professor of literature, I figured this book would be a study of two things I love – literature and theology. I was surprised to find that it was this and so much more!
A Study of Ezekiel
This book is also a study of the Book of Ezekiel and his four “visions from God.” Honestly, if I had known that ahead of time, I might not have started because like so many, I’m afraid to study Ezekiel. It seems crazy and hard to read and even harder to comprehend. It’s filled with odd visions that are beyond my understanding.
Matthew Ristuccia writes, “These visions are not easy to read or understand. And when you place them alongside the other pieces of Ezekiel’s book that are peculiar in their own right–things such as forceful condemnations of nations long ago departed, or dramatic enactments performed by Ezekiel in public view–when you pile all these together, you have amassed a mountain of obstacles that stands between you and a meaningful engagement with the Ezekiel text.”
From Ezekiel to Imagination
Yes, obstacles. But Ristuccia and Veith have written a compelling book that connects the great prophet and his visions to a discussion of our imaginations, our 21st century imaginations. This is the kind of book you want to read with someone else, the kind of book where you highlight dozens of passages, a book that you will revisit.
But still, you might say, Ezekiel? Yes. Hear this. “We need Ezekiel . . for divine renewal of that deepest part of our souls, what Christians have traditionally called ‘imagination.’”
A divine renewal of our imagination? I’m not even sure I understand the imagination. I haven’t given it much thought but I use my imagination often, especially as a writer and a reader. As a teacher, I encouraged students to use their imaginations. I tell my granddaughter to do the same. When I’m redecorating a room – which I am currently doing – I use my imagination along with Pinterest and HGTV.
What is it? The authors write, “Consider imagination as a river that runs through all your thinking,” and they encourage readers to explore the imagination and “to discover where your imagination has both captured faithfully and distorted miserably the glory of God himself.” There’s the true saint and sinner paradox in a nutshell.
About the Book
Each chapter includes an analysis by Veith and then an Ezekiel exploration by Ristuccia. They close with prayer and a classic colloquy where they encourage applying the reading to life.
Oftentimes they include specific suggestions for practicing “redeeming imagination.” For example, early in the book they invite readers to think about (imagine) an early childhood memory. “Bring it to mind. What scene do you see?” They remind readers that “the point of this exercise is not to develop some sort of New Age consciousness. It is instead to become a better steward of the imaginative capacity that God has given to you.”
Bottom line? “A Christian imagination comes, above all, from reading the Bible continually, studying it, meditating on it, and just saturating your mind and your imagination with the word of God.”
It doesn’t hurt to use our imaginations in the exploration of a good fiction story, though…
The House on Foster Hill
The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright
This was Jaime Jo Wright’s debut novel, published back in 2017, and I have had it on my shelf since then because I was fascinated with dual timeline stories. But for some reason, it collected dust until this year when I was looking for something to read in October, something with mysterious vibes but clean, pure, and lovely. This was just right.
Jaime is now an award-winning author who has since published a dozen more books and recently won the 2024 Christy Award for Mystery/Suspense/Thriller for her recent novel, The Castle Moreau. This is a highly respected award in the Christian book world!
You can pick up any of her books since they are all stand alone, but this one is a great beginning. (I’m adding the rest of her work to my huge to-be-read list!) Recently, she posted a list of what her readers like including these: “mystery aficionados, loves creep but not gore, wants psychological depth, enjoys darkness but loves hope, and wants a non-preachy, clean read.” If that fits you, then you need to check her out.
About the Story
This one is a dual timeline story following two protagonists whose lives are separated by over one hundred years but connected by one spooky house and so much more. Just check out the beautiful cover and you’ll get a feel for the mood.
Searching for a new beginning in the contemporary storyline, Kaine Prescott moves to her grandfather’s Wisconsin hometown after her husband’s suspicious death. She buys a historic home, sight unseen. When she finally sees it, she’s afraid it was a huge mistake. It’s an eerie, empty house with a dark history that gradually unfolds.
In alternating chapters, readers journey with Ivy Thorpe in the late 19th century as she uncovers the truth about a mysterious death on the property. Along the way, she learns about the tragic crimes committed at this very same house.
I won’t spoil the mystery, but trust me when I say there are plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep you turning the page to figure out who did what and why they did it. There’s a very light Christian message about hope and trusting in the Lord, but it’s not at all preachy.
One challenge of dual timeline stories is that one story line can feel less compelling than the other. That’s not the case with The House on Foster Hill! I was invested in both Kaine and Ivy’s journeys to solve the mysteries.
She piqued my imagination with her imagination!
Conclusion
Whenever we read fiction, we are invited to use our imaginations – to pretend these characters are alive and real and struggling to find the answers to their mysteries. Anytime I read a “good” book, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, I can step inside another place and time.
“Good” is the operative word here.
Let me use Gene Edward Veith’s explanation of “good.” Referencing Philippians 4:8, he writes, “If something is “true,” from whatever source, it is of God, since he created everything that exists. If something is good (honorable, just, pure), from whatever source, it is of God.” He goes deeper than this throughout Imagination Redeemed, of course, but the bottom line is that if I’m choosing “good” fiction, I can rest easy that my imagination is being put to good use.
What’s all this about Beth’s Book Club? Let me fill you in.
In case you missed it, this year I chose 24 books to highlight for a “reading club,” two per month. One fiction. One nonfiction. Because that’s what I love to do. Then I write a blog post about those two books at the end of the month. I chose a variety of books, and I realize you might have zero interest in reading some. That’s okay. Read what you want, if you want, before or after I post. In each blog post, I share my Beth-review and key takeaways. Nothing fancy. No quizzes. Just reading fun!
Playing catch up? Here’s what you might have missed:
- February Book Club Takeaways: Remarkably Bright Creatures in a Dark World
- Breath and Life: March Book Club Takeaways
- The Divine Proverb of Streusel Book Review: April Book Club Takeaways
- May Book Club Takeaways: Love Well
- June Book Club Takeaways: Our Home in Christ
- July Book Club Takeaways: A Look at Heaven
- August Book Club Takeaways: Slow Down
- September Book Club Takeaways: Order Restored
