Sharon Cairns Mann intends her new novel, Mother of Exiles, to be a great read, and it certainly is. The writing is clean and taut, the pace brisk, and the pages hard to keep from turning. Mann also aims to help fill the non-fluff sector of the (Christian) fiction market, a much-needed service. I thank Mrs. Mann for sending me a copy to read and review.
Ronia Sorenson, rookie chaplain at a women's correctional facility in southern Colorado, could not have anticipated how deeply she'd become involved in the drama of prison life. Yet not only does she learn of a world so corrupt, so rough, that most ordinary citizens believe it only exists in the movies (or novels), but she discovers important things about herself and about redemption in the process.
With colorful writing, the author does a deft job of piquing the reader's pre-conceived ideas and prejudices, often rather abruptly. But this makes for tasty reading and healthy thought-provocation. Mother of Exiles illustrates our humanness, showing how the allure of wants and needs can cause bad choices to look innocuous, especially when the focus is on ourselves and Godly trust goes by the wayside. We're so easily carried away.
Mann is not shy to open up "personal" or controversial subjects. She delves into ethical issues such as use of both work and personal time, matters of convention both societal and church, and sexual issues, if in a rather unexpected way. And not only does her protagonist befriend Hans, the gay case-worker, but she also takes steps to help him find a gay friend in his new community. Is Sorenson's heart a tad too big? Her faith a tad too small? Read for yourself and decide.
