Christian Fiction Devourers discussion
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The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond
Archived Group Buddy Reads 2019
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October's Group Buddy Read - The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright
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I already read this one. It was a great read and enjoyed it very much.
Currently reading this one. Spooky reads aren’t my usual, but I enjoyed her debut, so I’m glad to give this one a try.
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Here are the questions from the back of the book. Feel free to answer the ones that jump out at you OR to ask your own questions.
1. Gossamer Grove is a town filled with behind-closed-doors secrets. Do you ever feel as though your hometown hides behind a happy facade? If we were all more vulnerable, how do you believe that would impact your community? What might be some downsides of everyone being vulnerable?
2. When Garrett returns home, Annalise seems struck with every bad memory she ever had. How do you process bad memories with today's realities? How do you find the grace to forgive others? How is this process different in trying to forgive yourself?
3. The Corbin brothers' revival caused quite a stir in Gossamer Grove. Have you ever attended an "old-time tent revival" in the vein of an evangelical crusade? What was it like? How did it affect you? If you've never been to one, what movie or TV show have you seen that depicted a revival or evangelical crusade? What impression did the production give you of such an event?
4. Annalise is passionate about providing a means for destitute people in her town to find grace and hope. In what ways could you positively affect the lives of those in need in your community? What keeps you from taking action?
5. Society sometimes couples Christianity with judgment and condemnation instead of grace and mercy. In what ways has grace been extended to you by Christians? How have you felt the power of forgiveness in a personal relationship?
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~I live in a city of almost a million people, so at first, I thought this question didn't apply, since there's literally no way to know who holds what secrets. Then, I got to thinking about the word 'community', and how it can apply to more than just our residential locations. For instance, in my faith community, I feel like I'm starting to see more of a push towards being open and vulnerable about our struggles. It's hard to be honest when things aren't going as well as we'd like, but as Christians, I believe we have a responsibility to help bear each other's burdens . . . and we cannot do that if we're hiding behind a mask of an outwardly 'perfect' life.
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I started this and the first sentence was strong, but while I understand that writers today shouldn't write just like the writers back then did, there were some glaring anachronisms in the first few pages that were ripping me right out of the story. I am guessing that the people who awarded the prizes (so there must have been some very strong things about other parts of the book) weren't aware of this or it wasn't something they thought important. But I am in that sector that wants historical fiction to avoid blatant anachronistic expressions that are very 21st century so not fitting for 1907.
About the book:
For over a century, the town of Gossamer Grove has thrived on its charm and midwestern values, but Annalise Forsythe knows painful secrets, including her own, hover just beneath the pleasant façade. When a man is found dead in his run-down trailer home, Annalise inherits the trailer, along with the pictures, vintage obituaries, and old revival posters covering its walls. As she sorts through the collection, she's wholly unprepared for the ramifications of the dark and deadly secrets she'll uncover.
A century earlier, Gossamer Grove has been stirred into chaos by the arrival of controversial and charismatic twin revivalists. The chaos takes a murderous turn when Libby Sheffield, working at her father's newspaper, receives an obituary for a reputable church deacon hours before his death. As she works with the deacon's son to unravel the mystery behind the crime, it becomes undeniably clear that a reckoning has come to town--but it isn't until another obituary arrives that they realize the true depths of the danger they've waded into.
Two women, separated by a hundred years, must uncover the secrets within the borders of their own town before it's too late and they lose their future--or their very souls.
About the author:
Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history's secrets. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com!
Who's reading this one?