Book Review: The Shack

I first saw a copy of The Shack by William Young when I was on vacation earlier this year. My sister in law was reading it. Over the last couple of months I have seen more and more copies popping up at different stores, including the largest display I have ever seen for any book at one specific bookseller. Anything than can get a larger display than the new Harry Potter book is worth at least a cursory inspection. I decided to pick up a copy and look it over.

The Shack is a very quick read. Don’t let its small size fool you. The message is really incredible. The book revolves around Mackenzie Philip as he tries to deal with the murder of his youngest daughter. The book is set a number of years after the murder. One morning Mackenzie finds a note in his mailbox that appears to be from God. The note invites him back to the scene of his daughter’s murder. As Mackenzie tries to decide what to do, he has a weekend unlike anything else in his life.

The message of The Shack is a very religious one. It is a Christian message, but it is a message presented in a format that you have probably never seen before. Regardless of your personal faith, it will probably have you reconsidering how you view a number of things, including how you view God, and how you think God might view you. I found myself putting the book down while reading it to ponder a few of the passages.

The main characters pain is this book is very vivid. It will be hard for anyone to read this book without shedding an occasional tear. I think it is impossible for a father to read it without the message really hitting home. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good book or a good short story. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has had a real personal tragedy in their life and who might now need more answers. Anyone with a personal faith (Christian or not) or anyone seeking answers on their personal quest would do well to read this book.