• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Bio
  • Bookshelf
    • Audio
    • Complete List of Chautona’s Books
    • The Rockland Chronicles
      • The Vintage Wren
      • The Aggie Series
      • The Hartfield Mysteries
      • Sight Unseen Series
        • Sight Unseen Series Archives
      • The Agency Files
      • Christmas Fiction
    • Legacy of the Vines
    • Meddlin’ Madeline
      • Madeline Blog Archive
    • Ballads from the Hearth
      • Ballads from the Hearth Blog Archive
    • Legends of the Vengeance
    • Journey of Dreams
    • Wynnewood
    • Webster’s Bakery
    • The Not-So-Fairy Tales
    • Heart of Warwickshire
  • Start HERE
    • If You Like…
    • Characters
    • Suggested Reading Order
    • Free Books
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Podcast
    • Advertising
    • Podcast Guest Information
    • Podcast Interview FAQ
  • Merch Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • Bonus
  • Speaking
  • New & Coming
Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Why Do Christians Love Books about Sin and Sorrow?

by Chautona Havig · 8 Comments

Midnight on the River Grey was my first Abigail Wilson novel, but was it worth ignoring work to read? I'll give you a hint. Absolutely. Here's why I loved it. via @chautonahavig

I think it took exactly three weeks for one of the kids to ask. “Mom, why do the Lutherans sing such morbid, dreary songs?”

It sounds so disrespectful now, but it wasn’t. The question came sincere and seeking to understand… with just a hint of frustration under it.

Look, you can’t blame the kid. We’d come from a rich a capella tradition with both mournful and lively tunes. Sure, we’d occasionally sung “Night with Ebon Pinion,” but not often. We were used to singing things like, “Our God Is Alive” and “Revive Us Again.” Those don’t even include the obvious… “Sing and Be Happy!” After that, singing… again… something that sounded like a dirge and repeated in every way possible what vile worms we are did get, and still does, a little old.

I’m pretty sure that most of what I said was utter nonsense.

I pointed out that despite the terrible tunes and seemingly one-track theme, the songs were rich in theology, and if they’d grown up with them, they’d probably have strong affection for them.

My guess is that one kid out of eight agreed—the one who eventually married that Lutheran pastor’s son. 😉

Later conversations turned the question to books. Why do we love tragic books and movies so much? Many of them are full of sin, sorrow, and secrets. What about them would appeal to Christians?

I’ve been on the hunt for the answer to that for a long time. Yes, I’ve had a pretty good idea of it, but once I find an answer to things… I try to prove me wrong. It’s just one of my peculiarities.

Well, after reading a book last night, I think I’ve proven my posit. Can one do that? You can posit a question, so can you prove that posit? I’m going to say yes. If not, don’t tell me. I like my delusions. Still, now that I sit down to review the book, my brain can’t stop churning.

midnight on the river grey

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Why Do Christians Love Books about Sin and Sorrow?

Midnight on the River Grey should read like one of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Sin, sorrow, secrets combine into a plot that I absolutely couldn’t put down. To avoid TMI, I’ll just say that I didn’t put it down… even when perhaps I should have.

This was my second book by Abigail Wilson and it will not be my last. Not by a long shot. If the character of Rebecca hadn’t first caught my attention, her “voice” would have. She comes alive on the page of a novel written in first-person, and I didn’t even care.

Yes, I noticed it. Usually, that’s an issue. It wasn’t this time. In fact, I believe the book is better for it.

You won’t see me admit that often.

But if that hadn’t caught me and gripped me, the opening lines of chapter three definitely did.

Years of history and neglect had left a steady hush throughout Greybourne Hall. Almost as if the soul of the house had left it long ago and what remained was a hollow shell. From the cobweb-decorated parlor to the abandoned chapel, a transient gloom roamed the halls, leaving my body yearning for warmth.”

Wilson can write… and write well. We become immersed in Regency England and Greybourne Hall from the first page of Midnight on the River Grey. She does it with judicious use of almost lyrical description, careful attention to characterization, and a deliciously layered plot that tastes better with every bite.

Yes, I went there with a food metaphor. I’ve been unable to eat for forty-hours and food is calling my name.

The biggest objection I have to this book is that I didn’t see a faith element shown in a book published by a Christian publisher and by a Christian author.  The Book of Common Prayer is mentioned–as a place for something hidden.  And forgiveness is offered freely after grave sin.  But I don’t read Christian fiction only because it doesn’t have sex or foul language. I read it for my faith to be encouraged.  I had to dig to find it here… and it was all under deep layers.

Still, I loved Midnight on the River Grey

Not only did Abigail Wilson write a compelling story with every element perfectly placed, but she did it so subtly and delicately that I didn’t realize how phenomenal the book was until I started dissecting it for this review. Every choice she made in point of view, characterization, plot, twists, writing style—all of it is affected by the others.

It’s my contention that she did every bit of it with careful deliberation. And that it’s brilliant. Oh, so brilliant.

And all in a plot full of sin, secrets, sorrow, and oh, so much ugliness.

Why do we like this? Why would we want to read about what we so wish to avoid in life? Better still, why do we “enjoy” these things as “entertainment”—these things Jesus died for?

I have two answers for that. It took a while to figure out why I wasn’t satisfied with my original one. You see, it was incomplete.

I first thought, “Because it helps us see our own sin for the ugliness it is. It helps us understand all we’ve been saved from because we’re able to disassociate ourselves from it a bit.”

I still believe those things, but even more, I think what I discovered tonight is true. Why do Christians love books about sin and sorrow? I think the answer is less satisfying than I first assumed. The answer, I think is…

We don’t.

We don’t like any of that. What we do like is that once all that ugliness has played out on the page, something beautiful happens—a weak, pathetic imitation of what happens in real life.

See, the author takes all that ugliness and gives it meaning. Well, in a good book anyway. We see why the horrors had to happen and justice on the other side of it. Sometimes we see mercy and forgiveness.

In short, we see a shadow of the beautiful thing The Author of life does with His “characters” in their “stories.”

And Abigail Wilson’s Midnight on the River Grey is one of the best examples I’ve seen of that in a long time. When I requested a free review copy of the book, I didn’t know what to expect. Lately, I’ve been disappointed in quite a few books I’d really been looking forward to. I picked it up with a bit of trepidation, but it just plopped on my best of 2019 list without a second thought—and even with a few things that I don’t think are quite accurate. She made me not care.

Impressive.

I’ve read another of her books--forgot about it at first.  This was much better!

Share153
Pin
Tweet
Email
160Shares
Share
Pin
Tweet
Email
160Shares

Related

Filed Under: Book Reviews

Previous Post: « It’s Almost Election Year & with It Comes the Insanity
Next Post: Loved, Hated, Laughed, and Cried, but Why? »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Or, you can subscribe without commenting.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. Caryl Kane says

    July 16, 2019 at 4:10 pm

    I’m excited to read this one! Thank you for being part of the tour.

    Reply
  2. Abigail Wilson says

    July 14, 2019 at 1:26 pm

    Thank you so much for the thoughtful review, Chautona! I so appreciate it!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      July 14, 2019 at 9:46 pm

      Thanks for a truly wonderful book.

      Reply
  3. Perrianne Askew says

    July 13, 2019 at 2:58 pm

    I’m glad to hear that this sophmore novel is a can’t put down kind of book. I’m still waiting in my local library copy. I have to say though that I LOVED her debut, In the Shadow of Croft Towers! She’s a local author for me.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      July 13, 2019 at 9:58 pm

      This was significantly better. I enjoyed the first, too, but this was awesome.

      I just wanted more faith… and the time to go check out a few potential anachronisms/inaccuracies I didn’t have time to look up.

      Reply
  4. Becky Dempsey says

    July 13, 2019 at 9:49 am

    You said my thoughts only in a much more eloquent way! I missed there being a faith thread, also, but devoured the book.

    Reply
  5. Andrea Stoeckel says

    July 13, 2019 at 9:25 am

    As a minister for 30+ years, I land strongly in the corner with Paul Tillich. The idea of sin came back with the Israelite returnees from the exile, who brought the Zoroastrian idea of evil with them. However sin, in Aramaic, is a legal term meaning simply missing the mark; missing a payment on a loan.

    The “high and mighty” Congregational Church (my Historical roots) codified the idea of “sin” in New England. As the world has matured, sin has been seen,sadly, as “I’m better than you are” and that, in my opinion, is why we like this dichotomy. “If you don’t believe exactly how I do, your beliefs are sinful”

    Reply
  6. Joy @ Real World Bible Study says

    July 13, 2019 at 8:28 am

    Wow, from that little excerpt – her writing is beautiful!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 264: A Chat with Romance Author, Sarah Monzon
byChautona Havig

Finally getting a chance to chat with Sarah Monzon was a total delight, and learning all about her latest release, All’s Fair in Love and Christmas was equally awesome.  My copy is here and waiting for me to dive into the battle of the celebrations!  EEEP! Listen in to see what that even means!

Note: I sound like I’m underwater. We heard it during our interview, but I couldn’t make it behave and couldn’t fix it. Sorry!

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

How Does an Intense Christmas Competition Lead to Love?

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas has so much going for it that I don’t know where to start! Fun mom who made our heroine’s childhood Christmases an international delight without ever leaving home?  Check!  Social anxiety adding to the stress of competing for a promotion?  Check?  Romcom hilarity?  Check, check?  And add to all that Sarah’s wonderful writing and delightful characterization?  I’m all in.

We also chatted about why she chose to write about a woman with social anxiety, her preferred reading methods, and some of my favorite books by her. For a refresher, those are The Isaac Project, 12 Days of Snowmen, and Book Nerds & Boyfriends (a collection of three novellas).

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon

Two workplace rivals. One festive competition. And a romance that upends it all.

Every December two things are guaranteed for graphic designer Mackenzie Graham–Christmas celebrations and the annual promotion at her workplace. Those two things are by no means mutually exclusive. In fact, the better an employee is at harnessing the Christmas spirit, the more likely they’ll win the new job. With her social anxiety, Mackenzie never thought she’d be a contender in her company’s holiday competition, so how exactly has she found herself dueling her workplace crush with wrapping paper tubes and using tinsel as her weapon of choice for a much-needed raise?

Jeremy Fletcher’s life is meticulously planned out, including how to win this year’s promotion at work. Not only will the new position fulfill some of his career goals, but as a single guardian to his twin niece and nephew, he needs the salary increase to support his family. Jeremy has barely noticed Mackenzie Graham around the office, but now that she’s his rival, he can’t stop thinking about her. Her quirkiness intrigues him, and he’s afraid that if he can’t get his head on straight, the promotion isn’t the only thing he’ll end up losing to Mackenzie.

“Inspirational rom-com readers are going to love this one.”–BETHANY TURNER, bestselling author of The Do-Over

You can learn more about Sarah on her WEBSITE.  Also follow her on BookBub and GoodReads.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

  • Apple 
  • Castbox 
  • Google Play
  • Libsyn 
  • RSS
  • Spotify
  • Amazon
  • and more!
Episode 264: A Chat with Romance Author, Sarah Monzon
Episode 264: A Chat with Romance Author, Sarah Monzon
September 26, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 263: A Chat about The Love Script w/ Toni Shiloh
September 23, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 262: Chatting about The Legacy of Longdale Manor with Carrie Turansky
September 19, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 261: Chatting with Christian Youth Fiction Author, Candice Yamnitz
September 15, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 260: A Chat with Rachel Hauck
September 12, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 259: A Chat with Debut Author, Laura Conaway
September 8, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 258: A Louisiana Christmas to Remember
September 2, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 257: A Chat with Fantasy Author, N. Ford
September 1, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 256: A Chat about Summer in the Spotlight w/ Liz Johnson
August 29, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 255: A Chat about He Should Have Told the Bees
August 25, 2023
Chautona Havig
Search Results placeholder

Love Audio Books?

audio book ad

Check out the Sparrow Island novels. A tiny island with a lot of heart

independence islands series

Featured Books

A Ransomed Grete

A Ransomed Grete
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
A Ransomed Grete
Buy now!

Twice Sold Tales

Twice Sold Tales
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Twice Sold Tales
Buy now!

Under the Hibiscus

Under the Hibiscus
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Under the Hibiscus
Buy now!

Upcoming Posts

Sorry - nothing planned yet!

Or just subscribe to the newsletter

Recent Blog Posts

  • How Does an Intense Christmas Competition Lead to Love?
  • How Many Lies Does It Take to Expose the Truth That Love Brings?
  • What Heart Issues Connect These Two Troubled Women Together?

I buy my stickers here! (affiliate)

Custom Stickers, Die Cut Stickers, Bumper Stickers - Sticker Mule
Reposted from @lisaphillipsbks Woot! Happy release Reposted from @lisaphillipsbks Woot! Happy release day, @lovereadwriterepeat
What are you reading tonight? #AmReading #MiddleG What are you reading tonight?
#AmReading 
#MiddleGradeFiction 
@julieandrews
Squeee! The Chosen Kids Saga. Book 3 is coming, bu Squeee! The Chosen Kids Saga. Book 3 is coming, but for now, these two will be part of the next #Bookstrings book.
Oh, and, "Me and my cousins "? I wouldn't have said that as a kid, much less now. Maybe it's time for bed! Snort!
@thechosenkidssaga 
#ChristFic
#MiddleGradeFiction
When a long-anticipated book arrives and you are o When a long-anticipated book arrives and you are on a tight deadline.
Aaaaakkkk
#AmWriting
#HistoricalChristianFiction
#AprilsPromise
Reposted from @celebratelit ONE MORE WEEK! ⁠ ⁠ Reposted from @celebratelit ONE MORE WEEK! ⁠
⁠
Just ONE MORE WEEK until the release of Tropical Target by Jennifer Pierce! Preorder now to get 30% off the paperback plus free shipping or the ebook for only $2.99. Don't wait, you only have one more week!⁠
⁠
Click on the publishing page in the linktree in our bio then the 30% off page in the menu! ⁠
⁠
⁠
#suamalieislands #celebratelit #christianfiction #contemporaryfiction #romance #christianromance #contemporaryromance #fiction #bookstagram #booklovers #bookloversofinstagram #readers #readersofinstagram #jenniferpierce #tropicaltarget
Reposted from @lisaphillipsbks As summer is coming Reposted from @lisaphillipsbks As summer is coming to a close, what better way to celebrate the changing of the seasons than with the Summer Heat: Christian Romantic Suspense Anthology?! 🍁 All 3 volumes are OUT NOW for a LIMITED TIME ⏰ Don't miss this unique collection of 12 novels by 12 authors! Because when these volumes are gone, they won't be coming back 😭 Check out my link in bio to find out more today!

🧡📖📱Stay With Me - Volume 1: Liz Bradford, Sara Blackard, Jennifer Pierce, Kari Trumbo
💙📖📱Through Every Danger - Volume 2: Lisa Phillips, Lynn Shannon, Michelle Aleckson, Rebecca Hemlock
💜📖📱Come What May - Volume 3: Emilie Haney, Cara Putman, Chautona Havig, Katy Lee

#staywithme #througheverydanger #comewhatmay #SummerReading2023 #summerreading #summerheatseries #avidreadersofchristianfiction #amazing #Amazing #deals #shopping #bookseries #bookshelf #christianauthorsofinstagram #firstresponderromance #newreleases #authorlisaphillips #ebooks #newbooks2023 #newbookalert #readerlove #christianromanticsuspense #christianfiction #romanticsuspenseseries
I love this book so much. And it wouldn't be an "A I love this book so much. And it wouldn't be an "Anne" story without Gilbert and Diana... meet Gage. He's not quite Gilbert, but he's got everything a Gilbert should have--including the ability to completely annoy Anne when he doesn't mean to. She's speaking to him here... barely.
Coming October 3 (I hope!)
#Bookstrings
#ClockTowerBound
#BerneIndiana
#BookishBooks
#ChristFic
#AmWriting
  • Home
  • Bookshelf
  • New & Coming
  • Blog
  • News!
  • Disclosure & Policies
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Chautona Havig · All Rights Reserved · Coding by Gretchen Louise

Don't go before you grab your FREE short story collection!