The Atonement Child Reviews

• Tough Reading but a Good Message...

  
  By A2HR1Y2FK5KTWM on 2000-04-20
  This book was very difficult for me to read, I cannot imagine the difficulty of actually writing about it! For that, I salute Ms. Rivers. The subject is so controversial, and so often, people attempt to separate the religious/spiritual factor in abortion. Dynah's story told us that it's not okay to do that. I admire Dynah in that she refused to let the most important people in her life run her life. She waited for God's answer, something that too many of us don't do in many situations. I hope that even the most liberal of women can read this and appreciate the message and not shoot the messenger.
  
  

• A difficult issue handled with delicacy

  
  By A2XIJ9ZT3SFLVV on 2005-08-06
  I can only imagine what a difficult book this was to write! This is such a heart-wrenching issue, and is a favorite argument of pro-choicers. Though I knew how it would have to end, I couldn't stop reading to find out just how this would be accomplished. I found myself crying over Dynah's pain. I could just feel so much sympathy for her. The issue was dealt with very well. It wasn't graphic, but it didn't back off from the message either. Praise to Francine Rivers for have the courage to write about such a difficult issue.
  
  If you enjoyed this, you will probably also enjoy Redeeming Love by the same author. Ms Rivers is wonderful at handling difficult issues, and while her books are "grittier" than most Christian fiction, I think it was necessary, in keeping with the tone of her books. I am not even a very big fan of Christian fiction, but I will read anything written by Francine Rivers.
  
  

• Judgemental and One Dimensional

  
  By on 2002-12-25
  I am a big fan of several other Francine Rivers books, but this one was a total disappointment.

  Ms. River's own bias comes through very quickly in the book, preventing her from treating the subject of abortion as a complex personal decision and the subject of rape is glossed over as if it really is not an important factor in the plot. Because of the author's bias she never really deals with both sides of the issue in a realistic way. Within the first few chapters it becomes predictable and clearly judgemental. This book could actually be hurtful to a woman who had experienced such a situation.

  The characters are one-dimensional and quickly portrayed as perfect or evil depending on their stance on abortion.

  This is a soap-box book and nothing more. It is certainly lacking the quality of her other books.
  
  

• I JUST COULDN'T PUT THIS BOOK DOWN !!!

  
  By on 2001-05-26
  I was encouraged by a co-worker to pick up a copy of Francine Rivers' book " The Last Sin Eater ". After I read that book, I searched on the net and came across this book. It had a catchy title so I thought, why not. I started this book and absolutely could not put it down until I finished it. I am not what you would call an avid reader, but this book is so well written, you just feel the pain of Dynah when she goes through all of the ordeals of being raped and finding out she is pregnant. She has so many people trying to tell her what to do. You would be surprised at who they are and what they are telling her. She only has to realize what God's plan is for her life, and who her real friends are. This book keeps you on the edge consistently throughout, from the first page to the last. It will make you think the next time you say "I don't know what God wants me to do in a certain situation". I highly recommend this book for christians and non-christians alike.
  
  

• One side of the issue

  
  By A1IOJE0W1NXOSE on 2003-11-20
  Dynah is a young woman who is attending a Christian college when she is brutally raped. When she discovers that she is pregnant, she finds little support from her fiance, her family, or her college and she is pressured by many of them to have an abortion. There is no doubt where Francine Rivers stands on the subject of abortion. She is squarely against it and she uses everything in her writing arsenal to put across that point. Even while agreeing with her viewpoint, I feel that she has not done the topic justice in this book. The plot is very predictable from the very beginning and the characters are one-dimensional. It seems as if every woman in the book has had an abortion at one time or another and that is not realistic. There are several questions left unanswered at the end of the book. Who will take care of Dynah's grandmother? How much support will Dynah receive from her father? How will Joe finish his education? If you want to read better Francine Rivers books, I recommend her Women of the Bible series.
  
  
• APPALLING
  By on 2000-04-07
  This is a facile treatment of difficult and complex issues (rape, abortion, adoption, single parenthood). The characters are pasteboard, and the idea of generational retribution as an explanation for otherwise random evil is shallow and predicated on a superficial reading of the Old Testament. (And the symbolic character names...please.) Also, because abortion is the "issue," rape and its aftermath are glossed over, with the rapist exonerated of his wrongdoing. I was looking forward to a book that tackled these issues with honesty and depth. But The Atonement Child actively offended me. I'd certainly never recommend it to anyone grappling with any of these emotionally charged, difficult issues.
  
  
• A disappointment
  By A3L8K0PHT0QO7M on 2001-02-12
  This is my 4th Rivers novel, and I must say that I found it much less enjoyable than the other works I've read so far ( my favorite is Voice in the Wind). I found the characters unrealistic and unconvincing, especially Ethan, her harsh fiancee, and Janet, her insensitive, flaky roomate. Compared to Angel in Redeeming love, and Hadassah, Julia and Marcus in the Mark of the Lion trilogy, I found Dynah to be false and unrealistic. Being a 20-something myself, her realities and views of the world were naive and sheltered, making it difficult to relate to her. Certainly her struggles and pain would be potentially devastating, but the story developement was fast - too fast - leaving too little room for character involvement. To put it simply, when I put the book down in between reading, Dynah and her fellow characters completely left my mind until I picked it back up again. With Rivers' other novels I carry her people in my head even when I'm not reading. I love Francine Rivers' novels and plan to read all that I can get my hands on, but was truly disappointed in this one.
  
  
• Hopelessly Unrealistic---One of the Worst Books I've Read
  By A1E34PMQDK8V8T on 2007-01-25
  If you intend to read this book, you may not want to read my review, as it gives away most of the story line. That being said, I must respectfully state that this was one of the most unrealistic books I have ever read. The story line was tailored to further the cause of the author's obvious anti-abortion stance in such a way that it actually weakens the argument. Now, I am not in favor of abortion, but it just seems a little far fetched that a young virgin woman is raped, refuses a morning after pill to guard against potential pregnancy before it occurs,(I know, another point for debate),she gets thrown out of school, her 'loving' Christian fiance dumps her, his best friend moves right in to convince her to have the baby because, coincidentally, he just happened to have gotten a girl pregnant in his past and she had an abortion, which he regrets. So naturally he can't wait to become a father to this baby. (Of course, if he had become a father to his girlfriend's baby, he probably wouldn't have been able to get the college education that is now going to enable him to support and father this 'atonement child.') But the coincidences don't stop there, they seem to come crawling out of the woodwork. Let's see, the girl's mother had an abortion years ago, her grandmother also had one (because her own life was in grave danger)...several members of her church come forward to form an anonymous group of upstanding women whose lives are a shambles because they all have had abortions. When the girl runs away from home, she just happens to stop to eat at a diner where business is very slow, but they are desperate to hire a waitress, and throw in free meals--what luck! Then, of course, the ex-fiance's friend hunts her down, because after all, he has to alleviate his guilt over his loss by making sure she has this baby. I was looking forward to a thoughtful, realistic presentation of the heartbreaking problem a woman is faced with when, as a result of rape, she has to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy. Again, I want to state that I am not saying the author is wrong to be against abortion, but the story is just too pat--most women in this situation don't have a guy chomping at the bit just dying to marry her and be an instant father to a child conceived as a result of a violent assault, and the decision to have the child would undoubtedly have catastrophic effects on the woman's life, and her ability to support herself and her baby, regardless of how much she would love the child. The cost of health care and delivery alone would be devastating, not to mention working, child care, housing, etc., and raising a child in poverty is also heartbreaking, as would be giving the child up for adoption. This book makes it appear that there is an easy solution to such a problem when there simply isn't. The best persuasion acknowledges the opposing point of view and proceeds to refute it. The author fails to do this, and consequently fails to write a believable story.
  
  
  
• More preachy than enlightening
  By AU2V2ZKMZFNY6 on 2006-06-21
  This review is for those who are openminded enough to consider an opinion opposite to Rivers'. If you adore the book and are convinced Rivers is totally right and abortion is never justified even for the most desperate woman, I suggest you skip this.
  
  In this book, Dynah is a young woman who's brutally raped one night on her way home from work. The rape, however, is not the main focus of the book; her decision about whether to get an abortion once she finds out she's pregnant is. In fact, the rape itself, which I'm glad that many before me have pointed out, is pretty much brushed aside as soon as Dynah finds out she's pregnant. One of River's main faults was devoting the book too much to her own political views, which are clearly anti-abortion. In fact, she seems in such a hurry to get to the abortion issue, she doesn't even get some of her facts right; for instance, she gives Dynah a male doctor for the rape exam and describes the exam itself as really painful. If she had really researched this issue, she would have found that hospitals always provide female doctors and nurses for female rape victims and the exams are as painless as possible so the patients will not have flashbacks. To her credit, she does focus on many of the issues Dynah faces with friends, family, and a love interest after the rape, but she tries very hard to make abortion look utterly evil. I know many of you are thinking "this is bad?" and I can understand the opinion of Rivers and many others that abortion can be damaging to a woman; I just wish Rivers had made her tone a little different. Almost every character who supported abortion in the book was portrayed as hard-fisted and mean and I didn't appreciate this one-sided treatment. If you think abortion's bad, that's all fine and dandy, Ms. Rivers, but do you think you could try to be a little more understanding of people who don't? After the horrendous ordeal Dynah went through, could you truly blame her if she'd chosen not to have it? Try to imagine how it would feel to carry something a stranger placed inside you against your will. Whether you believe abortion's bad or not, you should at least respect what rape victims go through. It was wrong for people to pressure Dynah to have an abortion, but it would've been just as wrong to pressure her to keep the embryo and, honestly, I've seen anti-abortionists be just as harsh and forceful about their point of view as the pro-abortionists in this book were.
  
  Everyone who loves the book says that they're glad Dynah didn't succumb to pressure from those around her, but I can't help wondering if their reaction would've been different if the people pressuring her had been against abortion instead of for it. Would that have made it right for them to pressure her? Even if you think abortion's wrong, I think you should leave that to God and the woman to decide. Someone said that they couldn't imagine a person saying abortion was okay and calling themselves a Christian and I think this is an example of how grossly judgemental even Christians can get.
  
  I know many disagree with this and that my review may be attacked because of it, but this is how I feel. Rivers is a wonderful writer, but I didn't like her approach here; some say that she wrote this book without a judgemental tone, but her statement that women who get abortions "sacrifice children on altars of selfishness and fear" sounded pretty judgemental to me. If I wasn't Christian, this book would discourage me from seeking any Christian help if I went through what Dynah did. Some women couldn't bear having a baby after being raped, but this does not make them bad and I'm sure that God would not condemn them for it, nor can I magine how anyone could judge them so harshly. Rivers says at one point in the end of the book that she talked with women who suffered from abortion, but it was very clear that she never spoke to anyone who actually thought that abortion was the right choice for them; thus, she refused to acknowledge the possibility that abortion is not wrong for everyone. Women should be allowed to recover properly from rape, but a baby would make this considerably hard and a miraculous recovery and speedy happy ending like the one Dynah experienced as soon as she gave birth is very unlikely.
  
  Overall, I highly recommend "Redeeming Love" over this book. It's beautiful as well as far more open-minded.
  
  
• Shows The Awesome power of the Lord's love and care
  By on 1999-11-10
  I love to read and have read The Atonement Child twice. It's one of the most profoundly touching yet wrenching stories,I've ever read. The character development is beautiful, and Dynah is such a real and beautiful character. I love the way it highlights God's incrdible love and care. It also brings you inside the hearts of the more undesireable characters, making them real people instead of "bad-guy" monsters. No review I could write can do justice in describing this book, but I highly reccomend it as a simply incredible, healing story. Also gripping and entertaining. One of my favorite books of all time.
  
  
• Too perfect for real life
  By A10F4EC2NLVJL3 on 2003-07-15
  Making Dynah a saintly adored girl, does make us question why God would allow a Christian girl to be raped, but at the same time, isn't the rape of ANYONE disgusting and horrible, regardless of whether they are a beautiful saint, or an ugly homeless person?

  We never feel how her "best" friend or boyfriend feel, only Dynah. We never see the rapist prosecuted, or even see the police TRY to find him. We never see Joe even angered at the fact that this woman he has supposedly been in love with since day one, has been brutalized.

  Bad things happen even to saints. Ms. Rivers needs to get a little more reality based. This was a huge letdown after reading Redeeming Love.
  
  

• Powerful controversial reading
  By A24H4WUFUDPTAA on 2005-10-04
  Any story about rape and abortion is bound to be controversial in these times, but Rivers has done a remarkable job of making nearly every character sympathetic and human. In fact, the two most unsympathetic characters are "good" Christians in this book, showing that Rivers has little bias. The writing is impeccable and the characters strong and three-dimensional. I felt that Dynah lost a little of her depth after she finally makes her decision, but I think that's due to the focus on other characters. Ultimately, this is a story about hope and how the Lord can take horrible things and make them into good and bring healing to so many. Rivers has a great ear for writing our inner dialogue with God. When we yell at him, accuse him, and beg him for mercy, she's got it all down.
  
  
• My Favorite Book!
  By A2MHHV1V9LY874 on 2000-05-11
  Ms. Rivers' book helped me in a way that I couldn't have imagined when I started reading it. She took a very controversial issue and shed some light on the subject of rape and abortion. The one thing I enjoyed is that she didn't make all of the Christians look too holy or above everyone else. She wrote this wonderful book with the intent to include non-Christian readers. I highly recommend both pro-life and pro-choice people to read this story about the decisions young women have to face every day across America.
  
  
• Mesmerizing!
  By A3M96Q55IYCB50 on 2004-10-26
  I recieved this book as a Christmas present because I'd seen it in a bookstore and it intrigued me, so I requested it.
  
  My family certainly regretted it! I ignored all of them Christmas day, becaue I was completely wrapped up in this story of Dynah and her brutal rape. The characters were fantastically believable, and the situation they find themselves in is incredibly real. Readers will find themselves indignantly scolding all the characters that betray Dynah. The pace never slows, and Francine Rivers grabs you and will not let you go.
  
  Dynah's inner conflict as she struggles with the decision of whether or not to abort her unexpected child is utterly palpable, and her face-to-face encounter with the Creator is spell-binding.
  
  You will not come out of this book unchanged. And if you happen to support abortion, I, as a born-again Christian, challenge you to read this book and still come out supporting it.
  
  This story is about the redemption only available through Christ, and it's a fascinating read. I recommend it to anyone who has ever sinned. (And that's everyone.)
  
  
• Heavy-handed
  By A3HZAJ2HSP9Z93 on 2002-09-22
  I love Francine Rivers' books. However, this one, besides being my least favorite, made me stop reading her for a time. Unlike her other books which focus on the glory and power of God, this one is largely about the evil of abortion. And while not all of the Christian people are pure good (the Christian school forcing her to either announce her rape or leave) the ones who are strictly against abortion are pure good. By contrast the pro-choice people are just morally disgusting humans. I found this to be a little heavy-handed, not to mention unrealistic. God takes a backseat to Ms. Rivers' stance on abortion in this book and the result comes off as self-righteous and judgemental. I was keenly disappointed.
  
  
• Disappointing
  By AQ796GUXILWTC on 2004-01-15
  I am a huge fan of Francine Rivers', and this book really disappointed me. It was totally predictable and unrealistic. It's a sensitive, emotional topic and deserved a more real-world telling. I do think Rivers did a good job of presenting the issue, but I often had to force myself to keep reading. Rivers did continue her tradition of excellent character development, but again, I wanted a surprise, or maybe just a hint of suspense, to keep me reading. A surprisingly unsatisfying book for Rivers.
  
  
• expecting more
  By on 2004-05-05
  This book really disappointed me. I agree with the reader who said it seemed like every woman in the book had had an abortion. I also really didn't like Dynah all that much. She was a shallow character, and the whole time I read I kept thinking about how stupid she was for waiting so long to make her decision (like not getting the morning after pill) then waiting 6 months to see a doctor for prenatal care. Just because she didn't get the abortion doesn't mean she took care of her baby in her womb. It just seemed like I kept waiting for her to stand up for herself and she never did. She just remained frail and kept running away from everyone. Is that how Rivers wants women to be? Maybe I've just known people who have kept babies who thought they did it because it was the right thing and they cared for it. They didn't need to be self righteous about it like Dynah was.
  
  
• a very long crisis pregnancy pamphlet
  By A1CL1OUZPQEWR3 on 2007-09-26
  Francine Rivers is by far one of my favorite Christian novelists. I have read her Mark of the Lion : A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, As Sure As the Dawn (Vol 1-3)series at least three times. It's phenomenal! And this summer I read, for the first time, Redeeming Love, an instant new favorite which I will likely read again and again. I didn't hesitate to buy The Atonement Child. She's a great author and I was confident I would like anything she wrote. I was wrong.
  
  This book centers on a young college student named Dynah. She's engaged to the campus hottie, who is studying to be a pastor. Life is wonderful until one night changes everything. On her way home from work, she is raped. She soon discovers she is pregnant as a result. The book twists and turns with the reactions of her friends and family members. What advice do they give? What decision will she make? Who will support her in that decision? Is an unborn life still valuable if it comes from such horrific beginnings? Can an abortion have lasting effects?
  
  I love the controversial topic of this book. The plot is fantastic, but the delivery leaves much to be desired. The dialog was trite. I often felt I was reading a very long crisis pregnancy pamphlet rather than a novel. Much of the book was predictable and several of the characters were poorly developed. Some seemed mere shadows rather than true characters with key parts in this story.
  
  Final Thoughts: Dissappointing. If you want more information on pro-life arguments, this is a good book to read. If you want to lose yourself in a novel, pick up one of her other books.
  
  
• Thought provoking, informative, emotional , realistic!
  By A37WFA6TF3IIJY on 2000-01-19
  This was a tear jerker... I could not put it down. I loved the characters-- they were like real people that we all know. I loved the way Dynah listened to the Lord speak to her rather than letting others decide her fate. In addition, I learned a lot about abortion that I did not know. It was educational as well as entertaining.
  
  
• Theologically weak, but a literary delight.
  By A1CIW2OEVAJRM2 on 2000-09-07
  This was the first Francine Rivers title I have read, and came highly recommended, so my expectations were high. One of the outstanding qualities immediately evident in this novel is Rivers' superb ability to describe real feelings. Few people have the ability to understand the feelings and struggles of others. Even less are able to communicate these feelings and struggles to others. Rivers succeeds admirably on both counts. The main character Dynah, like people in real life, is unpredictable, and Rivers' description of her struggle with the difficult issues and consequences of rape, pregnancy and abortion mirrors the highs and lows experienced by people in the real world. Although Rivers is clearly committed to an absolute pro-life position on abortion, she shows that applying this consistently in real life situations involves a difficult and painful struggle. Her characters are far from shallow, and their development throughout the course of the plot enables Rivers to work with deeper themes of repentance and forgiveness.

  A literary criticism could be made that the fairy-tale type ending where Dynah and Joe pledge to be married is too optimistic and is a concession to the standard movie romance. It seems to be a significant departure from the realism that Rivers has so brilliantly described throughout the rest of the novel, since the real struggles that Dynah experienced are far from over with the birth of her child and impending marriage. However, on the whole this novel's strength lies its literary qualities.

  Notwithstanding the above kudos, The Atonement Child is not entirely exempt from criticism. It is unfortunate that Rivers' commitment to the sixth commandment (by firmly maintaining a pro-life position over against murderous abortion) is not accompanied with an equal commitment to the third commandment (the constant casual use of God's Name as an expletive borders on the blasphemous) and the fourth commandment (there are a number of instances where the main characters buy a meal on a Sunday, implicitly endorsing Sunday shopping). Moreover, I found Rivers' portrayal of the antagonistic church community somewhat too negative. Although it is undeniable that the church community does not always function as it should, I sensed that the important role and involvement of a sympathetic and supportive church community could have been developed more strongly.

  Of more serious concern is Rivers' belief in ongoing revelation. On at least two occasions, God is presented as speaking directly to and through Dynah. Readers like myself who believe that God's revelation is sufficient and complete in the Bible, will have to sadly conclude that Rivers is unscriptural on this point.

  The above weaknesses, however, do not detract from the novel's strengths. I simply present them for the consideration of discerning readers, but still do not hesitate in speaking very highly of this book. Despite its theological weaknesses, this novel is rightly regarded as one of the best in contemporary Christian fiction.
  
  

• a moving story
  By A1RJADJ12L1IPE on 2001-01-21
  This is the third book I've read by Francine Rivers and she is fast becoming a favorite author of mine. All three books dealt with various topics but all were well written and thought provoking. The Atonement Child deals with a controversial subject in today's world - abortion. I found myself caught up in Dynahs story and her predictament. In the beginning of the story, she had everything a girl could want....an engagement to a promising young man; a normal, loving family (or so it seems). But tragedy strikes and Dynah's world is turned upside down. The people who were strong influences in her life now disappoint her. Throughout her ordeal Dynah stays strong in her faith, focusing on God, His Love and His Word. I found myself wondering if I could stay as strong as Dynah, or would I have given in to what others in my life suggested be done. This book challenges you and makes you think about choices and about the unborn truly being REAL. What a moving story this was. This is a book I will highly recommend to others!
  
  
• Not A Favorite Of Mine
  By A2OLW1NJT8ZKL4 on 2001-06-07
  I liked the book, but the characters did not seem very real. The characters seemed to have extreme personalities, like, there was no middle ground. For example, Ethan was too stuck on his reputation; Julia, too insensitive (especially for a woman); Dynah didn't seem as emotional as I thought a pregnant rape victim who had people telling her that her baby was a monster would be. The story developed too quickly for the author to really let us understand her characters.
  
  
• Started off terrific...ended okay to bad
  By A2OEGB1DPJPNJU on 2002-03-15
  The title was the first thing that grabbed me, and once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Although the story moved too fast for me to really get to know Dynah, I felt her pain, humiliation, and suffering and grieved for her prediciment. The well-meaning but insensitive remarks of those around her isolated her even more. Then with the pregnacy came Dynah's test of faith, her confusion and even more pain. All very real emotions for any real person in a similar situation.

  However, this terrific story is not without it's flaws. I felt the conflict between Dynah's parents was effective, but not very realistic. It seemed to bother Douglas more that his wife had slept with someone else (previous to their relationship) than it did that she'd had an abortion. I found it ironic that nearly every woman in the book had an abortion, and all of them suffered for it. The portrayal of the abortion clinic, with the ... administrator waiting to lure pregnant girls into her clinic and force them to have abortions, was unrealistic to me. Dynah was already a hard character to connect with. Even for a sheltered girl who grew up in the church, for a woman in her twenties, she seemed too childlike. Also was her absolute perfection, which made her seem unreal. Still, sympathy for her pain and struggle made me care about her and what happened to her.

  That was lost when Dynah became a prophet, delivering God's message to the doctor and hearing God's voice. Most people look for a sign from God--it's rare that anyone hears His voice telling them exactly what to do. How easy life would be for everyone if that happened, and how easy it was for Dynah. All her struggle, pain, insecurity, and confusion vanished and she suddenly knew what she had to do. At that point I knew where the story would end and felt no desire to even finish it. Dynah never seemed to suffer the aftereffects of the rape, she was so consumed by abortion issues, and I found that strange. Just like her mother and grandmother suffered for years to come about their abortions, a rape victim is usually severely traumatized by the brutal violence inflicted on them. It was almost like Dynah was never raped, she just got pregnant somehow.

  Those two topics--abortion and religion--are very sensitive topics and I applaud the author for approaching them. But I think she felt too strongly about this issue, and made her novel come off as somewhat preachy. Instead of dealing with Dynah's rape and resulting pregnacy and the difficulty she would have dealing with that, the book became a long anti-abortion campaign. I also didn't like the ending, where she and Joe plan to marry (which of course was coming all along) and live happily ever after. The baby's birth should have brought a whole new set of issues, or it would have for someone who was traumatized by a rape. But unrealistically, Dynah's rape becomes irrelevant.

  Other than the easy solutions and Dynah's unrealistic character, I enjoyed the book. It was well written and engaging, but it may lose your interest around the middle. ....
  
  

• Just awful
  By on 2002-05-28
  I finished this book only because it was a selection of my book club. Frankly I did not care what happened to any of these people (as if I couldn't figure it out for myself by a quarter of the way through it). The dialogue was stilted and preachy, the characters were threadbare. I thought the book was very poorly written--something I would read from a high school student. One dimensional characters. Just awful.
  
  
• A Wonderful Story About Faith and Courage
  By A3SNC2U2MFC77T on 2002-12-15
  In a word . . . amazing. This book was incredible to read, not only because of the vivid and touching characters, but also because I think this book reaches out to both Christians and non-Christians. In today's world, abortion has become such a natural part of living and Francine Rivers does an amazing job of letting us know, through her words and characters, about both sides of the issue while being a part of the story. Dynah is such an incredible character - she had a perfect life set out for her, but after her traumatizing ordeal, she finds out who she really is as a person. Her faith was tested in so many ways and this book went a long way in showing you that no matter how much tragedy happens in your life, God is so much stronger than anything you have to face and He will always be guiding you. And along with Dynah, I fell in love with Joe as well. Who wouldn't? He's sweet, charming and incredibly loyal. This is a book that I know I will read over and over again, and I know others will feel the same way.
  
  
• The Atonement Child is a must read
  By A1YA6AM47FS9JT on 2004-04-13
  The book the Atonement Child by: Francine Rivers is about choice, sacrifice and love. The book is about a young girl who gets raped and becomes pregnant. After she finds out she's pregnant her whole world falls apart. The book then is about her struggle to decide what to do with this child that's growing inside her. Her religion makes abortion to her seem completely wrong, but she doesn't think she will be able to give the baby up. All the people in her life a screaming for her to get an abortion when her whole life they've all been against it. The rest of the book is about Dynah's struggle to decide what to do. I really enjoyed this book, it was well written and made me think about things.
  With me myself being a Christian I could really relate to what Dynah was struggling with. I mean its really easy to say something until it actually hits home. The subject of abortion is a complicated subject , but I think Francine Rivers did an excellent job portraying what people put up to that decision go through. She also shows the long term affects an abortion can have on people, through the mom and grandma's abortions. She also so the affects it has on others, like Ethan, Joe and Dynah's father.
  After Dynah brakes off her engagement to Ethan, she moves home to her parents. She moves home because the dean kicks her out of school for being pregnant. She had not yet told her parents that she is pregnant or that she got raped. When she does return home and tell her parents it brings up stuff from there past, and causes problem between her parents. She learn that her mother had an abortion before she met her father. After this Dynah runs away, because she feels like things are her fault, and starts to work at a little diner. Until Joe comes and finds her and convinces her she must go back. On the way back Dynah stops at Dr. Wyatt, the doctor who was supposed to do her abortion. His wife and him take her in for a week until she must return home. In her week there she witnesses to the doctor and he decides to stop doing abortions. When she moves back home her parents begin to work on things and everything begins to look up. She decided to give the baby up for adoption, Joe helps her pick a family. Then she has the baby. Joe is there to help her with it all. After she has the baby she decides no to give it her daughter up for adoptions. After that Joe and Dynah decide to get married. So the point of the book kinda is listen to the lord and good things will come your way.
  This book did a excellent job of portraying what women go through when they have an unwanted pregnancy. She showed all different aspects of what people go through, form the women to her family to the doctors who do the abortions. The books main theme says that abortion is wrong. It also tells people that the need to listen to the lord or there heart. Although this book portrayed all aspects it was a little one sided towards anti-abortion, which I personally was ok with because I don't believe in abortion either.
  
  
• A book of healling not just a band-aid.
  By A3BX4541QSNESE on 2007-02-22
  At the risk of sounding like a God freak [which I am] I must respond to some who think this book unrealistic. Though this may not be your reality it is the reality of many faceless, unnamed women [and men]. I shared this book with my sister who in presenting it to other members of her bible study group was amazed to find out how many other women shared similar experiences. In almost every instance they tried to put this experience behind them and through reading the book were able to finally share their experiences with others and address feelings that have been plaguing them for years. I view Ms. Rivers' book as a cry to girls who find themselves in similar situations. It helps them to realize the cruel reality of the circumstances that they find themselves in. That abortion is not the quick fix that it can sometimes be promoted as. It showed that one's life is forever changed by such a decision. It also shows that it takes the love that only God can give to help heal the heart of someone who has to endure such a painful experience. The book does not just promote anti-abortionism; it illuminates the fact that none of us are perfect and that we are all trying to make it and sometimes deal with decisions that we made when we were too young to understand the magnitude of what we were doing [whether that is abortion or something else]. Dinah's attack and rape was totally horrible but the hurt that her mother and grandmother harbored over the years was definitely a noose around their necks. It may seem that Dinah's rape was glossed over so that Ms. Rivers could stand on her anti-abortion soapbox but is this how she feels or is she showing how victims are really treated? Deal with the "problem" or get rid of the "problem" and move on with your life. It's not like getting the abortion was going to make Dinah forget what happened to her. Doesn't society too have its own guidelines as to when it is acceptable or unacceptable to abort a child: it's okay when you are raped but woe to the one who willingly engaged in the act. The books shows that the decision is not an easy one no matter the circumstances.
  
  
  What some of us may overlook in reading this book and noting all of the "coincidences" is that Dinah was most disappointed with her mother and grandmother because they tried to hide their pasts from her as she faced a decision they had already made in their own lives. In this world that we live in today we sometimes need someone who will be brave enough to expose their wounds and tell the true story to help someone else who is going through. Some look at other incidents in the book [such as the restaurant having a job opening right when Dinah needed work] as mere coincidences. I saw them as God showing His love for one of His children. Often times we complain about how the world has become and then when God sends us something or someone to show us just how much He loves us we are quick to mark it off as a coincidence instead of acknowledging that in this big, wide world there is someone who is willing to give us the conditional love that so many of us yearn for and never think we can receive.
  
  Thank you Ms. Rivers. You will never know how much the Atonement Child and Redeeming Love helped me to see that God can not only save but love a wretch like me.
  
  
  
• A real look at Abortion
  By A1B2OUVJWWDKIH on 2004-06-17
  I have to say that I fell in love with this book. At first I thought that the characters were a bit shallow, but then I realized that this was not just a story about Dynah. It was more a story of sin being passed through the generations. River's took a multifaceted look at abortion, presenting the different reasons women turn to it. In all situations abortion seems to be the best and easiest way out, but the characters show that there are many lasting consequences that may not be apparent beforehand. I loved this story, and highly reccomend it.
  
  
• cause all things will work for His good
  By ACZZATG6SM7TP on 2006-07-16
  Have you ever read a book that when you weren't reading it consumed your thoughts - well maybe not "consumed" but you wished you could be reading it. That's the atonement child, and every other book I've read by Francine Rivers.
  Although the situation is one that I have been blessed to not have experienced, that did not take away from the lessons in this book. The joy and hope you feel while reading it. It shows just how Almighty God is, cause this book helped me through something I was going through in my own life, during that exact time.
  Rivers tackles a difficult subject in this book - abortion by itself is tough, but when a child is concieved as a result of rape - she stood up to the challange in this book! Every character in this book was developed well, you loved some, cried for others, and wished you could jump into the pages to knock some sense into others! I was taught patience in waiting on the Lord, cause all things will work for His good.
  It's an excellent read - it's about abortion, life, love, patience, peace, marriages, relationships, friendships... it'll apply to you!
  
  
  
• not my favorite, but worthy of reading
  By A3D8THOVPM3YE8 on 2006-08-30
  i love francine rivers. each of her books touch me in a special, sneaky way. after reading other reviews, i am compelled to say that i think the sensitivity of the issue kept people from giving a fair evaluation of her writing: if nothing else, ms. rivers is one of the most skillful writers i have ever read. her characters are anything but simple--the complexities are just more subtle than in less-talented writing. you have to think about them a bit more, and wonder about them. i didn't think ethan came out as a horrible human being at all--rivers has too much understanding of the human soul to portray him that way, and i sensed pain beneath his hardened (and annoying) attitude.
  
  i will have to agree and say the issue of rape was not treated realistically enough, which is why i docked a star. it just seemed to vanish after it happened, which i know is not the way it happens in real life. it's something a victim will struggle with for years afterward.
  
  in response to other reviews:
  1. for those of you who think ms. rivers doesn't know what she's talking about, consider in your evaluation the fact that she has herself had an abortion, before she became a christian (also remember this happened in adulthood, so she has more understanding of non-christians, pro-choice, etc than you give her credit for).
  2. for those who think it unusual that it seemed like all the women around dynah had an abortion, consider the idea that this was purposeful and for a point: there was a legacy of abortion in dynah's family, and her choice was how she would deal with it--break it or succumb to it. that was the point.
  
  

• The Scarlet Thread
• Redeeming Love
• Leota's Garden
• The Last Sin Eater
• And the Shofar Blew