From Oprah's Book Club. Apparently, I don't have the same taste in books as Oprah.

Grab a box of tissues with this one. This is such an amazing read and so very well written. I thought my heart couldn't break anymore, but then...

It was just meh. I will think on it for the night and maybe write a better review later.

The Rapture of Canaan revolves around the cult-like community of the “Church of Fire and Brimstone and God’s Almighty Baptizing Wind”. Ninah, the granddaughter of the leader and founder of the church, becomes involved with James, the step-son of her sister. She becomes pregnant and the community begins to unravel. While it was somewhat interesting (as well as revolting) reading about such a brain-washed and extremist community, the story itself was unconvincing. Ninah seems to understand the absurdity of the religious fanaticism her grandfather has created, yet the author still wants her to have some kind of spiritual experience/transformation. This would be fine if I knew what it was or what purpose it achieved. Instead it was vague and weird.

To be blunt, this book was pretty crazy and often times I would question why I am reading this, yet I was never able to put the book down. Ninah's whirlwind life was so intriguing that I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. Through the secretive, sly writing that Reynolds used to describe what was happening made parts quite confusing, but also interesting. I would recommend anyone to read this book, for it opened up a different perspective for me on the different lives people have and how people can be sucked in and controlled so easily without even knowing it. The running theme of coming of age also makes the book much more relatable for me, which added to my surge of non-stop reading. Brace yourself though, for there are many unexplainable events and symbols that I couldn't quite grasp my head around as being more-or-less normal. It's a strange book, yet very understandable, which opens up for many ideas and questions revolving around the topics and themes this book presents. Reynolds took the wild unimaginable and turned into a story that is worth the read.

This novel's story line is quite hard to imagine in this day and age, but I'm sure it still goes on in pockets of this world. I'm not a religious man but like to think I'm a spiritual man in my way of looking at life but it's really hard to imagine how someone is punished in some medieval wicked way for doing things that the average person does on a regular basis. But regardless of that I loved this book as it was so well written and is the second of this authors books I've read and loved. I plan on ordering another.

Really good book overall! The questionable cult aspect and awkwardness is what make it so interesting. It was a book you didn't want to put down because of what crazy thing could be coming next. Ninah was a unique, rebellious teen that put Rapture of Canaan and the community in an interesting perspective.

I read this book for the first time over ten years ago. I have read it countless times since then. This is one of those books that I can honestly say has influenced me to be a writer. Sheri Reynolds was able to capture a whole world in her writing in a way that made me hungry to do so myself. This is a book that I will forever be grateful for and will never forget.

Wow.

Amazing.

Sherrie really takes you into the heart of her freaky religious world that is convincing and vibrant. i read this thing 3 times.

Interested in starting it, plus the author has my last name!(: lol i thought that was cool

2.75 Slow start, quite engaging middle and not too good an ending - ok but not great

I really enjoyed reading this book! The intensity of religious faith was conveyed in an admirable, yet slightly disturbing manner. Including a story of young love among this religious commune seemed only necessary to complete the equation.