Review of PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by Kathi Macias

            I recently read People of the Book, the latest book in the EXTREMEM DEVOTION series by author Kathi Macias.  As much as I enjoyed the book, I am having trouble reviewing it.  I just don’t know if I can get across how deeply this book affected me.

The book centers on three young women, on in America and two in the Saudi Kingdom.  High school student Sara lives in the Pacific Northwest with her parents and her younger brother Emir.  Her parents—of Saudi descent—are devout Christians who have passed that love of Christ on to their children, even though their faith has caused a rift with their own families.  When Emir begins to act in ways contrary to the beliefs he was raised with, Sara begins to question God’s role in their lives.  Farah and her cousin Nura are Muslim girls, living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  It is the month of Ramadan, and Farah’s only prayer is that Allah reveals himself to her in a real manner.  Nura is more confused.  Thanks to a computer in her bedroom, she has begun a relationship with Sara through an internet chat room.  Her decision to share her internet activities with Farah puts both girls in an awkward position that could ultimately cost them their lives.

This book, as the others I have read in this series, was well written and extremely well researched.  Macias makes her characters come alive, causing the reader to feel every emotion that the characters do.  As I read the book, I found myself moving from contentment, to fear, to anger, to despair, to hope—all within the span of just a few pages.

Farah and Nura—and even Sara, though to a lesser extent—risked their health and happiness by choosing to follow Christ (or Isa, as the two Muslim girls called Him.)  This made me think about my own life.  What have I ever had to sacrifice for my faith?  I remember in high school, not wanting to let school friends know that I actually enjoyed going to church with my family.  I was so afraid that would cost me friendships that I wasn’t sure I wanted to lose.  Kind of ironic now, as there are only two close friends who have maintained prominent roles in my adult life—and one of those friends is Jesus.  Remembering how I acted and seeing girls who had far more to lose react differently made me feel a little ashamed.

I’ve heard a little about the next book that Kathi Macias is writing.  I look forward to the chance to read that book as well.