The Other Side of Darkness

Melody Carlson

Waterbrook, Sep 2008, $13.99

ISBN: 9781400070817

Ruth loves her husband and children, but fears for them. She doesn’t want them tricked by the machinations of the evil devil.  She prays for them and does everything to prevent Satan from tricking any of her loved ons into sinning.

However her husband Rick resents how much money and time she spends on the Valley Bridge Fellowship Church and it’s New Life Christian School.  Her children Mary and Sarah resent her pushing religion down their throat as they have enough at school.  Worse her hero Pastor Glenn has been fired by the congregation either because they were fooled by Satan or jealous of how good he is.  Ruth feels her world imploding as the more she prays the more things go bad and the more they go bad the more she prays especially when she follows her idol Pastor Glenn to his new church; her family refuses to go with her.

This is a refreshing very intense inspirational Christian tale in which the main character suffers from a serious mental illness, obsessive compulsive disorder.  Ruth is unique protagonist as the more time she gives, the more troubled she becomes.  Interestingly several deeply religious individuals selfishly and knowingly take advantage of her time and money.  Although seeing demons seems unnecessary, Melody Carlson leaves the audience with a deep poignant thriller in which accepting psychological treatment is just one tool provided by God to help his flock with free will.

Harriet Klausner