This is the review I posted on goodreads. I post it here in a blatant bid for more hits (and as a blatant promotion of goodreads, of which I am a big fan).
I'm about four fifths of the way through Love Wins by Rob Bell. I'm trying hard to finish it but it's a struggle, though generally not because of the content.
Much as I genuinely appreciate the issues he has raised that have clearly struck a chord with many people, I dearly wish that his writing style and the presentation of the book wasn't like being hit repeatedly over the head with a big foam finger, by a ten-year old.
The font is LARGE and sans serif, because, y'know, those pointy bits on the edges of letters can be very confusing and this way I don't have to reach for my magnifying glass to read.
In addition, the presentation
of the book
is like this.
For
Dramatic
Effect.
Just like he preaches.
He even writes
Pause
now and again.
I find this intensely irritating. It feels melodramatic and directive, not to mention the fact that you think you're buying a 200-page book when in reality it's probably about 80. Love wins? Grammar loses. How about a relative clause or polysyllabic word now and again instead of a rhetorical question starting with 'So...?' every other line and excessive use of repeated phrases and calling it style.
Well thanks for letting me vent on that. It's been a while since I read a 'mainstream' Christian book so perhaps this is just how it's done but it does frustrate me when good points are lost in bad writing. However, I still admire greatly his gumption and respect his determination to get the debate going..because, you know, love wins.
Update: finished. I even read all the white spaces. Like a good teacher, I docked him points for grammar, but otherwise undoubtedly
an important book in the
Grand.
Scheme.
of.
Things.
Oh ps also check this out http://www.hellboundthemovie.com/
Looks extremely interesting, not that I'm biased or anything...
1 comment:
When I think about how unbelievable
it would have seemed 10 years ago to have the whole universalism conversation going mainstream, I
just
am so
grateful
that it has. But oi vey, sounds like a pain in the bum to read.
Misuse of grammar is a pet peeve of mine. Which is really difficult, because I'm finding myself getting peeved with monotonous regularity, and by people who should know better. The whole "your/you're thing, grr :)
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