Still Life


When I first saw the cover of Still Life by Christa Parrish, it immediately caught my eye. The cover is absolutely gorgeous and made me want to pick it up and see what the story inside was about. The description was so compelling, that I knew it was a book I wanted to read. The description reads:

"Ada escaped her family’s self-enclosed world to elope with a mysterious stranger. Five months later, she’s a widow in a strange new world.

Ada was born into a fringe religious sect named for her father, The Prophet. But her lifelong habit of absolute obedience was shattered when she fled the family compound to elope with photographer Julian Goetz.

Katherine Walker’s marriage was a sham. She and Will rarely spoke without yelling—and never touched. Her affair brings her both escape and guilt.

When a tragic plane crash takes Julian from Ada and exacerbates Katherine’s sense of shame, both women become desperately unsure of where they belong in the world—until the devotion of an artistic young boy conspires to bring them together.

From award-winning novelist Christa Parrish, Still Life is a cunningly complex work that captures themes of abusive religion, supernatural love, and merciful escape. It will resonate with anyone who has ever felt called to a drastic change—or tried to hear the small whisper of God’s voice."

I'd never heard of Christa Parrish before this book so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I certainly wasn't disappointed. I love a Christian book that isn't afraid to shy away from difficult or controversial subjects such as this one. The language is both compelling and haunting, and I had trouble putting it down. In a way, this book almost reminded me of a Christian version of Random Hearts (which is a favorite book and movie of mine). I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys some good, realistic Christian contemporary fiction. I can't wait to pick up another one of Christa's books. I'm glad I've discovered this author and am looking forward to reading more of her work.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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