The Day the Holy Spirit Compelled Me to Read a Book

A review of Ruth F. Whong’s novel, Detour to Agape



I’ve been receiving read-invites from book clubs for the past couple of years but haven’t committed to any due to an eternally busy schedule. However, as part of my New Year’s resolution, I accepted one. They asked me to choose a couple from a list. As I scrolled down to survey the selection in various genres by different authors, two covers called out to me before I even read their titles.

Detour to Agape (hereinafter referred to as D2A) by R.F. Whong was one of the books. Instinct told me to choose those two, despite their visuals not belonging to my preferred categories. I typically gravitate to images denoting thrillers, mystery, sci-fi, or espionage. Why this sudden 360 eschewing my beloved genres? It was so unlike me.

In hindsight, I realized that both covers’ color schemes were similar—earthy tones that would never elicit a second glance from me. Both books’ montage had the same components: two figures in the foreground surveying the landscape before them, their backs to the camera/reader.

A week after I read the book, instinct told me to look at a book in my Goodreads TBR shelf. Guess what the cover had in it? Two people looking at the horizon with their backs to the camera! Except the background was black. Eerie. It seems an external force is steering me toward these titles from three different authors and genres but with similar covers. Why? I’ll find out once I finish the other two. But first, D2A.

Thwarted Expectations
After I chose D2A, I proceeded to find out more about the book and its author. That’s when I discovered its category: Christian romance. Rats! Not my genre. Too late; commitment already nailed down. That’s when I read the reviews that threw me off.

Many of them were misleading. I thought I’d be reading a book in the same vein as these movies: Romancing the Stone, Tomb Raider, Indiana Jones, or Jewel of the Nile. So, having built up this excitement from reading those reviews, can you blame me if I expected something else: perhaps an illicit romp among sand dunes with villains ready to pounce, or a heart-stopping chase through crowded souks?



There were also warnings about rough language on human trafficking and kidnapping, but the few pockets of data the author revealed are common knowledge. Though unfortunate and devastating to the victims, the information was far from shocking.

Due to the repeated reference to human trafficking, I envisioned the book tackling situations akin to those in Jim Caviezel’s movie, Sound of Freedom. I also expected an intricate web of intrigue and scandal wherein the characters would be heavily entrenched in the horrors of the modern slave trade. But the tertiary characters who were assumed to be so, were only mentioned in passing.



Suggested Amendments
I hope the author won’t mind, but I’ve spotted some typos and one inconsistency. She can view this part of the review as a (positive) criticism or a huge favor because I charge a lot for editing and proofreading and she’s getting it free. :-) Note: The page numbers are variable depending on the user’s e-reader settings.

Typos:
Chapter 11, page 80 and chapter 13, pages 95 and 97: “Archaeologist” is in UK spelling—appropriate for readers from Europe, Britain, and their former colonies, not the US.
Chapter 11, page 83: The word “jews" should be capitalized. Names of ethnic and religious groups are proper nouns and should therefore be capitalized.
Chapter 12, page 87: “Are we at the top yet? I don’t think so” should be in two separate lines and paragraphs because two separate characters uttered them.
Chapter 13, page 95: The phrase “burned by fire” is redundant because burning is inherently caused by fire. Stopping at “burned” is more precise.
Chapter 13, page 96: The phrase “climbed up over the ramp (wall)” is redundant. The word “climbed” already implies an upward movement, so “up” is unnecessary. “Climbed over the wall” is more concise.
Chapter 13, page 96: “Interesting antidote from the book” should be “anecdote.”
Chapter 20, page 150: The phrase “trivial nonsenses” is not from a character’s direct quote, so it should be singular. “Nonsense” is a singular (non-count) noun. We shouldn’t use it in plural form.
Chapter 21, page 160: “Images about Yao and his childhood kept intruded her mind.” Replace “intruded” with “intruding.”
Chapter 23, page 170: “Nana’s eyes stretched wide” seems unwieldy. “Her eyes widened” or “Her eyes grew wide” are better alternatives, as they clearly convey the intended meaning without sounding awkward.
Chapter 23, page 171: “An inpatient knock interrupted them.” Replace “inpatient” with “impatient.”

Inconsistency:
In chapter 18, page 134, Shawn’s and Margie’s room is on the fourth floor. In chapter 20, page 147, it’s on the fifth level. There was no mention of them changing accommodation in the same building.

On the Religious Aspect
I suggest to Ms. Whong (and her fellow Christian writers) what I recommend to our Catholic priests who drone on with abstract religious doctrine during Sunday sermons: If you want your preaching to resonate with ordinary folks, banish ambiguity. Be specific. Present principles in terms they can relate to, particularly how the teachings you’re sharing can help them solve real-people problems.

As for skeptics, use science to convince them—different branches, if necessary. If you want to soften those with rigid beliefs, call on the powerhouses: quantum physics, astrophysics, nano engineering, biochemistry, even alternative medicine. Bible verses will only turn them off.

To convince non-believers to be receptive to the Christian viewpoint, it’s not enough to roll off Bible verses and expect them to embrace our dogma. I, for one, despite being a Christian, tune out when my friends from other denominations begin to cite them. My hearing literally shuts down the way my brain shrivels up when presented with calculus. Mind you, when I was a kid, my mother made me read the Bible cover to cover. So I know what they’re talking about.



Also, a sweeping statement like “God transcends time and space” won’t cut it anymore. That used to work in the old days, but it has become a scapegoat meant to gloss over impertinent spiritual queries. (Reference: chapter 16, page 119—Nana Lee: “Our God, who is beyond time and space, can exist in three persons simultaneously.”)

It reminds me of my mother’s go-to boilerplate adage: “God works in mysterious ways.” It was her standard reply for any question she couldn’t answer convincingly. Particularly: “If God is all loving and merciful, why does He allow poverty, crime, and natural disasters to devastate the very nations whose citizens are faithful to Him, yet allow developed countries (majority of whose residents don’t care for Him) to prosper?”

In the novel, Margie, a highly intelligent <spoiler>undercover cop/special agent</spoiler> who spoke four languages, dismissed a non-believer’s criticisms of historical events in the Bible with: “Sometimes, it’s better to admit our limits and simply believe.” This kind of dismissive statement, commonly spewed out by evangelists, is guaranteed to educe some eye-rolling… and worse, from many laypeople, indignation. (Reference: chapter 16, page 119—Margie: “Wow, you (Nana Lee) said it well. I’ve never heard such an outstanding explanation. For sure, God is far beyond us. We can’t try to use our limited mind to explain Him.”)

Another example: chapter 21, page 159: “Do you want to confess your sin to the Lord today?” These “invitations” are presumptive, disrespectful, and insulting. They will surely turn non-believers off and close minds to attempts at conversion.

The downside to direct evangelization is that non-Christians will automatically put roadblocks way ahead of you. When done indiscriminately and without diplomacy, spreading God’s word will seem like you’re imposing your beliefs on other people.

Years ago, I mailed my husband a book across the pond: Reverend Robert H. Schuller’s book, Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do! I wasn’t trying to convert him when I sent it. I just thought some much-needed advice from the book would help him tremendously in caring for his terminally ill father. A few pages in, however, he decided it wasn’t for him. He said it was “too religious.” He’s Anglican, by the way.

At a minimum, the author’s attempt at evangelization through D2A can spark debate. On a larger scale, it may lead to redemption and conversion, which, I assume, is the objective of Christian publications.

The Significance of Agape
The author never explained why she included the term “agape” in the title. I scoured the book for any mention but found none... at least in the digital edition. Being a fiction book, D2A understandably doesn’t have a glossary or bibliography, which could have referenced the term. But that was a prime opportunity for evangelization and she missed it. Why did she overlook this aspect? Did she ignore it on purpose? Christians would understand it, but others won’t. Heck, many Christians aren’t even aware of the term! For those who care to know, agape means “Christian love for others, corresponding to God’s love for humankind.”

Double Rating
I’ve given this book two ratings. On its story and plot, I gave it a 3.25 because it didn’t live up to my expectations. It’s not the writer’s fault. I blame it on the reviews. Perhaps the reviewers misunderstood its premise, didn’t read the entire book, formed assumptions based on the few chapters they read, or just followed suit based on reviews that were already there.

It’s like people forming opinions based on the thinking of the majority... the way so-called experts put Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye on a literary pedestal because their predecessors had waxed lyrical about it. But when you read the actual book, it offers nothing stellar. (Note to self: Brace for rotten tomatoes from JD’s fans.)

On the religious aspect, however, I gave this book a four because of its earnest attempt at indirect evangelization through the conveyance of its characters’ experiences. The sinners-turning-their lives-around route is nothing new, but it closely reflects what typically happens to converts in real life.

Prayer Ring
Potential readers may pick up D2A for its story. However, beyond the plot, the book’s noteworthiness is in its spotlight on a grave social malady: human trafficking, even if it only touches upon the subject and doesn’t do a deep dive.

I want this author to know there are groups worldwide, religious and lay, that pray for the end of this scourge, whose victims are mostly from impoverished nations. I’m a member of one of these groups. These people have the thankless (and often ridiculed) task of praying for solutions to hard-to-solve global problems. Many of us have been praying for years, some even decades. For a long time, our efforts seemed pointless and fruitless. However, we’ve seen major upheavals in recent years regarding problems like human trafficking.

For instance, in Southeast Asia, governments are now implementing in-depth scrutiny of offshore gaming corporations (e-casinos and such), many of which are storefronts for crimes like money laundering, human trafficking, and financial scamming.

One has already blocked them by enforcing a nationwide ban, despite these facilities being lucrative sources of tax revenue—and I mean millions of dollars. Every day, we learn from news broadcasts of rescues of individual and group victims, especially youth and people with special needs.

Some of us from the prayer rings are from mainstream media, so we have firsthand proof that these arrests and rescues are real. Many of our comrades in the trenches (investigative journalists, pro bono lawyers, and human rights advocates) have been harassed, tortured, abducted, jailed on trumped up charges, or murdered when information they uncovered directly impacted certain politicians, celebrities, other VIPs, government officials, and law enforcement agents.



So I appeal to the author to form a group like ours among her followers and networks to pray with us daily. We from the US and Canadian northwest are praying every day at 10 am, Pacific Time. Those awake at that time and who also want to put an end to human rights atrocities, please join us. Prayers can indeed move mountains, strike down religious barriers, and unite the digital divide.

The Hidden Value of This Book
Halfway through D2A, I realized why I was driven to choose it. I’ve indicated the primary reason above. Also, a vital part of it mentioned encounters to which only people with firsthand experiences of miracles could relate. I’m one of them.

I shared my strange experiences here: www.solacejournal.com/post/st-therese.

The author wrote about how the Holy Spirit can influence a person’s behavior, the outcome of events, and the salvation of lost souls. It also confirms the widely held acknowledgment among Catholics that the human instinct, although a lay term, is really the Holy Spirit speaking to us. This explains why, when we ignore what our gut tells us, bad things happen. (Though skeptics would simply chalk those up to coincidence.)

As this concept is intangible and cannot be proven by logic, it’s difficult for non-believers to grasp, much less accept. Though born a Catholic, I was a skeptic and questioned many aspects of religious dogma... until I became the recipient of inexplicable bouts of good fortune—the (celestial) sources of which I find awkward and challenging to convey to non-Christians.

Due to this impediment, the onerous task of helping others understand intangible concepts is left to Christian writers like Ruth Whong. I’m not one of them. However, because of her book, even though I don’t believe I’m worthy of joining their ranks, I’ll try to be one.

Image credits:
* Woman praying and dove: Arnie Bragg
* Chase: Cottonbro Studio
* Dollar in a cage: Cottonbro Studio
* Child reading Bible: Nappy
* People praying: Tima Miroshnichenko