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My Hands Came Away Red
Cori signs up to take a mission trip to Indonesia during the summer after her senior year of high school. Inspired by happy visions of building churches and seeing beautiful beaches, she gladly escapes her complicated love life back home.
Five weeks after their arrival, a sectarian and religious conflict that has been simmering for years flames to life with deadly results on the nearby island of Ambon. Within days, the church building the team had constructed is in ashes, its pastor and fifty villagers are dead, and the six terrified teenagers are stranded in the mountainous jungle with only the pastor's teenage son to guide them to safety. Ultimately, Cori's emotional quest to rediscover hope proves as arduous as the physical journey home.
Five weeks after their arrival, a sectarian and religious conflict that has been simmering for years flames to life with deadly results on the nearby island of Ambon. Within days, the church building the team had constructed is in ashes, its pastor and fifty villagers are dead, and the six terrified teenagers are stranded in the mountainous jungle with only the pastor's teenage son to guide them to safety. Ultimately, Cori's emotional quest to rediscover hope proves as arduous as the physical journey home.
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2007
42 people are currently reading
782 people want to read
About the author
Lisa McKay
5 books50 followersLisa McKay is an author and psychologist specializing in stress, trauma, and resilience. She is currently living in Laos.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
January 11, 2008
One of the best books, Christian or otherwise, that I've read in a long time. One of those stay-up-late-to-finish-it, convince-others-to-read-it kind of books. A gripping adventure, an exotic location, and a believable heroine with very relatable struggles...what are you waiting for?
January 7, 2013
Wow. That was my first thought upon finishing this story. As much as I enjoyed Ms. McKay's memoir, this book.....well. It stayed in my brain for hours afterward, even amongst the craziness of airplanes, airports, baggage, seeing my family, etc., and didn't turn off until I fell asleep that night. Even almost two weeks later, this story haunts me. I think I'm going to have a hard time putting it into words, it was that amazing! I'm really going to try to not spoil much of this story, as it truly needs to be experienced from start to finish with no idea of what will come. What these teenagers go through, what they see and experience, it changes them. In ways they would never have imagined and cannot explain to anyone else who wasn't there. Even you as the reader find it hard to to come to grips with the fact that while this is a fictional story, it is also so steeped in reality; in what human beings are experiencing and doing to each other even right now half a world away from you. Cori realized that Christians and Muslims don't get along, but she had no idea exactly how fearful these groups are of each other and what that fear will cause them to do. She's a teenager whose life has been simple and comforting and stable. When that stability is ripped away, she finds out exactly how strong or weak she really is. As do the rest of the group. Left with a 17 year old guide and his baby sister, off they go to try to get home to their families. What they see, how they react, how they survive, their story will make you laugh and make you cry. That's a credit to Ms. McKay's wonderful writing. You get sucked into this story and experience it as if you are right there part of this ragtag group of teenagers.
Ms. McKay doesn't shy away from describing death and disease and pain, but it never gets too gory. She also throws in little bits of humor here and there which nicely breaks the tension, for you and for the characters. And it doesn't end with everything all fixed and everyone happy. It is a happy ending, but also a real one. You may stop reading about these characters, but you can picture them stumbling on and making messes and living life. Also while this may be a christian book, it really can be enjoyed by anyone. Because what goes on in third world countries should upset anyone, no matter what they believe.
Ms. McKay doesn't shy away from describing death and disease and pain, but it never gets too gory. She also throws in little bits of humor here and there which nicely breaks the tension, for you and for the characters. And it doesn't end with everything all fixed and everyone happy. It is a happy ending, but also a real one. You may stop reading about these characters, but you can picture them stumbling on and making messes and living life. Also while this may be a christian book, it really can be enjoyed by anyone. Because what goes on in third world countries should upset anyone, no matter what they believe.
November 23, 2007
What a great book! I am not one to LOVE "Christian" fiction, but this one was so well written, and the plot was very interesting, not one I had ever read about before. It is the story of a group of teens on a mission trip that goes horribly wrong. I thought the narration was excellent and it ended without tying up every loose string, which seems so sitcom-like. The characters each reacted a different way to tragedies, especially what they believed about God. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a believer and wants to learn a little about Indonesian culture.
March 3, 2024
I really loved this book and I normally do not read Christian fiction I just loved that it was a story of survival while also telling and showing what happens when a conflict like this happens and people are caught in the middle. I loved the characters especially Cori she acts like someone would in this situation while also going above and beyond and wanting to say something after it all goes down. I also liked the members of her group they all add something to the story one becomes a short lived love interest forged in fire. The characters witness unimaginable horrors and do their best to just stay alive and protect the whole group as a whole. The plot was great it starts with a a still reeling from it all Cori and it then tells of how she went on the trip to Indonesia and how things were good at first before everything goes wrong very quickly people die and the group with their teenage guide and his little sister are on the run. It tells of the horrors they see and experience to finally get to safety with this experience really setting off what Cori wants to do with her life it was all so well written loved it so much.
June 21, 2018
Really enjoyed this story and the writing style. The only thing to perfect it would be if it were based on actual events.
July 29, 2016
3.5 stars.
I must admit, I was a little scared. Christian fiction is dangerous business, finding good ones and avoiding the heavy handed "PRAISE SWEET LORD JESUS HALLUJAUH GOD BLESS AMEN!!!" every other sentence. The very beginning had me a wee bit wary of what the rest would be like but it soon evened out and had a good balance for the rest of the book(about 95%).
The characters were well written and believable as well as being thoroughly likable. Cori and Kyle were my favorites but I liked them all. One thing I loved was the friendships formed among all the characters. It was a pleasure to read a book with so many strong relationships that weren't all romantic. Huzzah!
The plot was well-paced and engaging, which caused a late night reading session finishing it. There were just enough suspenseful moments to get you through the tromping through the woods scenes(as if the characters and their conversations weren't enough). I don't know much about the political/social/religious/whathaveyou unrest in Indonesia but from a observing standpoint, but it seemed to be handled well.
If there was one thing I would gripe about, and here I go, it would be the ending. I was not satisfied. I don't know what I wanted exactly but that wasn't it. I think, for me, it was too open. I like a good tight closed book, not hanging open, waiting for something else to run in and mess it all up.
Overall, it was really quite good.
I must admit, I was a little scared. Christian fiction is dangerous business, finding good ones and avoiding the heavy handed "PRAISE SWEET LORD JESUS HALLUJAUH GOD BLESS AMEN!!!" every other sentence. The very beginning had me a wee bit wary of what the rest would be like but it soon evened out and had a good balance for the rest of the book(about 95%).
The characters were well written and believable as well as being thoroughly likable. Cori and Kyle were my favorites but I liked them all. One thing I loved was the friendships formed among all the characters. It was a pleasure to read a book with so many strong relationships that weren't all romantic. Huzzah!
The plot was well-paced and engaging, which caused a late night reading session finishing it. There were just enough suspenseful moments to get you through the tromping through the woods scenes(as if the characters and their conversations weren't enough). I don't know much about the political/social/religious/whathaveyou unrest in Indonesia but from a observing standpoint, but it seemed to be handled well.
If there was one thing I would gripe about, and here I go, it would be the ending. I was not satisfied. I don't know what I wanted exactly but that wasn't it. I think, for me, it was too open. I like a good tight closed book, not hanging open, waiting for something else to run in and mess it all up.
Overall, it was really quite good.
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March 13, 2022Review by Gigi Hoffman
Eighteen-year-old Cori wanted to get away after her high school graduation. Things were complicated and confusing with her boyfriend, Scott, so she signed up to go on a ten-week missions trip to build a church on a small island in Indonesia.
After several weeks on the island, the church is completed, but an event leaves the group of teenagers away from their team leader and his wife for a few days. No biggie. However, during those couple days, a conflict that has been festering for years erupts between Muslim and Christian villages on a nearby island. The result? The new church gets burnt to the ground, the villagers are mercilessly slaughtered, and the teens are stranded in the forest with the pastor’s seventeen-year-old son.
The group must hike through the forest, find a way off the island, and get to the airport on the same island where the political and religious violence is occurring. The team goes through many trials and difficulties, questioning all the things they thought they knew.
This has to be one of the best books I’ve ever read (and I read a lot). Ms. McKay made the characters incredibly realistic. They questioned and doubted their personal beliefs; they didn’t just accept things and be happy. It was deep, thought-provoking, and beautifully written. A must, must, must read for everyone!
Eighteen-year-old Cori wanted to get away after her high school graduation. Things were complicated and confusing with her boyfriend, Scott, so she signed up to go on a ten-week missions trip to build a church on a small island in Indonesia.
After several weeks on the island, the church is completed, but an event leaves the group of teenagers away from their team leader and his wife for a few days. No biggie. However, during those couple days, a conflict that has been festering for years erupts between Muslim and Christian villages on a nearby island. The result? The new church gets burnt to the ground, the villagers are mercilessly slaughtered, and the teens are stranded in the forest with the pastor’s seventeen-year-old son.
The group must hike through the forest, find a way off the island, and get to the airport on the same island where the political and religious violence is occurring. The team goes through many trials and difficulties, questioning all the things they thought they knew.
This has to be one of the best books I’ve ever read (and I read a lot). Ms. McKay made the characters incredibly realistic. They questioned and doubted their personal beliefs; they didn’t just accept things and be happy. It was deep, thought-provoking, and beautifully written. A must, must, must read for everyone!
December 1, 2012
Mediocre writing, great plot, poor diction, average character development. If you are looking for a human rights book to bring awareness to violence in 3rd world countries, this book is for you; but if you are looking for a spiritual growth bildungsroman (coming-of-age story) about turning to God in desperate times, you will be sorely disappointed. This book is everything that's wrong with the Church. In this book, God is a background object that is used as a prop when convenient; there is no growth in the main characters--just anger, numbness, and activism. While the characters are realistic in that a vast majority of "Christians" do not have a personal relationship with Jesus and are more humanistic than anything else, there is no real Christianity in this book, and any opportunity for it was ignored.
February 12, 2008
Great fictional book on the lives of a handful of teenagers who endure a traumatic experience together. As the teenagers are on a missions trip overseas, their world becomes forever turned upside down by a quasi-civil war. I thought the author did an excellent job portraying the likely responses of any individual put in this situation. The symbolism between the psychological issues the teens in the book encounter and what any individual who has been involved in mission or foreign aid work is apparent ... whether it is feeling guilty for putting on a new sweater, feeling selfish because you went a day without thinking about what "they" are enduring overseas, or losing motivation to pursue life goals that all of a sudden feel insignificant. I highly recommend.
February 2, 2008
What a great book! So often I will hear news stories or read about violence in other countries and, although this is horrible, not even pay attention. Sometimes those stories are coming from so far away that it is easy to gloss over the real pain and suffering that occurred. This book, although fictional, really made the violence, fear and confusion of those upheavals seem real.
The characters' struggles to understand what they are seeing and experiencing was beautifully presented. Their questions about God and faith were spot on. A very impressive book.
The characters' struggles to understand what they are seeing and experiencing was beautifully presented. Their questions about God and faith were spot on. A very impressive book.
November 1, 2007
Wow! I finished this book at 6:15 am after staying up late reading it and then getting up at 5 am to finish. Best book I have read since A Thousand Splendid Suns. It is about a group of college-age students on a missions trip when things go horribly wrong. I laughed, I cried, and most of all, I was moved to consider how much I take my life (and my ability to worship freely) for granted. God definitely spoke to me through this book. Read it...you'll see what I mean!
January 26, 2008
Wow - this was a heart-wrenching book, but SO GOOD! If there were 4 1/2 stars I'd give it that. The characters are great (and so real and relatable, I felt like I was one of them!), the writing is great, the story is great (but as I said, heart-wrenching), what else can I say? I definitely recommend it!!!
September 13, 2018
This was an absolutely riveting read. Unputdownable. Not only were the events it described compelling, but they were supported by a vivid setting, a strong cast of characters, and an engaging first-person narrative that effortlessly immersed me in the story.
In my reading experience, mid- to late-teens are a difficult group to portray authentically, but these were some of the best I’ve encountered. The wonderful comradery that developed was enlivened by the kind of tension that comes with a mix of personalities, and they had that strange blend of maturity and immaturity that’s unique to their age group. Most importantly, the way they responded to their circumstances and processed the emotions and questions that arose was 100% believable.
I also loved that this story felt both complete and open-ended. It’s not the kind of story you finish off with a nice neat bow. It’s the kind of story that has an ongoing impact and reminds us that sin makes this world a bewildering, harsh, and seemingly unfair place at times. And yet, God can still be found in the midst of it all. It was on that point that I most appreciated that this author didn’t give her teen characters wisdom beyond their years. I’m sorry I keep using the word authentic, but it really is the best word for what I want to convey. The way these teens grappled with their faith in light of their situation was authentic precisely because it was messy and they didn’t have all the answers.
In all honesty, I’ve never read another story like this one. Harrowing, heartfelt, and even a little humorous on occasion, it’s simply a must-read.
In my reading experience, mid- to late-teens are a difficult group to portray authentically, but these were some of the best I’ve encountered. The wonderful comradery that developed was enlivened by the kind of tension that comes with a mix of personalities, and they had that strange blend of maturity and immaturity that’s unique to their age group. Most importantly, the way they responded to their circumstances and processed the emotions and questions that arose was 100% believable.
I also loved that this story felt both complete and open-ended. It’s not the kind of story you finish off with a nice neat bow. It’s the kind of story that has an ongoing impact and reminds us that sin makes this world a bewildering, harsh, and seemingly unfair place at times. And yet, God can still be found in the midst of it all. It was on that point that I most appreciated that this author didn’t give her teen characters wisdom beyond their years. I’m sorry I keep using the word authentic, but it really is the best word for what I want to convey. The way these teens grappled with their faith in light of their situation was authentic precisely because it was messy and they didn’t have all the answers.
In all honesty, I’ve never read another story like this one. Harrowing, heartfelt, and even a little humorous on occasion, it’s simply a must-read.
March 8, 2021
GUYS, let me tell you.... this book was the most convicting, captivating book I have read in the Christian Fiction Genre... quite possibly ever!
Cori wanted to get away for the summer from all her problems she was dealing with at home; an on and off again boyfriend who did not believe in God, a choice of where to go to school, etc. When the opportunity to go to Indonesia to build a church came up Cori jumped at the chance. Her and a team of 6 get to Indonesia and find out there is conflict between the religious communities there. After finishing the church, Cori and her team experience something they never thought they would, and something they will never forget.
Reading this book shook my heart (in a good way)! It captivated me through the determination of the pastors son (16) to get these teenagers to safety after watching his father murdered. It convicted me through the questions that each of the team members were asking about God, and got me thinking "could I make it through this." Lastly it opened my eyes to see that there are SO many people who experience this type of violence and conflict EVERYDAY!
Faith is powerful, but we need a foundation, and that foundation (for me) NEEDS to be in the truth that God is good, even when tragedies come.
Cori wanted to get away for the summer from all her problems she was dealing with at home; an on and off again boyfriend who did not believe in God, a choice of where to go to school, etc. When the opportunity to go to Indonesia to build a church came up Cori jumped at the chance. Her and a team of 6 get to Indonesia and find out there is conflict between the religious communities there. After finishing the church, Cori and her team experience something they never thought they would, and something they will never forget.
Reading this book shook my heart (in a good way)! It captivated me through the determination of the pastors son (16) to get these teenagers to safety after watching his father murdered. It convicted me through the questions that each of the team members were asking about God, and got me thinking "could I make it through this." Lastly it opened my eyes to see that there are SO many people who experience this type of violence and conflict EVERYDAY!
Faith is powerful, but we need a foundation, and that foundation (for me) NEEDS to be in the truth that God is good, even when tragedies come.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2022
I rarely read Christian fiction. I often find it skews too heavily one way or another. This book changed my mind about what the genre could be. There were many elements in this story I could appreciate, mainly because I've gone on several missions trips before (though none with Cori's group's level of preparation or work intensity, and certainly none beset by disaster). From the international composition of the team to the realistic and very personal reactions of each of its members to the horror and unimaginable situation lying before them, it was all very believable to me. It never felt watered down or over-spiritualized, two of my main criticisms of the genre.
Favorite quotes: "Thinking backwards was hard work. The world was divided into before it happened and afterwards."
Favorite quotes: "Thinking backwards was hard work. The world was divided into before it happened and afterwards."
July 31, 2021
I've been procrastinating reading this book for some time for no good reason. I just kept passing over it for others, but I have to say I wish I would've read it sooner. It's hard hitting with some heavy topics, but also so enjoyable. The writing style was so good. I really felt like I was there with the characters. The descriptive language was impeccable. Also, you really get to know the characters. The 8 main characters felt like old friends of mine by the end of the book. I also loved that it was written in first person. Highly recommend!
February 23, 2018
A victory for Christian fiction! A great title and a great story. Adventurous, heart-breaking, and thought-provoking. The survival part was a tad bit unrealistic but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the novel. Fantastic job, Lisa McKay! I will be recommending this one to fellow readers.
April 30, 2008
In this fast-paced, thought-provoking debut novel, McKay, a psychologist who works with humanitarian relief, explores injustice, religious reconciliation, suffering and faith through the eyes of an 18-year-old girl whose mission trip goes tragically awry. For Cori and a team of Christian teens, building a church in Indonesia sounds like a fun project. After an overly long prologue, McKay describes how they journey to the island of Seram and bond with the Indonesian villagers. However, even as they put the finishing touches on the newly built church, Muslim and Christian tensions flare, culminating in a horrific tragedy witnessed by Cori and her friends. They flee through the mountainous jungle, hoping to escape the escalating hostilities. McKay's carefully chosen words, devoid of unnecessary sentiment, lend power to her story. The external hardships the characters face on their trek are secondary to the internal struggles they battle over how a loving God could let terrible things happen; and why their sacrificial choice to give up a summer to help others would cost them more than they ever dreamed. While written from a Christian perspective, McKay gives an evenhanded treatment to Muslims, showing that violence and hatred transcend religious boundaries. This is one of Christian fiction's best novels of the year. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
September 19, 2015
Back in 1992 I went on a Teem Missions trip to Israel and attended the very same boot camp as the girl in this story went to.
I found out about this book on a Facebook page for Former Teem Missions Members. I had always wondered if someone had written a book about their own experience or a fiction based on a Teem Missions summer. Low and behold here it is.
This story is about a girl who decides to go on a mission trip to Indonesia but first has to go through a boot camp in Florida, which I as I said before attended myself. It was fun to read about it in a book to reminisce with someone else in a way of the same experience. However I did not experience what the teens went through later in the story.
But I can truly identify with the relational side of it. After spending 2 months with the same people working, sleeping and eating together you bond with them and then at the end of the summer you have to separate from them.
I liked how each of the team members where in different places spiritually and how their faith or lack of came out when tragedy happens because that is what happens your faith is put to the test.
I don’t read much “Christian" fiction because a lot of it is just fluffy. This one however is not. I found this to be very real and found it refreshingly different from ones I have read in the past.
I found out about this book on a Facebook page for Former Teem Missions Members. I had always wondered if someone had written a book about their own experience or a fiction based on a Teem Missions summer. Low and behold here it is.
This story is about a girl who decides to go on a mission trip to Indonesia but first has to go through a boot camp in Florida, which I as I said before attended myself. It was fun to read about it in a book to reminisce with someone else in a way of the same experience. However I did not experience what the teens went through later in the story.
But I can truly identify with the relational side of it. After spending 2 months with the same people working, sleeping and eating together you bond with them and then at the end of the summer you have to separate from them.
I liked how each of the team members where in different places spiritually and how their faith or lack of came out when tragedy happens because that is what happens your faith is put to the test.
I don’t read much “Christian" fiction because a lot of it is just fluffy. This one however is not. I found this to be very real and found it refreshingly different from ones I have read in the past.
September 12, 2016
4.5 stars
BLURB: Teenagers on a mission trip find themselves in the middle of of riots and warfare with no adults to guide them to safety.
SOLD!
I really liked this book. It has a Christian theme but the references to God/prayer fit well with the story line. The main character, Cori, is conflicted about her belief in God- a conflict that surprisingly seems to be stronger by the end of the book than at the start.
I have noticed a lot of books, supposedly written from the perspective of a teen, carry way too much adult emotional weight and thought- this book does not. I really felt as though I was reading a teenagers point of view. The story drags in a few places but there is plenty of action and angst to keep the pages turning.
The book doesn't wrap up with a perfect HEA, because real life doesn't work that way, but it does end with hope and promise for a better tomorrow.
BLURB: Teenagers on a mission trip find themselves in the middle of of riots and warfare with no adults to guide them to safety.
SOLD!
I really liked this book. It has a Christian theme but the references to God/prayer fit well with the story line. The main character, Cori, is conflicted about her belief in God- a conflict that surprisingly seems to be stronger by the end of the book than at the start.
I have noticed a lot of books, supposedly written from the perspective of a teen, carry way too much adult emotional weight and thought- this book does not. I really felt as though I was reading a teenagers point of view. The story drags in a few places but there is plenty of action and angst to keep the pages turning.
The book doesn't wrap up with a perfect HEA, because real life doesn't work that way, but it does end with hope and promise for a better tomorrow.
August 14, 2015
2.5 stars - I enjoyed the setting and the plot.
The characters were flat and unrelatable; I didn't much like any of them, and the narrator was especially annoying. The love triangle had me rolling my eyes and the characters were constantly either flirting or bickering. Somehow I think in life and death situations, even immature teens would not be having tickle fights and spats over nonsense.
The writing was difficult to get through. And I thought it was disappointing that God seemed to be sort of an afterthought through the whole book, despite the fact that they were Christians on a mission trip.
Maybe I am too old to get into young adult books anymore, but my assessment is it's not worth your time.
The characters were flat and unrelatable; I didn't much like any of them, and the narrator was especially annoying. The love triangle had me rolling my eyes and the characters were constantly either flirting or bickering. Somehow I think in life and death situations, even immature teens would not be having tickle fights and spats over nonsense.
The writing was difficult to get through. And I thought it was disappointing that God seemed to be sort of an afterthought through the whole book, despite the fact that they were Christians on a mission trip.
Maybe I am too old to get into young adult books anymore, but my assessment is it's not worth your time.
November 10, 2018
In the novel My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay, eighteen-year-old Cori decides to spend her summer on a backpacking mission trip in Indonesia. Though she has a vague desire to do good, to help people, to “spread the love of Jesus,” her main purpose for going is to get some time away from Scott, her boyfriend. Cori is a Christian, but her relationship with God isn’t as close as it once was. Scott is not a believer, but he wants to marry Cori. So Cori needs time away to think, to sort things out.
After meeting the mission leader and the five other teens who will be going on the trip, they spend several days in a grueling boot camp. Then they travel on to Indonesia where they will help build a church as well as performing puppet shows and such. They meet Mani, the son of the local pastor, whose English is best and who acts as an unofficial liaison between the mission group and the church folks.
The group learns there is a tenuous peace between the Christian and Muslim villages. The Muslims view those who convert from Islam to Christianity as traitors, and Mani’s father is such a convert. But, though they are advised to be careful, no serious trouble is expected.
After several weeks of work and getting to know each other in the process, when the thatched-roof church is nearly finished, the mission group leader’s wife falls suddenly and dangerously ill. As the leader, Gary, makes hasty plans to get the group ready to leave, the kids protest. They can finish the church in the next couple of days and catch the next boat to meet up with Gary. Reluctantly, Gary agrees.
When the church is finished, the teens decide it needs a cross on top, so they go into the woods to find a suitable log. Nearing the village on their return, they hear angry voices. Mani stops the group close enough to listen, but far away enough not to be seen. Men from a neighboring Muslim village are angry that Christians have attacked their village, and, grouping all Christians together, they call on this village to answer for it. Mani’s father tries to explain and calm, but tempers flare and fighting breaks out. Mani’s parents are killed before the group’s eyes. One of the teen guys rescues Mani’s younger sister, Tina, while Cori tries to help Mani’s father. But it’s too late. The horrified and shaken teens head back into the woods. Mani says it would be no use to try to go back to the village. Their best bet would be to hike through the mountains to a neighboring village and then to the airport.
Thus begins a harrowing three-week journey in which the teens are tested in almost every imaginable way.
My thoughts:
Though teens are the main characters, and this book would be good for teens to read, it’s not just teen or young-adult fare. I found the story riveting. First, from my own standpoint, I don’t think I could have survived what the teens went through. And secondly, as a parent of young people, I can imagine what the parents went through with news of fighting in the area and no word from their kids.
On top of the physical hardships and mental and emotional strain they all face, some of them, especially Cori, wrestle with their faith. Reading Bible passages about God’s protection seem hollow after what they witnessed. Yet, to whom else can they turn?
In some ways I wish Cori’s faith struggles were more resolved by the end, but then I think part of the author’s point is that there are some things we can never resolve. One of the other teens tells Cori, after everything is over physically, but not mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, that sometimes you “just have to make a choice based on what you know about God. And relax and trust for the rest of what you don’t know” and “You know, life’s a journey…Some questions get answered later. You can’t stop traveling just because that’s not now.”
Besides the story itself, I loved the clearly-drawn characters. And I love the Jip and Kiki story game that started back in boot camp and helped distract the kids on their trek. One of the teens would start with, “Once there was a boy named Jip,” who loved chocolate and had a pet monkey named Kiki, and each one would add a few sentences, often based on what the kids themselves were going through.
In the author’s afterword, she shares that though the people in the story are fictitious, the circumstances, the fighting in the villages she named, were very real. The author’s own international and even inter-continental upbringing informs her writing, making it even more realistic.
I had heard this book highly recommended years ago and have had it on my TBR list since then. Somewhere recently I read that someone bought the rights to the book for a movie, and the book was being re-released. That brought it to the forefront of my attention again, so I decided now was a good time to read it. I am glad I did. I hope the film does it justice.
After meeting the mission leader and the five other teens who will be going on the trip, they spend several days in a grueling boot camp. Then they travel on to Indonesia where they will help build a church as well as performing puppet shows and such. They meet Mani, the son of the local pastor, whose English is best and who acts as an unofficial liaison between the mission group and the church folks.
The group learns there is a tenuous peace between the Christian and Muslim villages. The Muslims view those who convert from Islam to Christianity as traitors, and Mani’s father is such a convert. But, though they are advised to be careful, no serious trouble is expected.
After several weeks of work and getting to know each other in the process, when the thatched-roof church is nearly finished, the mission group leader’s wife falls suddenly and dangerously ill. As the leader, Gary, makes hasty plans to get the group ready to leave, the kids protest. They can finish the church in the next couple of days and catch the next boat to meet up with Gary. Reluctantly, Gary agrees.
When the church is finished, the teens decide it needs a cross on top, so they go into the woods to find a suitable log. Nearing the village on their return, they hear angry voices. Mani stops the group close enough to listen, but far away enough not to be seen. Men from a neighboring Muslim village are angry that Christians have attacked their village, and, grouping all Christians together, they call on this village to answer for it. Mani’s father tries to explain and calm, but tempers flare and fighting breaks out. Mani’s parents are killed before the group’s eyes. One of the teen guys rescues Mani’s younger sister, Tina, while Cori tries to help Mani’s father. But it’s too late. The horrified and shaken teens head back into the woods. Mani says it would be no use to try to go back to the village. Their best bet would be to hike through the mountains to a neighboring village and then to the airport.
Thus begins a harrowing three-week journey in which the teens are tested in almost every imaginable way.
My thoughts:
Though teens are the main characters, and this book would be good for teens to read, it’s not just teen or young-adult fare. I found the story riveting. First, from my own standpoint, I don’t think I could have survived what the teens went through. And secondly, as a parent of young people, I can imagine what the parents went through with news of fighting in the area and no word from their kids.
On top of the physical hardships and mental and emotional strain they all face, some of them, especially Cori, wrestle with their faith. Reading Bible passages about God’s protection seem hollow after what they witnessed. Yet, to whom else can they turn?
Before this summer those words [Romans 8:28] were part of whole set of trusty beliefs that defined my life. I knew they were true the same way I knew it really was good for me to eat my green vegetables. God is good, and everything works out for the best . . . and we all live happily ever after. I was so naïve. It’s not that I don’t want to trust those promises I’ve always believed in, but I just don’t understand
_____
If God didn’t see fit to save them, who’s to say that we weren’t all going to end up dead in this whole mess? And I hardly saw how that might produce a rich crop of faith, hope, and peace in my life. Unless it was in my heavenly life. Which, as much as I believed in heaven, was hardly a comforting thought.
In some ways I wish Cori’s faith struggles were more resolved by the end, but then I think part of the author’s point is that there are some things we can never resolve. One of the other teens tells Cori, after everything is over physically, but not mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, that sometimes you “just have to make a choice based on what you know about God. And relax and trust for the rest of what you don’t know” and “You know, life’s a journey…Some questions get answered later. You can’t stop traveling just because that’s not now.”
Besides the story itself, I loved the clearly-drawn characters. And I love the Jip and Kiki story game that started back in boot camp and helped distract the kids on their trek. One of the teens would start with, “Once there was a boy named Jip,” who loved chocolate and had a pet monkey named Kiki, and each one would add a few sentences, often based on what the kids themselves were going through.
In the author’s afterword, she shares that though the people in the story are fictitious, the circumstances, the fighting in the villages she named, were very real. The author’s own international and even inter-continental upbringing informs her writing, making it even more realistic.
I had heard this book highly recommended years ago and have had it on my TBR list since then. Somewhere recently I read that someone bought the rights to the book for a movie, and the book was being re-released. That brought it to the forefront of my attention again, so I decided now was a good time to read it. I am glad I did. I hope the film does it justice.
April 19, 2009
I started this book on 04/12/2009. I finished this book on 04/18/2009.
WOW is the best word to describe this book. I actually gave it five stars and I'm very picky with what books get my five stars...It's that good. It's amazing and although the characters are fiction the fighting in Ambon is so real. Through the whole book I was just amazed at the choices this group of teens had to make. Although I wished Cori and Kyle had of ended up a couple it was okay in the end. This is one of the few books I was happy with the ending. I can't wait to see what Lisa McKay comes out with next.
WOW is the best word to describe this book. I actually gave it five stars and I'm very picky with what books get my five stars...It's that good. It's amazing and although the characters are fiction the fighting in Ambon is so real. Through the whole book I was just amazed at the choices this group of teens had to make. Although I wished Cori and Kyle had of ended up a couple it was okay in the end. This is one of the few books I was happy with the ending. I can't wait to see what Lisa McKay comes out with next.
April 22, 2013
This is a wonderful book. If you are a Christian teen who wants a good story without a message that sounds like it came out of Reader's Digest, then this is for you. The author could have you laughing one minute and crying the next. It is a great story. I loved the characters. Their personalities, emotions, hopes and fears, etc. came across in such a way that they were completely believable. Very well done. For those who have already read the book, my fave scenes are " Kyle's Wild Pig", "Mark, Tina, and the M&Ms", and...oh, I have so many I can't choose! Please read this book!
February 6, 2020
Absolutely amazing.
This is one of my all-time favorite books! Highly, highly, highly (did I mention highly?) recommended!!!
I found it shelved as adult fiction at my library, but it is definitely, in my opinion, YA fiction. There is some violence (just a warning). I've seen some people that don't like the ending (without spoiling things, it's not your traditional fairy-tale-happily-ever-after ending). But, for me, it only makes the story that much better. So much more real...
For me, this is the epitome of YA fiction.
This is one of my all-time favorite books! Highly, highly, highly (did I mention highly?) recommended!!!
I found it shelved as adult fiction at my library, but it is definitely, in my opinion, YA fiction. There is some violence (just a warning). I've seen some people that don't like the ending (without spoiling things, it's not your traditional fairy-tale-happily-ever-after ending). But, for me, it only makes the story that much better. So much more real...
For me, this is the epitome of YA fiction.
September 19, 2013
I liked this book. I wanted to pick it up and read where the plot would take me. I felt like I was there with this group as they went through and navigated this journey. I wanted them to make it. I was cheering them on the whole way. It was so sad about the events in the village and I was deeply moved by them. I wish that we could find peace and that no one had to go through this kind of hatred or grief.
March 20, 2015
This is my favorite book. I have easily read it 20 times and I could quote half the book. It is an amazing story. Even though it is very sad, it still made me laugh out loud in parts. I really like the characters, there are so many good ones I can not even pick a favorite. I recommend it to anyone and everyone! :)
August 17, 2016
When I don't enjoy a book that so many others have raved about I can't help but wonder what I am missing. I never could get into this story and after almost a month of trying to hold out for it to get good I have decided to just stop reading. The characters aren't engaging to me and I can't even keep their names straight or remember anything about them. Time to move on.
November 20, 2007
This is an excellent book about kids on a mission trip in Indonesia when religious conflict breaks out and their adventure of trying to get home with only a seventeen year old Indonesian boy as their guide. Excellent, thought provoking.
May 21, 2012
Love love love love love. Love her. I am just so awed by the class and ease with she writes about something that would typically not appeal to me, but I enjoyed every page. Can't wait for her next one--our next week!
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