by Jason Joyner | Apr 25, 2011 | Blog, books, GEMS, human trafficking, Rachel Lloyd, reviews, social justice
A strange title for a man’s blog post, no?
Well, stick around, because this is one of the most important blog posts I’ve written. Nothing like setting myself up for failure…
SO – as if I didn’t have enough books I signed up for the Amazon Vine program, where they send me books in exchange for an honest review on Amazon. I was amazed by the list of items to choose from. Only two? Probably for the best.
I picked a novel and then took a chance on a book called Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd. Anyone who’s followed my blog knows that human trafficking is a deep concern for me. I’ve read books and web articles by those who work to help the victims of trafficking. I made it a point to listen to Laura Lederer, the former head of the State Department task force on human trafficking, at a talk at the local university. I’m versed in the issue.
But nothing prepared me for Rachel Lloyd’s story.
That’s because she lived the life of a victim of trafficking.
The subtitle for the book is: Fighting For A World Where Girls Are Not For Sale, An Activist Finds Her Calling And Heals Herself. This sums up the content of the book well. The book is told from Rachel’s point of view, but it is not a straight-forward memoir or autobiography.
The book is organized by different topics that affect girls who end up trafficked for sex: family neglect and abuse, pimps, johns, cops and legal authorities, trying to escape, relapse, and healing. The story is fully engaging by alternating Rachel’s experiences of falling into the sex industry in Germany as a teenager to how other girls she’s worked with since have had similar problems. All along she is discussing the issue at the heart of the chapter – whether it is the men who provide the demand, the problems with existing laws in dealing with the issue, or the work of people to provide a way out.
Rachel survived drugs, alcohol, abuse, and death threats. Upon leaving the industry and her pimp, she found a church in German military base where she started her healing process. When she came to the States in 1997, she started working with girls who ended up forced into prostitution. She eventually started GEMS, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services, to work with victims in New York. The book is gripping with the details of Rachel’s own trials and those of the women she is serving.
The book does a lot of education, using the themes above to discuss issues and misconceptions related to prostitution. She challenges the mindset that teen girls choose this lifestyle, the influence of pop culture on glorifying pimps and the control involved, and the way advocates are working to address the problems of the legal system in working with these kids. However, it is not preachy or lecturing. Instead, the heart is impacted by the stories of the Jasmines, Tiffanys, Aishas, and Rachel herself.
Reading this book deeply affected me. The prologue made me want to read all day, so I moved on. After reading the first chapter, I had to stop because I was shocked. I’m a rural boy from Idaho, so I don’t get out to the big city all that much, and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I wasn’t turned off, but I needed a break. The book does have rough language, especially in the middle of the book, so the sensitive are warned. However, my feeling is if you can’t read this book and get past a little salty language, then shame on you.
The book convicted me as a man in the ways, however small, I contribute to the sexual glorification of women, because this snowballs into lust that puts these vulnerable girls at risk. It made me want to do what I can to help combat the problem, whether on the side of demand or helping the victims. My passion is increased because my compassion is engaged.
The problem of human trafficking is real. There are more slaves in the world today than during the height of the African slave trade. It isn’t just an international problem. Rachel shows the readers how it is a problem right here in the United States. I believe every true Christian, and anyone with a heart for the victim of poverty, injustice, and abuse, should read this book to understand it a little better.
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by Jason Joyner | Apr 25, 2011 | Blog, books, GEMS, human trafficking, Rachel Lloyd, reviews, social justice
A strange title for a man’s blog post, no?
Well, stick around, because this is one of the most important blog posts I’ve written. Nothing like setting myself up for failure…
SO – as if I didn’t have enough books I signed up for the Amazon Vine program, where they send me books in exchange for an honest review on Amazon. I was amazed by the list of items to choose from. Only two? Probably for the best.
I picked a novel and then took a chance on a book called Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd. Anyone who’s followed my blog knows that human trafficking is a deep concern for me. I’ve read books and web articles by those who work to help the victims of trafficking. I made it a point to listen to Laura Lederer, the former head of the State Department task force on human trafficking, at a talk at the local university. I’m versed in the issue.
But nothing prepared me for Rachel Lloyd’s story.
That’s because she lived the life of a victim of trafficking.
The subtitle for the book is: Fighting For A World Where Girls Are Not For Sale, An Activist Finds Her Calling And Heals Herself. This sums up the content of the book well. The book is told from Rachel’s point of view, but it is not a straight-forward memoir or autobiography.
The book is organized by different topics that affect girls who end up trafficked for sex: family neglect and abuse, pimps, johns, cops and legal authorities, trying to escape, relapse, and healing. The story is fully engaging by alternating Rachel’s experiences of falling into the sex industry in Germany as a teenager to how other girls she’s worked with since have had similar problems. All along she is discussing the issue at the heart of the chapter – whether it is the men who provide the demand, the problems with existing laws in dealing with the issue, or the work of people to provide a way out.
Rachel survived drugs, alcohol, abuse, and death threats. Upon leaving the industry and her pimp, she found a church in German military base where she started her healing process. When she came to the States in 1997, she started working with girls who ended up forced into prostitution. She eventually started GEMS, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services, to work with victims in New York. The book is gripping with the details of Rachel’s own trials and those of the women she is serving.
The book does a lot of education, using the themes above to discuss issues and misconceptions related to prostitution. She challenges the mindset that teen girls choose this lifestyle, the influence of pop culture on glorifying pimps and the control involved, and the way advocates are working to address the problems of the legal system in working with these kids. However, it is not preachy or lecturing. Instead, the heart is impacted by the stories of the Jasmines, Tiffanys, Aishas, and Rachel herself.
Reading this book deeply affected me. The prologue made me want to read all day, so I moved on. After reading the first chapter, I had to stop because I was shocked. I’m a rural boy from Idaho, so I don’t get out to the big city all that much, and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I wasn’t turned off, but I needed a break. The book does have rough language, especially in the middle of the book, so the sensitive are warned. However, my feeling is if you can’t read this book and get past a little salty language, then shame on you.
The book convicted me as a man in the ways, however small, I contribute to the sexual glorification of women, because this snowballs into lust that puts these vulnerable girls at risk. It made me want to do what I can to help combat the problem, whether on the side of demand or helping the victims. My passion is increased because my compassion is engaged.
The problem of human trafficking is real. There are more slaves in the world today than during the height of the African slave trade. It isn’t just an international problem. Rachel shows the readers how it is a problem right here in the United States. I believe every true Christian, and anyone with a heart for the victim of poverty, injustice, and abuse, should read this book to understand it a little better.
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by Jason Joyner | Apr 19, 2011 | Blog, CSFF, pants are preferable, reviews, speculative fiction
The Strange Man.
It is an evocative title. Why is he strange? What is going on? A look at the cover grabs your eye and might give shivers to someone.
Why have a book like this in Christian speculative fiction?
As others have said in better arguments, Christian fiction is a place that should be able to depict the fight between good and evil, light and darkness, with more authenticity than any horror writer or slasher film. We know there is a battle for souls, with eternal consequences. We know we have a real enemy that is worse than anything that can be imagined.
The review:
The Strange Man has an interesting premise, a promising introduction, a mix of suspense and a little goofy humor, and a cliffhanger ending. These are all positive things I got out of the book. I gave a short synopsis of the book yesterday, and the main character Dras Weldon is an unlikely hero. He does some crazy things like haggling with kids over a vintage G.I. Joe action figure (Snake Eyes! – mega geek points there) and riding his bike sans pants. He adds some humor over the first 2/3 of the book with his slacker ways. Unfortunately, he also becomes a hard character to root for, as his immature ways and cluelessness made me want to smack him after a while.
Overall, the book has some strong points, but ultimately failed to engage me at several points. The suspense is built up well in the first act, but sags in the middle. He ups the ante considerably in the third act, but some of the character progressions seem to be too much in too short a time.
SPOILER ALERT!!
Dras realizes to fight the demonic influence of the Strange Man he must turn to his childhood faith. He was painted as such a stunted adult that his turn-around and willingness to sacrifice anything for his friend Rosalyn is too incredible. I’m willing to accept a demonic force walking around town, but a sudden shift of character is too much. Also, the events that lead to the climax seem too outrageous as well. Dras is accused of killing a police officer, and when that happened I put the book down in frustration for the day. Too improbable, so it threw me out of the fictive picture I was painting in my mind.
END SPOILERS
It seems that Greg has enjoyed the horror genre and wants to emulate it with a Christian twist. I admire his goal, and I applaud writers using this genre (not necessarily my preferred, admittedly) to share a redemptive theme in an accessible form. Unfortunately, the plot doesn’t have enough behind it to propel it through the whole book. The middle starts bouncing us around different people, confusing me and taking away from the central characters. Plot points are introduced and lost. The trick is, this is supposed to be The Coming Evil Trilogy. I don’t know if there’s enough to power it through.
It also suffers from a lot of inconsistencies. Greensboro is at once a dying town, but other times has crowds of teens and college-aged students at a dance club. Demons outrace cars but can’t catch Dras on his bicycle.
Finally, as a writer I noticed that he had a hard time staying in one point of view for a scene. I don’t know if general readers pick up this like I do (having been ruined for reading like I have) but I know I had to check back several times to see who was doing the thinking/perceiving. All of that tends to throw off the reading experience, I feel.
The end even felt improbable from the spoiler section above, but he put enough What the? factor that I am curious to what happens next. Unfortunately, I won’t be returning to Greensboro to find out.
Now this is just one person’s opinion. Becky Miller keeps track of all the tour posts, so be sure to check around to see if I’m way out there on this one. It wouldn’t be the first time…
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(I received a free copy of The Strange Man in return for a review and my participation in the CSFF Blog Tour. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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by Jason Joyner | Mar 30, 2011 | Blog, fedoras anyone?, movies, reviews, The Adjustment Bureau
The Adjustment Bureau is a stylish, romantic “what if” movie that doesn’t underestimate the importance of good headwear.
I’ve be trying to get my wife to the new thriller with Matt Damon,
The Adjustment Bureau ever since it came out. I was interested anyway, then
Breakpoint with Chuck Colson highlighted it as an intelligent movie that can open the door for conversation about God, sovereignty, and free will.
Yes, please!
Matt Damon is strong as David Norris, a young hot shot politician who almost nabs the New York Senate seat. Almost, because a picture of him mooning classmates at a reunion adds to his impulsive reputation and kills the election for him.
As he practices his concession speech in the men’s room, he is interrupted by Elise (Emily Blunt), a woman hiding after crashing a wedding at this hotel. There’s an instant connection, and after she flees the hotel staff, David throws out his canned talk and gives a candid performance that impresses the voters and pundits again.
He didn’t get Elise’s name, but he happens to run into her on the bus Monday morning. Coincidence? Well, according to snappily-dressed men in fedoras following David, it wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t “part of the plan.”
These shadowy men kidnap David and reveal themselves as part of the Adjustment Bureau, a group dedicated to making sure things go according to the plan. Misplace your keys lately? Spill coffee on yourself (like me) recently? It may have been an accident – or it may have been the Bureau making slight adjustments to keep things flowing in the right way. David is informed that he can’t reveal them, and he should stay away from Elise.
Three years later, and David is still taking the same bus hoping to catch her. He manages a glimpse of her in the crowd, and chases her down. Against the plan. Now David must choose between pursuing a woman that has captivated him like no other, or let destiny play out the way it should.
I’m easy to please in a movie, admittedly. Well, maybe I should amend that. I’m picky about the movies I go to, so if I choose to go to one, I’m usually happy. Still, it is the rare movie that makes me giddy as certain elements come to pass.
The Adjustment Bureau is one of those movies.
The plot is good, the suspense continues throughout the whole film, and I never felt sucked out of the world they were bringing. However, this movie shines through the main actors. Matt Damon carries himself believably as a young politician that is caught in the balance of using his youthful drive for his benefit and not letting it stumble his ambition. Emily Blunt is flirty and vulnerable as the contemporary dancer that makes David swoon. The two together have a palpable chemistry, and it is enjoyable to see the sparks on screen. I groaned once in the film, when they kiss after only meeting for a few minutes. Does this really happen? Ever? Without alcohol involved, I mean? Otherwise, the audience is rooting for their romance all along.
Some reviewers were tripped up by the plot device used by the Adjustment Bureau guys to bop around New York City – I enjoyed it though. Properly attired, these guys can travel through doorways and use secret passages to end up all over the city. Terence Stamp has a great voice and gravitas as the heavy brought in to rein in David, and the actor who plays the ultimately compassionate agent portrays a man conflicted.
Breakpoint was right – there aren’t a lot of movies that make people face questions about weighty topics like predestination, free will, and who really is in control. And highly entertaining to boot! The Adjustment Bureau manages both of these points, and I am looking forward to seeing it on blu-ray down the road.
Anyone else seen The Adjustment Bureau? Share your thoughts below!
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by Jason Joyner | Mar 30, 2011 | Blog, fedoras anyone?, movies, reviews, The Adjustment Bureau
The Adjustment Bureau is a stylish, romantic “what if” movie that doesn’t underestimate the importance of good headwear.
I’ve be trying to get my wife to the new thriller with Matt Damon,
The Adjustment Bureau ever since it came out. I was interested anyway, then
Breakpoint with Chuck Colson highlighted it as an intelligent movie that can open the door for conversation about God, sovereignty, and free will.
Yes, please!
Matt Damon is strong as David Norris, a young hot shot politician who almost nabs the New York Senate seat. Almost, because a picture of him mooning classmates at a reunion adds to his impulsive reputation and kills the election for him.
As he practices his concession speech in the men’s room, he is interrupted by Elise (Emily Blunt), a woman hiding after crashing a wedding at this hotel. There’s an instant connection, and after she flees the hotel staff, David throws out his canned talk and gives a candid performance that impresses the voters and pundits again.
He didn’t get Elise’s name, but he happens to run into her on the bus Monday morning. Coincidence? Well, according to snappily-dressed men in fedoras following David, it wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t “part of the plan.”
These shadowy men kidnap David and reveal themselves as part of the Adjustment Bureau, a group dedicated to making sure things go according to the plan. Misplace your keys lately? Spill coffee on yourself (like me) recently? It may have been an accident – or it may have been the Bureau making slight adjustments to keep things flowing in the right way. David is informed that he can’t reveal them, and he should stay away from Elise.
Three years later, and David is still taking the same bus hoping to catch her. He manages a glimpse of her in the crowd, and chases her down. Against the plan. Now David must choose between pursuing a woman that has captivated him like no other, or let destiny play out the way it should.
I’m easy to please in a movie, admittedly. Well, maybe I should amend that. I’m picky about the movies I go to, so if I choose to go to one, I’m usually happy. Still, it is the rare movie that makes me giddy as certain elements come to pass.
The Adjustment Bureau is one of those movies.
The plot is good, the suspense continues throughout the whole film, and I never felt sucked out of the world they were bringing. However, this movie shines through the main actors. Matt Damon carries himself believably as a young politician that is caught in the balance of using his youthful drive for his benefit and not letting it stumble his ambition. Emily Blunt is flirty and vulnerable as the contemporary dancer that makes David swoon. The two together have a palpable chemistry, and it is enjoyable to see the sparks on screen. I groaned once in the film, when they kiss after only meeting for a few minutes. Does this really happen? Ever? Without alcohol involved, I mean? Otherwise, the audience is rooting for their romance all along.
Some reviewers were tripped up by the plot device used by the Adjustment Bureau guys to bop around New York City – I enjoyed it though. Properly attired, these guys can travel through doorways and use secret passages to end up all over the city. Terence Stamp has a great voice and gravitas as the heavy brought in to rein in David, and the actor who plays the ultimately compassionate agent portrays a man conflicted.
Breakpoint was right – there aren’t a lot of movies that make people face questions about weighty topics like predestination, free will, and who really is in control. And highly entertaining to boot! The Adjustment Bureau manages both of these points, and I am looking forward to seeing it on blu-ray down the road.
Anyone else seen The Adjustment Bureau? Share your thoughts below!
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by Jason Joyner | Feb 22, 2011 | Blog, christian fiction, reviews, speculative fiction, writing craft
Welcome back to the CSFF Tour for February. This month’s featured book is The God Hater by Bill Myers.
For a synopsis, check out yesterday’s post introducing the book.
This book fits a “speculative fiction” category by supposing that we can build an artificial computer world, with completely independent artificial intelligence, that can be used to see how humanity will respond to variables and make better predictions.
My prediction is that this book will do well with general Christian fiction (specifically CBA readers). And that is perhaps a shame.
This book is written for a purpose. It has a specific aim – to show the logic God used in creating our world and the need for divine intervention (per the Questions to the Author in the back of the book). The book is designed to be a challenge to the New Atheists who are challenging Christian belief with old arguments and renewed fervor. It is a noble purpose, certainly. From a personal standpoint I would love to see it succeed.
Reviewing it for artistic purposes is another story.
Often Christian art is considered to be in one of two categories: it is made with creativity as the primary goal, and the theme taken from the book is incidental, or it is made with a message as the anchor, and the story is conceived and created around it. I don’t think it is necessarily bad to have a book written with the second point as the motivation, but it means that the story will require a very deft touch to make the work stand on artistic merits, apart from the theme (however holy it may be).
The God Haters, in my opinion, fails to rise above the forced preconceptions and stand as a quality piece of fiction. The story suffers from several flaws. The characters are generally 2D cut-outs, created to hold a place in the story without much depth or empathy. The Christian professor Annie escapes this to a degree, but she doesn’t carry enough of the story to overcome the other flat people. He uses several writing techniques that jarred me out of the imaginary world he was attempting to create, from using parentheses for several asides to a character with an annoying vocal tic (“bro!”). There were also a couple of scientific mistakes that threw me as a biology major, but that is me being overly picky.
The suspense and plot is pulled along well enough, and isn’t all that bad. It just isn’t all that good either. I didn’t get bored, but I wasn’t invested in what was happening. There are some touching moments as he delves into the computer simulation and the professor’s avatar gains more and more compassion for the “creation,” but it is too little, too late to save the book. A major issue seems to be that the book is too short to give the depth needed to make everything more believable. Perhaps it would be a different story if it had the length to give the depth required.
The book gives the whole back copy to quotes of endorsements. There’s no place to get a synopsis of the book, and I think that will be a disservice to readers as well.
I don’t like to give such negative reviews, but I have to be honest in my impression of a book to have some integrity as a reviewer. Christian art can be especially tricky, because the charge can be brought that I’m harming a brother in their ministry or something similar. Like I said, I admire the intent, and wish it could have worked out better. It was an ambitious project, but my opinion is that it isn’t a great book for those looking for a story with in-depth characters and a carefully crafted plot. If you’re looking for a book to shore up your Christian beliefs, then this book would be entertaining enough. I wouldn’t recommend it to a non-believer, but I really won’t be recommending it anyway.
If you make it past this gloomy review, tomorrow I want to talk about the issue of art and theme raised by this book, and compare it with another recent read.
I did receive a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes, and was obviously not required to give a positive endorsement in exchange for the book. The opinions are my own.
Oh, and check out my tourmates at Becky’s blog for the latest and greatest from the others in the CSFF Tour.
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