| Title | : | Bibles and Ball Bats |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1537361414 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781537361413 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 297 |
| Publication | : | Published October 9, 2016 |
Bibles and Ball Bats Reviews
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Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Bibles and Ball Bats spotlights a problem in our society that I feel often gets shaded over. Though media and other outlets have drawn more attention to it of late, the horror of the slave market is still an on-going problem, and the issue should be on the front lines of our justice system. Though the subject of the book is often an uncomfortable one, it's a good issue to address, and kudos to Mr. Allen for tackling it.
The story itself reads somewhat like a journal entry -- a first person point of view in a cut and dried voice that lists facts without a lot of elaboration. Parts of the story are quite gory, which I found to be at odds with the voice. The protagonist, Lucas, is a mid-teen (or so I gathered), and his age would normally have labeled the book as a middle grade or even a young adult novel, but the explicit gore seems to reach a more mature audience. Dealing with the subject matter, though, is not for the faint of heart or for euphemisms, so I gave the narrative a pass.
One thing Mr. Allen touched on, and I felt could have been wrangled with even further, was the matter of conscience. Lucas had to examine his faith and his background as he pursues justice, and there are no easy answers in such a situation as he finds himself. I liked that Mr. Allen made it clear that there WERE no easy answers, and that the answers Lucas eventually arrived at may or may not have been the right ones.
The pace of the book didn't pick up for me until about halfway through, but at that point, I found it quite interesting and was able to finish it with interest. A few typos here and there, but nothing egregious or distracting. Four stars from me.
