ARA Review by Tskibell47 of The Message?

[Tskibell47]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, The Message?.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The Message? by Adam Hale is a book that keeps the reader engaged on two levels. The first is ongoing drama involving 38 year old Leah Warner, who has been involved in a head-on car collision and has multiple injuries. She is being kept alive in a deep coma at a local hospital with little hope of recovery.


One morning a medical alert calls nursing staff to her bedside, where they are astounded to discover that she has awakened, has disconnected her life support equipment and is found praying. The non-religious Leah claims that she was given a message from God, a message of concern, to share with the world.


The Message? tells the story of Leah’s efforts to share her message from God and the mixed response she has received from various individuals and organizations throughout the world. Intermixed with this developing drama is an ongoing record of lectures given at a local university by a Professor Bradshaw. His class is studying the history of various arguments in support of and opposed to the existence of God. Beginning with Socrates, Dr. Bradshaw begins by addressing the “overwhelming evidence that the universe had a beginning”, suggesting the existence of a creator.


The story alternates between the lectures and discussion in Dr. Bradshaw’s class back to the improbable and complete recovery of Leah from her devastating injuries. Her physicians are amazed at her recovery as are family and friends. Those who know Leah find in her recovery evidence that something most unusual has occurred in her life and gives, to them, a reason to believe her story that God left a message for her to share with the world.


Leah struggles with a “Why me?” question and the diverse reactions to her claim that she received a message from God. Simultaneously Dr. Bradshaw is taking his class through questions as “Are we born with a moral compass?” and “How does God decide what is good?” The author parallels these philosophical questions with the real life experiences of Leah in a way that makes the reader think deeply about her experiences.


As Leah faces mounting opposition to her claim from both atheists and religious believers, the philosophical discussion in the classroom merges with the doctrine of the separation of church and state. This may seem to be complicated but the author has done a masterful job in keeping the story and the classroom lectures and discussion in line with each other.


In the midst of significant opposition to her claim that God gave her a message to share, Leah receives support from some influential people, who find her message to be positive, to promote faith, in general, and to be religiously neutral.


The story kept me increasingly interested as it became more drama based and less philosophical. It also brought back to memory much that I had learned while taking philosophy courses in college. For these two reasons I rate The Message? five out of five stars. It kept my interest and I learned something from it. The Message? is a good read.

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[Dragonsend]

I would absolutely love to read this book! You have done a wonderful job of deceiving this book and it is going on my must read list!! Thank you!