Taken by Dee Henderson is a stand alone novel with mentions of other characters from her last three books. This book was better than the last one I read, Unspoken, but was still a far cry from her earlier books. I do think I should read, Undetected because it sounds the most like how she used to write. I would like to compare that to others to really know if her writing has changed. What I do know is that the last couple of stories have been too long, drawn out and boring, and they repeat a lot - she is fragile, she is going to break, I have to protect her. Over and over and over again.
Shannon was kidnapped eleven years ago, endured awful circumstances, and somehow managed to escape. She found her way to Matthew Dane whose daughter was abducted and missing for eight years before he reunited with her. He is familiar with helping someone reintegrate into society. Shannon and Matthew start the journey of telling and listening, protecting and encouraging until she is ready to do what must be done. Tell everyone the facts without breaking.
At times the book didn't feel like a story; instead it was dry and factual without a spark of life to it. In those moments, I couldn't help but wonder why she couldn't blend it more naturally into the story. The story itself didn't feel engaging enough, but there were some good things in the book, too. I liked the big questions asked about God and her faith, and the answers given to it. They were tough questions, and the author answered them well which is why I recommend this book. The story may not be as good as her others, but the truths undergirding it are well worth it.
Here are some of my favorite quotes:
"It was men who hurt me, not God."
"The sad thing about evil...we did this to ourselves...We chose the knowledge - the experience of good and evil - and we found out just how bitter and dark it really is. We experience it now... My faith survived because I realized God didn't want this for us, He never had."
Pretty powerful quotes, huh? Give this book a try and see if you enjoy it. :-)
I was given this book free from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.
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