Review of "The Shack"

I am reading William Paul Young's book The Shack, the story of a grieving father's encounter with God in a run-down cabin in the wilderness.

Initially, I was very reluctant to touch the book. Stories about violence against children turn me off. I read a bit of the first chapter, skipped to the end (bad habit), and was intrigued enough to start again in the middle, from the bit where Mackenzie receives a typewritten note from "Papa" and goes to the shack to find out if God is for real.

The writing style and central idea remind me of Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet In Heaven. But it's the writer's use of characters and ideas that contradict all the stereotypes we were taught about God, religion and religious institutions, that makes the book a unique and worthwhile read. It made me uncomfortable to have so many of my assumptions challenged. That in itself is an intellectual exercise worth undertaking, for otherwise I would be stuck in my own way of thinking.

For these reasons, I encourage anyone who wants a more intimate relationship with God to read The Shack.