Watching the Tree Limbs by Mary E. DeMuth Published by: Navpress (2006) 360 pages Rating: 10/10 Buy it Now:    Also by Mary E. DeMuth: Wishing on Dandelions Daisy Chain A Slow Burn

Christian fiction is often accused of avoiding the really tough issues, of staying away from true evil and "real" issues. Such critics claim that Christian fiction is only about generally good people dealing with minor issues. I've always contended that such critics are basing their complaints off of a very limited look at Christian fiction, choosing only a few top sellers and condemning the entire genre.

It will be interesting to see what those critics make of Watching the Tree Limbs, then. Rather than avoiding tough issues, Mary DeMuth takes them on in a straightforward and almost shocking way as child rape takes center stage by the end of chapter one.

Watching the Tree Limbs tell the story of nine-year-old orphan Mara Weatherall. Living with an aunt who doesn't seem to care much, Mara has no defense against the attacks of an older neighborhood boy, attacks that she doesn't dare speak of. When even what she knows is ripped away and Mara is sent to a strange new place to live, the mystery of her own parentage deepens but the threats to her life and well being are far from over.

Finishing up this novel, I was hit with one major comparison that was easy to make: Charles Dickens. By that I do not mean that this book is full of excruciatingly detailed descriptions of buildings and surroundings that take pages and pages to explain so as to provide the setting for a three-page scene of dialogue. Thank goodness. No, the comparison to Dickens has to do with story structure.

When you think of Dickens, you think of Oliver Twist or David Copperfield, etc., stories in which an orphan child struggled against the evils of society, searching for love and family. The story of little Mara follows that exact structure. In fact, it's very much the kind of story Dickens would have written were he writing about the evils fostered on children of 2006 rather than 1846.

DeMuth doesn't shy away from portraying those evils, while avoiding anything too graphic. What happens to Mara is devastating and impossible to turn away from. After the first horrific encounter with the villain, there is no way to put the book down.

Also like Dickens, DeMuth surrounds her orphan with a memorable cast of characters, each with his or her own quirks and noticeable personality traits. From Mara's best friend Camilla to her enigmatic guardian, these are people you won't soon forget.

Christian fiction continues a truly outstanding year with additions such as this. Titles like this make me very happy to be running this website. Highly Recommended.