Dance of the Dandelion by Dina Sleiman is an unusual book. It's set in the Medieval times. The character, Dandelion, makes major mistakes. She gets herself into scrapes and dangerous situations...and then, guess what? There's redemption. I don't want to tell you about the redemption. I want you to be surprised. But I can tell you this, it wasn't what I expected.
So, why is this unusual? Well, let me tell you!
Very few Medieval books are being published in the modern market. Why not? I don't know. But I am very glad that White-Fire Publishing did take on this book. It is beautifully written and the setting is perfect. Dina did her research and truly understood the time period.
Dandelion gets herself into lots of trouble. Man trouble. Several times. She falters. Falls into temptation. And because of her sins, she experiences major destruction in her life. The Christian market is sometimes wary of these topics. But Dina certainly charted some territory that is often hedged. The great thing? She doesn't glorify any of it. In fact, the consequences occur quickly after Dandelion falls.
Dandelion's redemption is nothing short of moving. She learns the deep, strong, never-ending love of God. Her redemption isn't found in a man (like all too many novels). Instead, it is because of the work that God had been doing in her all along. Absolutely uplifting.
Christian fiction is all about a story that uplifts, convicts and directs us to the abundant life to be found in Christ (which usually has nothing to do with money). I was delighted by Dance of the Dandelion. From the cover to the story to the author herself, this is a beautiful novel. I highly recommend this.
To learn more about Dina Sleiman, visit her website here. To order this book, check out Amazon (this book is available as an ebook and a paperback).
** Please note: I received nothing in exchange for this review. I just loved the book and wanted to share it with you!
Also, for you nook people (like me), Dance of the Dandelion is available for us! But, I must say, the paperback is really so beautiful, I'm glad I own the real thing!
ReplyDelete"Her redemption isn't found in a man (like all too many novels)."
ReplyDeleteSo true, Susie. I struggle with this in the Christian romance market. It seems sort of hit and miss. With my own life experiences, I know all too well that a man won't fix anything!
My newest novel is going even more in a romance direction, but the whole point is that they can't be together until they get their business straight with God.
Thanks for sharing this review. Very well put. I think Dina's book will continue to win accolades because of both its strong writing and its redemption message. It doesn't fit nicely into "the expected" and so will continue to stand alone.
ReplyDeleteCute blog!
Thanks for stopping by, Dina!
ReplyDeleteDebra, I wholeheartedly agree! And thank you. This is my "fun" blog. I looked for the cutest background I could find!