The book that everyone seemed to be reading a few years ago, although a bit of a 'Marmite' taste...lets see what all the fuss is about! Found on a free bookshelf in an Indian Ayurvedic retreat resort.

(20/12/14) Ok, here goes BIG SPOILER alert! (you have been warned)

The main character (fictional) in this book is Mackenzie 'Mack' Allen Philips, a troubled middle-aged American who has to contend with the abduction and death of his daughter, as well as his own abusive upbringing and hand in his father's death. The story starts with a hand-delivered letter supposedly from God 'Papa' inviting him back to the shack where the trail for his daughter was lost. Over the period of a weekend (not 'real time') Mack meets God as a black woman and an older white man, as well as incarnations of Jesus and the holy spirit or 'Sarayu'. The lessons Mack learns over this period, well you can guess, follow a quasi-religious and spiritual agenda of forgiveness, trust and faith in God, and some somewhat dodgy explanations as to why Missy died and who was to blame (man and his desire for independence, not God!) This reminded me a lot of Dickens' Christmas Carol, as Mack is faced with his daughter and father in heaven, but mostly its confronting his own failings, and a personal journey away form 'The Great Sadness', and into a different life.

I think you can tell, I didn't enjoy this despite the generous 4*'s (in case I am being judged - only joking). I am a proud practicing agnostic (yes still joking) and found this all too trite and patronising.

I'm taking this along to the Ipswich meet-up, to share. Enjoy :)