Flabbergasted by Ray Blackston

This is... well, it's a Christian book. Very Southern Presbyterian. A different culture from the Christian culture that I am familiar with. So in some ways I couldn't really relate to the story. (This is basically the story of how a young stockbroker finds God.) Other parts I could really relate to.

I loved the setting. Most of the book was set in South Carolina and Ray Blackston made that place come alive for me. I really liked his narrative style. At first it seemed a little awkward, but I quickly got used to it and enjoyed it. This is actually kind of a chicklit kind of book, but written by a man and from a man's perspective. I liked that. I thought the Christian singles scene that he wrote about was interesting too.

Did I like this book? Hm. Well, I really enjoyed reading it. I liked all the characters, I LOVED that it was squeaky clean and I always like Bible references. But! I really didn't like the resolution of the book. I think the conclusion was too black and white. Too... give up everything for the one thing. And why? I never got the feeling that the choice our main character made was what he really wanted. Is this because the author meant to be a little bit ambivalent? Was this because he was trying NOT to be heavy handed? Or was it just because he's a guy and didn't really need to include the details that I wanted? :) So, a dissatisfying ending. To me.

And my last mild complaint is also a categorizing. This book goes in the less spiritual Christian book category. It is the story of a man's complete conversion, but it just didn't have that universal spiritual feel to it. Read C.S. Lewis. Any Christian can feel what he's saying. And my current favorite Christian author Karen Witemeyer--any Christian person (well, perhaps mostly Christian ladies) can relate to her characters. But this book felt more cultural than religious to me. If I'm reading a Christian book, I look forward to being edified, even taught, as well as entertained. This one, as entertaining as it was, was not edifying. Fun in a lot of ways, but not a lot of depth.

I hate to end this review on any kind of negative note, though. It was a light-hearted, fun, entertaining book!