The Shack by William P Young (2008, Unabridged, Compact Disc)

William Young's novel, The Shack, centers on dialogues between a miserable main character, Mack, and three unorthodox characterizations of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, embodied in a sassy black woman, incongruously called "Papa," ; Jesus, a big-nosed Middle-Eastern carpenter with a close-cropped beard; and the Holy Spirit, called Sarayu, an Asian Sylph. Mack's three year accumulation of secrets, lies, pain and fears over the kidnapping and murder of his six-year-old daughter, Missy, are swept away in a 48-hour encounter in the woods at- you guessed it- the shack where she was killed.

Readers views of The Shack, and its message, are varied and, at times, contentious.

Some critics argue that Young's book promotes universal salvation; as free to anyone as an open bar at a party. They understand his book to say that people can discover Jesus' love inside themselves, turn their life over to him, and they are on their way to eternal bliss. Some hard-line fundamentalist Christians view The Shack's message as deeply subversive, scripturally incorrect, and downright dangerous. Some ministers, like Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, say "it misrepresents God. Young misses the big E on the eye chart." To Driscoll, doctrine is essential, like a fence the Almighty erects to safeguard the saved from error.

But the Shack also has fans. Many readers say that they have found solace and inspiration in The Shack. They overlook the clichés- "Religious machinery can chew up people," Jesus says at one point-, stereotypes, like the Jewish Jesus' big nose, and Young's awkward writing: the black female God tells Mack, "Don't just stand there gawkin' with your mouth open like your pants are full." Steve McVey of Tampa, author of Grace Walk, praises The Shack. McVey says Young connects with people outside of, or unhappy with, institutional churches that "tell us what we ought to do for God, while grace focuses on what God has already done. A person discovers grace when you come to the end of your own self-sufficiency and realize that you have been made acceptable through Jesus Christ and him alone. You can't score points with God."

According to Young, the book is a vision of joy, however far it strays from evangelical dogma. He says he clarified the focus of his narrative by ripping out pages of theological jargon. The author posits that he has "a lot of freedom by knowing that you really experience God in relationships, wherever you are. It's fluid and dynamic, not cemented into an institution with a concrete foundation."

Before posting this review, I spoke to a number of people who had read The Shack and, to a person, they all found the "Dallas"/"Bob Newhart Show" swoon ending confusing. If Young's goal was to present a parable for our times, why have the novel end with a question?

For me, the book started off with a concept that was quite interesting and then devolved into exactly what a reader might expect from a religious writer trying to gain an audience. The Shack is a fast read and certainly inspirational in its own way, but not among the short-list of books that I would want to carry to a deserted island.

Although the title sounds simple, this book holds within its pages some very distinct questions asked by many people.
It is religious based, written in somewhat of a child like manner yet deeply seated in answers that require forethought and thinking in general.
I recommend highly this book for those who are looking and seeking answers based on God and the Trininty Three.
I wonder if the author understands that coming out of his box, the religious box that he is going metaphysical. Most apparent in his writing.
If you love God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, this is a must read for anyone who seems to have issues feeling close to God. This book is in context and especially good for those who have lost a loved one and has seemingly trouble understanding the love of God and why things happen.
The author writes about the deep love God gives without us knowing how to receive and give. Understanding the pain that he himself has endured with his own personal losss, leans to giving understanding how to release pain and embrace life, learning how to forgive, let go and go forth.
Even if you have not experienced loss it's a reading that will open up understanding, embracing God and loving Him on a level that requires understanding of relationships.
This book hopefully reaching people who have trouble understanding that we are all free, and that includes even free to do harm or wrong. Understanding why some choose to do harm isn't for us to understand, but knowing that even then we are free. Although freedom should be for those to use responsibly, think even that all have rights, and some of those rights are taken away by those who are irresponsible with their freedom.
Learning to understand that God is here and does guide us, giving character to all of God is aidfull in that concept. Although the Bible does personify
in the book of Proverbs, this book will aid you in understanding all of God since all is personified. We are after all earthly creatures who seem to have a need for that concept in order to be able to reach beyond what's physical to us.
Even if you think you understand things, read the book and open you mind to it and all of its concepts.
Wisdom is learning and learning is having an open mind.

This book will turn a traditional, fundamental view of God - the Trinity - on its head. It is powerful, painful, and troubling all at once. The story can cause your heart to ache at times, and it can give you the most amazing feeling of peace and joy at times. This book had an impact on my relationship with God that no other book ever has. It is not too Biblically or theologically inaccurate. The author does take license in his depictions of the Trinity. However, since the Bible is silent on many of these issues, and all we have in our minds are traditions or some persons interrupretations of what the Bible says, then we must be open to a different way of looking at who God is. Mr. Young (the author) is very respectful and honoring to the Personhood of God. And he shows us a visual of what the Bible describes as the character of God. This book will move you, astound you, and take your breath away. It will, bring you face to face with your own personal relationship with God - the triune aspect of God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in a way that you have never thought of before. Read the book with an open mind, and then share it with a friend.

The Shack is a beautiful story about the depth and breadth of God's love for all of creation, and how we are never truly alone. The story is about a family who suffers a devastating loss of their young daughter on a camping trip. Three years later, a mysterious note, presumably from God, appears in her father's mailbox on an icy day it was impossible to deliver the mail. The note invites him to go back to The Shack, the last known place his daughter's abductor brought her. This part of the story is slightly slow because all of the characters are being introduced as well as the sequence of events which led up to Missy's abduction.

The story really unfolds and catches fire once Mack sets foot inside The Shack. The author's vision of our humanly comprehension of Heaven vs what may really exist on the other side,is thought provoking and comforting and opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for the listener. I would highly recommend this book, either audio or hard copy, to anyone interested in a great story and learning more about how God has made a way for us to have a wonderful realationship with Him.

The book definitely touches the emotions, but lets face it: it's a mix of Christianity and traditional Hawaiian religion. God is indeed love, perhaps much like what is portrayed, but he also encompasses holyness, judgment, and truth. God does not chum around as if he were your buddy; he demands the respect of a King. Remember, this is the same God that (unwillingly) provides a horrible hell for those who reject his offer and die owing for their own sins. We don't like this, but it's true. When repentance isn't part of a Christian story, you can be sure that story is heresy. The author of this book is an admitted universalist who believes everyone from Hitler to Charles Manson goes to heaven. It's a nice idea, but let's admit that The Shack's main point is contrary to that of the Bible. This book is heartening, but it's not an accurate picture of God, and that's why most Christian heavy-hitters advise caution. I suspect the book has been backed by non-Christian money to get so far. Read Pilgrim's Progress instead, I'm sorry but "The Shack" is only half of the truth.