Book Review: THE PRAYER BOX

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate was an enjoyable read with memorable quotes and messages throughout but fell short in several areas.

Tandi leaves her life and her law-bending husband behind in Texas to find a new life for herself and her two children on the North Carolina coast she remembers from occasional visits during her turbulent childhood. When she suddenly finds her elderly neighbor and landlord dead along with 14-foot high shelves full of prayer boxes containing the elderly neighbor’s life story, she’s thrown into events that lead to restoration and healing for her and her family.

The story is predictable in many ways and often reminded me of a Nicholas Sparks novel with a spiritual twist. The story was engaging and interesting. There were a few unpredictable elements such as Tandi’s relationship with her sister and whether the wayward husband would show up. Also I wondered if there eventually was going to be a fistfight between Paul and Ross. I was a bit disappointed on that front. And of course there were the slightly older ladies that swooped in and helped Tandi pull herself together. I’m a sucker for those characters, even if they are a bit stock.

However, something just didn’t sit right with me most of the novel. At some point I realized I was drowning in an excessive amount of description. I’ll bask in a well-described sunset or a whole paragraph of metaphor if it’s done right, but this was odd. A whole section would be dedicated to minute details and then something I would consider important to the plot would be summed up in a paragraph or two. This happened continuously throughout the novel and honestly left me a bit bored and distracted. I often found my mind wandering to other things instead of wading through the thick minutiae. It was tedious.

This theme on a micro level also applied on a macro level in a way. The plot left a bit to be desired. The action felt like tiny waves slowly gathering strength and then fizzing out before they could really gain momentum and turn into a decent swell. Everything felt a little soft and light. And I’m not talking about the fact that it’s a Christian novel. I love that aspect of it and that there isn’t gratuitous sex and cursing, etc. Frankly I’m tired of the over-abundance of that in our culture and feel like it’s become a shtick an author uses for shock value. If you can’t shock me with your stellar writing, then maybe…

Anyway, it was a relief to read something that had a solid story without all the “extra”. And Wingate did an excellent job of crafting a Christian novel without that aspect being gratuitous either. However, the plot needed a little extra. There was never a big punch, a big glorious, victorious moment that made my heart swell and my eyes water… and it really doesn’t take much to choke me up and get me teary-eyed. Part of the problem was the amount of time we spent in Tandi’s head and in Iola’s letters. I understand Tandi was the one changing and dealing with her issues, etc., but I wish she could’ve done that with a bit more action instead of thought… or dialogue instead of thought. And I wish maybe she had started reading a letter that turned into a flashback so we could see Iola’s actions instead of just reading them. Her letters didn’t feel very realistic because she wrote so much dialogue… almost as if it was a flashback but not quite.

And one last thing before we get back to some positive factors, speaking of overuse, it was a bit tiring to read the word “handywoman” over and over again. I’m all for equality in the workplace, etc., but it felt a little preachy to keep pushing that word and pointing out that everyone was shocked that Tandi could do construction work. Although, that was realistic… those are the comments she would receive from dummies who think a woman can’t pick up a hammer. (Can you hear me rolling my eyes?) So I was right there with Wingate on that particular issue, just not the way she handled it.

Now that I feel like Negative Nitpicky Nancy, let me point out that I loved Iola’s character. In a world of me, me, me, I always enjoy reading about someone who knows how to give and give freely, expecting nothing in return. There are not enough Iolas in the world and it’s never a bad thing to read about one... even a fictional one. She has inspired me to do more and think about how I can help others with what I’ve been given, and I love that that message can come through a fictional character.

Despite my general frowning upon the book, I highlighted quite a few quotes that stuck out to me. Three of my favorites are:

“The trouble with drowning in the mess of your own life is that you’re not in any shape to save anyone else. You can’t be a lighthouse when you’re underwater yourself.”

“Other people’s judgment doesn’t have any power unless you offer yourself up for trial, so don’t.”

“Love cannot live in the darkness, in the shadows. It is a growing thing, a thing of light.”

OK… one more! “In the quiet after the storm, I hear you whisper, ‘Daughter, do not linger where you are. Take up your needle and your thread, and go see to the mending.’”

There was plenty to like about The Prayer Box, and unfortunately, plenty not to like. However, like I said at the beginning, I did find it to be a nice story and was inspired by a number of quotes and the overall themes. But I didn’t really enjoy the package. If you’re into light reading with an uplifting message and you’re not looking for the next classic novel, you’ll probably enjoy this. There’s plenty to like about it, so don’t let me discourage you if this is your jam!

Buy The Prayer Box: Amazon | Book Depository

*Contains affiliate links.