What do you think?
Rate this book
The Third Grace
The Past Casts a Long Shadow. Especially When It Points to a Woman's First Love. Her name was Mary Grace until she fell in love with the French exchange student visiting her family's Nebraska farm. François renamed her "Aglaia"-after one of the beautiful Three Graces of Greek mythology-and set the seventeen-year- old girl longing for something more than her parents' simplistic life and faith. Now, fifteen years later, Aglaia works as a costume designer in Denver. Her budding success in the city's posh arts scene convinces her that she's left the naïve farm girl far behind. But "Mary Grace" has deep roots, as Aglaia learns during a business trip to Paris. Her discovery of sensual notes that François jotted into a Bible during that long-ago fling, a silly errand imposed by her mother, and the scheming of her sophisticated mentor all conspire to create a thirst in her soul that professional success can't quench. "The Third Grace" takes you on a dual journey across oceans and time-in the footsteps of a woman torn between her rural upbringing and her search for self.
306 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 2011
8 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 12, 2021
She has even changed her name, yet Aglaia, formerly Mary Grace, cannot escape the past she despises or the memories that haunt and beckon her. Instead of finding comfort and solace in the faith of her youth, Aglaia seeks fulfillment in her work as a successful fashion designer, and fascination in the sensual Greek mythology Francois introduced her to before the dark days came.
Professor Lou Chapman compounds Aglaia’s confusion and discomfort by playing on her weaknesses while childhood friend Naomi Enns tries to protect her from herself. Behind it all, Francois beckons from her memories as she unconsciously seeks him on the streets of Paris.
The characters in this book are unique and well defined. Each of them has issues to deal with, as we discover along the way. Some change and grow, others recede into themselves, still others seem to be pushing toward a precipice, so the tension keeps us reading. Dialogue is smooth and natural, suited to the individual characters.
Author Deb Elkink skillfully weaves mythology and faith through plot and theme, emphasizing the stark contrast between Aglaia’s old-fashioned farm upbringing and her new life in the city.
The settings, from familiar to foreign, are vivid with sound, sight, taste and texture. Although I’ve never been to Paris, I feel as if I’ve had a taste of it. The essence of the culture is clear in the fabric of the story.
The Third Grace uses the symbolism of fabric and pattern, warp and weave, as a seamless backdrop to Aglaia’s journey. Suspense tightens the weave until several unexpected revelations snap the thread of lies Aglaia has so long believed.
The Third Grace is a finely textured story of troubled faith and self-discovery, an incredible debut novel.
Professor Lou Chapman compounds Aglaia’s confusion and discomfort by playing on her weaknesses while childhood friend Naomi Enns tries to protect her from herself. Behind it all, Francois beckons from her memories as she unconsciously seeks him on the streets of Paris.
The characters in this book are unique and well defined. Each of them has issues to deal with, as we discover along the way. Some change and grow, others recede into themselves, still others seem to be pushing toward a precipice, so the tension keeps us reading. Dialogue is smooth and natural, suited to the individual characters.
Author Deb Elkink skillfully weaves mythology and faith through plot and theme, emphasizing the stark contrast between Aglaia’s old-fashioned farm upbringing and her new life in the city.
The settings, from familiar to foreign, are vivid with sound, sight, taste and texture. Although I’ve never been to Paris, I feel as if I’ve had a taste of it. The essence of the culture is clear in the fabric of the story.
The Third Grace uses the symbolism of fabric and pattern, warp and weave, as a seamless backdrop to Aglaia’s journey. Suspense tightens the weave until several unexpected revelations snap the thread of lies Aglaia has so long believed.
The Third Grace is a finely textured story of troubled faith and self-discovery, an incredible debut novel.
January 26, 2021
I enjoyed reading The Third Grace even more the second time.
This is not a fluffy read! It is a hearty read: good old meat and potatoes! I loved the descriptions of the Mennonite life sprinkled throughout the book, and who doesn’t want to experience a literary visit to Paris during this time of Covid travel restrictions? I could almost taste the crepes. Of course Deb weaves theology deep into this work similar to the fine stitching done by the book’s main character.
This is not a fluffy read! It is a hearty read: good old meat and potatoes! I loved the descriptions of the Mennonite life sprinkled throughout the book, and who doesn’t want to experience a literary visit to Paris during this time of Covid travel restrictions? I could almost taste the crepes. Of course Deb weaves theology deep into this work similar to the fine stitching done by the book’s main character.
January 30, 2013
Loved this book -- and not just because the author is my friend. Third Grace is a sumptuous journey of self-discovery and identity crisis, traveling through the urban worlds of fashion design and Parisienne culture to the rural setting of Mennonite family and home-cooked meals. Not for everyone (hence only 4 stars), this book would make some people uncomfortable in its sensuality, but that's owing to its thorough honesty. Highly literate, the writing is rich and well-paced. No wonder it won the $5000 Grace Irwin award in 2011.
February 7, 2021
Deb Elkink has woven a tale of layers. This is my first book by this author and definitely not my last. In The Third Grace, we see a small town girl who tries to break the bonds of family, Mennonite faith and farm life after losing her heart and in some ways her identity to a French exchange student named Francois who peppers her adolescent fantasies with sophistication and romance in the form of Greek mythology.
As an adult, now living in Denver away from the bindings of her Mennonite family and faith, Mary Grace/Aglaia is in an awkward existence of trying to find her true self while under the influences of colleagues and the strange hold of the teenage memories of Francois. A trip to Paris and a bittersweet reunion along with the nagging influence of others who seem to have their own ideas about her, force Mary Grace to a point of self discovery regarding owning her faith and being who she was created to be.
This is a book that gently nudges the reader to reconcile one’s past and find their identity in the life they are living today. What a beautiful stay-cation read for the winter!! Thank you, Deb!
I received a complimentary e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
As an adult, now living in Denver away from the bindings of her Mennonite family and faith, Mary Grace/Aglaia is in an awkward existence of trying to find her true self while under the influences of colleagues and the strange hold of the teenage memories of Francois. A trip to Paris and a bittersweet reunion along with the nagging influence of others who seem to have their own ideas about her, force Mary Grace to a point of self discovery regarding owning her faith and being who she was created to be.
This is a book that gently nudges the reader to reconcile one’s past and find their identity in the life they are living today. What a beautiful stay-cation read for the winter!! Thank you, Deb!
I received a complimentary e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 25, 2021
Often times events from the past cast ripples that remain. That is definitely the case with Aglaia, a girl who has been running from her roots for years. I enjoyed following along with Aglaia as she tries to make sense of her past and determine her future, although sometimes she infuriated me in the process!
January 21, 2021
Mythology. Christianity. She was raised as a Christian . . .but a crush on a young man lured her to mythology. Especially when he told her she was one of the Three Graces - and the most beautiful. When he disappears, she breaks away from her family and faith. When a professor starts to woe her to become part of her team, she really does not know what to do. She is REALLY good at her job. . . .and the professor is very interested it that. Which wins? Her faith in Christ . . .or the professor who lies and cheats to get what she wants? Great book . . . .
January 21, 2021
The Third Grace is no light read, but it is one well worth your time. Deep, intelligent, and thought-provoking, Mary Grace / Aglaia's story is a study in the power of roots and family and faith and outside influences to shape a person's thoughts and actions, whether he or, in this case, she wishes them to or not. The author's love and appreciation for travel, culture, mythology, and food (so much incredible food!) shines through on every page. Highly recommend.
January 19, 2021
The Third Grace is a good introduction to the talents of Deb Elkink. I enjoyed reading this story. It was beautiful watching Mary Grace / Aglaia grow throughout. I was often wondering where she would wound up until the end. I liked it.
The Third Grace will be getting four stars from me. I look forward to reading more by Deb Elkink in the future. I recommend this one for readers who enjoy reading Christian Fiction.
I received The Third Grace from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
The Third Grace will be getting four stars from me. I look forward to reading more by Deb Elkink in the future. I recommend this one for readers who enjoy reading Christian Fiction.
I received The Third Grace from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
January 20, 2021
It was well written book, with vivid characters. The main character is trying to find her identity and faith and other characters pull her in different directions. It shows a good contrast between mythology and the Bible. It includes many Biblical references but I think this is a book that would appeal to non-Christian readers due to its references to sensuality. And it seems that is the intent of the author. Because of that I would suggest the book to select people that I know.
December 28, 2020
The story of seeking to leave your past behind and re-create yourself is interesting. We can change but we never really let go of where we come from. I enjoyed this book so much.
January 4, 2021
The Third Grace is masterfully written with excellent character development. It is rich with allusion and reads best with an educated audience. While the plot may seem quaint at times, it is a heartfelt reflection of personal growth and finding oneself. Well researched and charming, I'd especially recommend this novel to individuals looking for meaning in the simplest of places.
February 18, 2013
I was encouraged to read Elkink by a Bible College friend who thought I would appreciate the exploration of the Three Graces in this book. I definitely did enjoy that aspect of the book, and most thoroughly enjoyed the re-telling of the Greek myths that served as cautionary tales. I enjoyed re-visiting Paris (though this was a very superficial visit). I also enjoyed the liberal weaving of lines from hymns, which slowed my reading down as I had to finish humming them to myself. :-)
I find that far too often what claims to be inspirational literature is clumsily didactic. While The Third Grace is less clumsy and forced than many in its genre, I was still irritated by its overt moralizing. To my mind, a preachy tone detracts from a narrative, and depth of character is forfeited to the characters' detriment when the inevitable stereotypes are employed. "Sweet Mennonite girl loses her faith after seduction by a suave French boy, moves to the Big City where she comes to discover the Truth of the emptiness of her career and the boy in contrast to the value of the life she left behind her." Barf. What a cliche. A leacherous lesbian intellectual, a pious Presbyterian father-figure, and a motherly fertile farm wife complete the ensemble of stereotypes.
I was also rather confused why a Canadian prairie farmer like Elkink set her story in the US. I wonder if the book started out that way, or was this another case of sacrificing personal connection to setting in order to attract an American publisher? I confess to being sensitive to this issue, because I don't think it serves the audience and believe that our Canadian literary voice becomes inauthentic in such cases. Do American prairie readers find her voice authentic, I wonder? Then again, the audience may not be sophisticated enough to care. I find myself unable to stop from contrasting Miriam Toews extraordinarily authentic Canadian Mennonite voice. No stereotypes there and no fear of showing a real sense of place.
The Third Grace was all right, but I think a more subtle approach to the theme would have been more powerful in the end.
I find that far too often what claims to be inspirational literature is clumsily didactic. While The Third Grace is less clumsy and forced than many in its genre, I was still irritated by its overt moralizing. To my mind, a preachy tone detracts from a narrative, and depth of character is forfeited to the characters' detriment when the inevitable stereotypes are employed. "Sweet Mennonite girl loses her faith after seduction by a suave French boy, moves to the Big City where she comes to discover the Truth of the emptiness of her career and the boy in contrast to the value of the life she left behind her." Barf. What a cliche. A leacherous lesbian intellectual, a pious Presbyterian father-figure, and a motherly fertile farm wife complete the ensemble of stereotypes.
I was also rather confused why a Canadian prairie farmer like Elkink set her story in the US. I wonder if the book started out that way, or was this another case of sacrificing personal connection to setting in order to attract an American publisher? I confess to being sensitive to this issue, because I don't think it serves the audience and believe that our Canadian literary voice becomes inauthentic in such cases. Do American prairie readers find her voice authentic, I wonder? Then again, the audience may not be sophisticated enough to care. I find myself unable to stop from contrasting Miriam Toews extraordinarily authentic Canadian Mennonite voice. No stereotypes there and no fear of showing a real sense of place.
The Third Grace was all right, but I think a more subtle approach to the theme would have been more powerful in the end.
November 9, 2025
Deb Elkink’s The Third Grace reminded me of the parable of the prodigal son. Mary Grace leaves her Mennonite family to move to the city and changes her name to Aglaia. She wants nothing to do with her former life. She immerses herself in Greek mythology and tries to rid herself of her Biblical training.
I like that throughout the book Grace is reminded of God’s faithfulness. She remembers songs and verses from her past. Circumstances happen to her that made her think of her Mennonite upbringing. I didn’t mind the sensuality in the book, I thought it made it true to life. I like the quote: “You can read every other book in the world, lass, but the Bible is the only book that reads you.”
I received an advance reader copy and was not required to write a review.
I like that throughout the book Grace is reminded of God’s faithfulness. She remembers songs and verses from her past. Circumstances happen to her that made her think of her Mennonite upbringing. I didn’t mind the sensuality in the book, I thought it made it true to life. I like the quote: “You can read every other book in the world, lass, but the Bible is the only book that reads you.”
I received an advance reader copy and was not required to write a review.
May 29, 2013
One of the greatest fallacies today is the denial of history and tradition in an effort to recreate ourselves. For in denying history, we deny God. In Deb Elkink's debut novel, The Third Grace, this theme runs through a well-crafted story.
In this coming-of-age plot, Mary Grace, seventeen, seeks to find herself by redefining herself, leaving her past behind. She falls in love with Francois, a high school exchange student, because of his image, not his true character. After this unforgettable summer, and Francois is longer in her life, she leaves her rural Nebraska roots for the big city of Denver. She desires sophistication, replacing humble faith with proud doubt. Francois renamed her Aglaia, after the goddess of beauty in Greek mythology, and she gladly keeps the new name.
No longer Mary Grace, she pursues her career in costume design as Aglaia, designing costumes as she tries on her new persona, or seeks to do so. She uses old-world skills - thread and needle - to gain entry into the brave new world of theater and university and film.
Through the elderly character of Ebenezer we watch the battle in Aglaia, and it is through Ebenezer that the authorial voice is largely heard. He is a man of faith and tradition, a man who believes in God and Scripture, who knows the difference between illusion and reality, lies and truth, as well as the role of art and the purposes of education. He is our wise man.
These are large subjects, and Deb Elkink weaves them into the fabric of her story, counterpointing flashbacks to that pivotal summer on the farm and Aglaia's growing relationship with the local university in Denver. From the university enters our third point-of-view, that of the nihilistic professor Lou, and we see the cynicism and greed of a life without divine guidance. We consider the nature of art and the role of academia. As a farm girl in the big city, Aglaia is tempted by the liberal gnosis of academia that Lou embodies, and this too is well-drawn by the author. It is a world tempted by itself, like the snake devouring its own tail. We see sexual temptations, worldly temptations, temptations simply of self-pride and self-destruction.
Aglaia must of course face this conflict in her soul and must choose who and what she is, and more importantly, how to go about making these choices, what authority to call upon. She takes a Bible on her business trip to Paris and it is this book of Scriptures that weaves in and out of the story as though it were a character in its own right, a character from her past that she can't quite abandon.
Ms. Elkink has created a huge canvas in few pages, a novel rich in word and image. We hear renderings of tradition versus modernity: "You are what you read" (76) and "The moment one idolized the method, one lost the message." (77) What do we idolize? Should we? Why?
While the author's word choice and phrasing can at times be too rich, too dense, I appreciate her brilliance, knowing that trapping the right detail isn't easy:
"She dipped into her bag to hook out her sketchpad and, with a few deft strokes of her graphite, captured the swing of the violinist's skirt, the strain at the sleeve seam as the girl propelled her bow across willing strings." (135)
Ms. Elkink's depiction of the great rural landscape of Nebraska, a place I do not personally know, gave me a beatific glimpse of the natural world:
"By Aglaia's watch, it was eleven o'clock on Sunday morning and already sheets of heat undulated over the standing grain. The wind swept the crop like a hand brushing velvet, swatted the clouds and a flock of skittering sparrows across the sky." (218)
And her depiction of a tornado:
"They spy a twister backlit by flashes forming in the roiling clouds, and ... they watch in awe a funnel dipping and lifting, a dark finger stirring the blacker fields before closing up into the fist of the sky... "(229)
The settings are intriguing as the reader journeys from Mennonite farmlands to Denver, and on to Paris: Paris, that city of light (or is it dark?), that city of art (or of illusion?), city of romance (or heartbreak?). What is real and what is illusionary? What is art and what is faith? Why does our culture worship art, as we lose our faith? And, perhaps, even, why are there rules of behavior that our mothers and fathers have tried to teach us? Rules their mothers and fathers taught them? Does the past speak to us, and should we be listening? These are some of the questions considered in The Third Grace.
While this novel does not portray the sacramental life known to the Catholic world, there are compelling moral themes of redemption and sacrificial love. And we see the power of Scripture and prayer through Ebenezer and Aglaia's childhood friend Naomi. The themes of The Third Grace revolve around tradition and family, morality and Scripture, rather than the Church itself, and it is from these islands of stability that we enter the myths propagated by art and academia. Aglaia and the pagan world meets Mary Grace and the Christian world. And the name Mary Grace naturally echoes Hail Mary, full of grace... Such echoes breathe in the pages, singing almost silently.
The Third Grace is a beautiful rendering of a difficult and unpopular subject, the questioning of the roles of academia and art, and the need for a resurgence of Christian faith. "Aglaia" is the third "Grace" in the sculpture, "The Three Graces," by James Pradier (1831), a subject celebrated by artists since the Renaissance. Since that fifteenth-century rebirth of the pagan world - the Renaissance - man has searched for substitutes for the religious impulse, the desire for God, and art has been one of the answers. Another has been the celebration of beauty itself. A third, the embrace of self at the cost of love. Our culture continues this search for God-substitutes at great cost, denying our true nature as children of God.
Thank you, Deb Elkink, for reminding us what is real and what is not.
Christine Sunderland, author of Pilgrimage, Offerings, Inheritance, and Hana-lani(all OakTara Publishers)
(This review first appeared on CatholicFiction.net.)
In this coming-of-age plot, Mary Grace, seventeen, seeks to find herself by redefining herself, leaving her past behind. She falls in love with Francois, a high school exchange student, because of his image, not his true character. After this unforgettable summer, and Francois is longer in her life, she leaves her rural Nebraska roots for the big city of Denver. She desires sophistication, replacing humble faith with proud doubt. Francois renamed her Aglaia, after the goddess of beauty in Greek mythology, and she gladly keeps the new name.
No longer Mary Grace, she pursues her career in costume design as Aglaia, designing costumes as she tries on her new persona, or seeks to do so. She uses old-world skills - thread and needle - to gain entry into the brave new world of theater and university and film.
Through the elderly character of Ebenezer we watch the battle in Aglaia, and it is through Ebenezer that the authorial voice is largely heard. He is a man of faith and tradition, a man who believes in God and Scripture, who knows the difference between illusion and reality, lies and truth, as well as the role of art and the purposes of education. He is our wise man.
These are large subjects, and Deb Elkink weaves them into the fabric of her story, counterpointing flashbacks to that pivotal summer on the farm and Aglaia's growing relationship with the local university in Denver. From the university enters our third point-of-view, that of the nihilistic professor Lou, and we see the cynicism and greed of a life without divine guidance. We consider the nature of art and the role of academia. As a farm girl in the big city, Aglaia is tempted by the liberal gnosis of academia that Lou embodies, and this too is well-drawn by the author. It is a world tempted by itself, like the snake devouring its own tail. We see sexual temptations, worldly temptations, temptations simply of self-pride and self-destruction.
Aglaia must of course face this conflict in her soul and must choose who and what she is, and more importantly, how to go about making these choices, what authority to call upon. She takes a Bible on her business trip to Paris and it is this book of Scriptures that weaves in and out of the story as though it were a character in its own right, a character from her past that she can't quite abandon.
Ms. Elkink has created a huge canvas in few pages, a novel rich in word and image. We hear renderings of tradition versus modernity: "You are what you read" (76) and "The moment one idolized the method, one lost the message." (77) What do we idolize? Should we? Why?
While the author's word choice and phrasing can at times be too rich, too dense, I appreciate her brilliance, knowing that trapping the right detail isn't easy:
"She dipped into her bag to hook out her sketchpad and, with a few deft strokes of her graphite, captured the swing of the violinist's skirt, the strain at the sleeve seam as the girl propelled her bow across willing strings." (135)
Ms. Elkink's depiction of the great rural landscape of Nebraska, a place I do not personally know, gave me a beatific glimpse of the natural world:
"By Aglaia's watch, it was eleven o'clock on Sunday morning and already sheets of heat undulated over the standing grain. The wind swept the crop like a hand brushing velvet, swatted the clouds and a flock of skittering sparrows across the sky." (218)
And her depiction of a tornado:
"They spy a twister backlit by flashes forming in the roiling clouds, and ... they watch in awe a funnel dipping and lifting, a dark finger stirring the blacker fields before closing up into the fist of the sky... "(229)
The settings are intriguing as the reader journeys from Mennonite farmlands to Denver, and on to Paris: Paris, that city of light (or is it dark?), that city of art (or of illusion?), city of romance (or heartbreak?). What is real and what is illusionary? What is art and what is faith? Why does our culture worship art, as we lose our faith? And, perhaps, even, why are there rules of behavior that our mothers and fathers have tried to teach us? Rules their mothers and fathers taught them? Does the past speak to us, and should we be listening? These are some of the questions considered in The Third Grace.
While this novel does not portray the sacramental life known to the Catholic world, there are compelling moral themes of redemption and sacrificial love. And we see the power of Scripture and prayer through Ebenezer and Aglaia's childhood friend Naomi. The themes of The Third Grace revolve around tradition and family, morality and Scripture, rather than the Church itself, and it is from these islands of stability that we enter the myths propagated by art and academia. Aglaia and the pagan world meets Mary Grace and the Christian world. And the name Mary Grace naturally echoes Hail Mary, full of grace... Such echoes breathe in the pages, singing almost silently.
The Third Grace is a beautiful rendering of a difficult and unpopular subject, the questioning of the roles of academia and art, and the need for a resurgence of Christian faith. "Aglaia" is the third "Grace" in the sculpture, "The Three Graces," by James Pradier (1831), a subject celebrated by artists since the Renaissance. Since that fifteenth-century rebirth of the pagan world - the Renaissance - man has searched for substitutes for the religious impulse, the desire for God, and art has been one of the answers. Another has been the celebration of beauty itself. A third, the embrace of self at the cost of love. Our culture continues this search for God-substitutes at great cost, denying our true nature as children of God.
Thank you, Deb Elkink, for reminding us what is real and what is not.
Christine Sunderland, author of Pilgrimage, Offerings, Inheritance, and Hana-lani(all OakTara Publishers)
(This review first appeared on CatholicFiction.net.)
February 3, 2021
Deb Elkink has combined her knowledge of the Bible, Greek Myths, and the costuming industry into an interesting adult Chrisitan contemporary novel.
Mary Grace/Aglaia has become pretty disillusioned with her Christian/Mennonite upbringing. She became jaded when her family hosted a male exchange student from France who lived up to the reputation of the French. Now as a somewhat naive adult it appears she is being groomed by a pushy, older female college professor.
Deb Elkink has a way of pulling a reader into the story and keeping them wondering just where things are headed. Much happens in Mary Grace/Aglaia’s life over the course of several weeks in the book. Which path will she follow? The reader isn’t sure until near the end just where Mary Grace/Aglaia will end up.
This is an adult Christian contemporary novel. Because of some of the content, I would not place this book in a K-12 Christian school library. I am not sure I would place it in a church library.
I received a complimentary copy of The Third Grace. This is my honest review.
Mary Grace/Aglaia has become pretty disillusioned with her Christian/Mennonite upbringing. She became jaded when her family hosted a male exchange student from France who lived up to the reputation of the French. Now as a somewhat naive adult it appears she is being groomed by a pushy, older female college professor.
Deb Elkink has a way of pulling a reader into the story and keeping them wondering just where things are headed. Much happens in Mary Grace/Aglaia’s life over the course of several weeks in the book. Which path will she follow? The reader isn’t sure until near the end just where Mary Grace/Aglaia will end up.
This is an adult Christian contemporary novel. Because of some of the content, I would not place this book in a K-12 Christian school library. I am not sure I would place it in a church library.
I received a complimentary copy of The Third Grace. This is my honest review.
March 27, 2021
You can take the girl out of the country, but when you take the country out of the girl, you're in trouble!
Growing up in rural Nebraska, Mary Grace loved textiles. Designing and sewing her own clothes came with country living. But for Mary Grace, the fabric was an art form.
Deb Elkink's faith-based novels feature characters who aren't gooey marshmallow syrup perfect. The author brings sensuous scenes to the reader without being vulgar. The bad guys in The Third Grace aren't common criminals. These characters represent people in culture today.
The Third Grace contains twists and subplots providing action and keeping you intrigued. I appreciate the differences in her novels. Earlier I read and reviewed The Red Journal.
Growing up in rural Nebraska, Mary Grace loved textiles. Designing and sewing her own clothes came with country living. But for Mary Grace, the fabric was an art form.
Deb Elkink's faith-based novels feature characters who aren't gooey marshmallow syrup perfect. The author brings sensuous scenes to the reader without being vulgar. The bad guys in The Third Grace aren't common criminals. These characters represent people in culture today.
The Third Grace contains twists and subplots providing action and keeping you intrigued. I appreciate the differences in her novels. Earlier I read and reviewed The Red Journal.
January 11, 2021
Complex-not for the faint of heart or the blind unwilling to examine the "plank in your own eye." This story of a prodigal daughter starkly portrays "the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life" and the confusion that ensues when our eyes become lured from the Creator to the created. What is real, lasting and authentic, what is able to satisfy and give us peace vs what is fleeting, false and always seems just out of our grasp? Beware of what you will see in the mirror of this novel as you journey along with Mary Grace.
February 4, 2021
Mythology. Christianity. She was raised as a Christian . . .but a crush on a young man lured her to mythology. Especially when he told her she was one of the Three Graces - and the most beautiful. When he disappears, she breaks away from her family and faith. When a professor starts to woe her to become part of her team, she really does not know what to do. She is REALLY good at her job. . . .and the professor is very interested it that. Which wins? Her faith in Christ . . .or the professor who lies and cheats to get what she wants? Amazing book . . . .
January 9, 2021
"The character Aglaia resonates as she is a young lady trying to find her place in the world. The emotions expressed are so heart-felt. Aglaia wanted to leave her Mennonite farming background behind, yet it had influenced her greatly. THE THIRD GRACE is a book that a young lady born and raised in the country can readily relate to. There is a love interest, and a huge "crisis of faith" going on as well. Makes the book very intriguing, and almost a mystery."
January 17, 2021
First book I’ve read by this author. I had a little trouble getting into the characters. I’m not a a big fan of mythology so flipping back and forth between that and the current time was a little hard for me. I did understand that you needed the mythology to lay the basis of how Mary Grace got from one point in her life to her current point. I was given a copy of this book to review by the author with my honest opinion.
January 31, 2021
Sometimes I get tired of the predictable plots of romance books. The Third Grace was a pleasant surprise. It is not "fluffy" and yet incorporates young love. The author describes her writing as literary with a theological twist. Her grasp of language and picturesque descriptions is amazing.
The storyline follows a young woman coming to terms with her rural upbringing while adapting to city life and expectations. She is searching for her first love and finds notes from him written in the margins of a Bible. And where is God in the picture? Does she have room for Him?
For a faith based novel that is unlike others you've read before, I highly recommend The Third Grace. Once I got into the book, I could hardly put it down.
The storyline follows a young woman coming to terms with her rural upbringing while adapting to city life and expectations. She is searching for her first love and finds notes from him written in the margins of a Bible. And where is God in the picture? Does she have room for Him?
For a faith based novel that is unlike others you've read before, I highly recommend The Third Grace. Once I got into the book, I could hardly put it down.
July 21, 2018
An excellent and inspirational read that won't disappoint!
This novel was the perfect balance of romance, mystery, inspiration - and the themes were complex and intriguing. I was held captive by the story from the first page.
The character development throughout the book was beautiful to watch, and I believe it would speak to the hearts of many women today.
This novel was the perfect balance of romance, mystery, inspiration - and the themes were complex and intriguing. I was held captive by the story from the first page.
The character development throughout the book was beautiful to watch, and I believe it would speak to the hearts of many women today.
January 29, 2021
This is the first work of this author that I have read. It is a very intriguing self-discovery novel set in the world of academia and is a perfect blend of mystery and romance. This novel is a tale of a young woman who wants to find her place in this world and her various decisions that would forge the path to forgiveness, and passion. I immensely enjoyed this read!
February 6, 2021
A new author for me to read. A refreshing change of pace! It not like your typical Christian fiction, but like a non Christian fiction book. Although there wasn't anything that would turn me off from reading. Very well written!
February 7, 2021
This is a wonderful read and I found the route that the author took to get “Mary Grace” to find herself and her roots interesting. She weaves culture and travel with cooking and emotions and makes it all work! I would recommend this to anyone and suggest you have tissues handy. Love it!
February 7, 2021
A Fantastic Book!
July 26, 2015
Mary Grace Klassen's parents love their family and Nebraska farm. They love their Mennonite faith even more. They study the Bible, attend church regularly, and avoid the wickedness of the world.
Family, farm, and faith are not important to Mary Grace, the main character in the novel The Third Grace by Deb (Neufeld) Elkink. Actually Mary Grace sees family, farm, and faith as a three-fold stone she's forced to roll up the mountain of life. In that respect she's like Sisyphus of Greek mythology.
It's Francois, an exchange student from Paris, who first stirs in Mary Grace the desire to break free of family, farm, and faith. A teenager at the time, she regards Francois as the epitome of sophistication and sexual attraction.
His tales of Greek gods and goddesses thrill her. She's especially intrigued by stories of The Three Graces, mythic goddesses of life's pleasures such as play, rest, amusement, happiness, and relaxation. Mary Grace identifies so strongly with one of the Graces that she takes her name, Aglaia.
The smooth-talking Francois is about to relieve Aglaia of her virginity, with her encouragement, when her brother finds them. A faithful Mennonite, he defends his sister's virtue by wrestling Francois away from her.
One might think this event would shame Aglaia, prompting her to repent and return to her faith. It doesn't. Even Francois's disgrace in the eyes of her family and his abrupt departure don't affect her that way.
As soon as she can, she leaves the farm and moves to Denver. There she finds work as a costume designer. She loves the job, which lets her implement and develop her considerable creative abilities. However, she remains stuck in a time warp spiritually and psychologically.
Memorized verses of Scripture hinder her enjoyment of the faith-free life she's chosen. She has no romantic interests. "All her romance was relegated to the vault of her thoughts, where she could keep a close eye on it and steer clear of further pain….her lack of comfort with men stemmed from confusion about what she had to offer—about who she was. She'd lost a piece of herself when Francois left."
Her faithfulness to Francois's memory seems pitiful and neurotic, especially since she never hears from him. Even in her thirties, she can't abandon her first love.
Aglaia's employer, Eb, exerts a Christian influence on her. Her friend Lou doesn't.
Lou teaches at a university, where many of her lectures focus on goddesses and the deification of the feminine. She scorns Christianity for what she sees as its emphasis on male dominance. Furthermore Lou regards the Bible as a book of myths "preceded by equally valid tales of earlier cultures."
Like Lou, Eb is interested in stories told by earlier cultures. But his view is different from hers. He says "The Bible fulfills all the longings aroused by fairy tales passed down through the ages and tells us what they really mean. Look into the Word and it will look right back at you; it will see you and change you."
Whose lead will Aglaia follow?
Answers don't come easily. Complicating her journey are uncertainty about her career goals, the continuing influence of her Mennonite family, and a bittersweet reunion with Francois.
How will Aglaia find direction for her life? Will this late bloomer ever come of age? Elkink keeps us guessing almost to the conclusion of the story.
This novel grabbed me from the first time I saw it. I love the windmill on the cover, contrasting so oddly with the sculpture of one of The Three Graces. The book appeals to the senses in many ways. For example, Elkink does a good job of portraying life on the Great Plains with words such as "perpetually rouged by prairie wind." When Aglaia visits Paris, I felt I was there with her, seeing what she sees: "The crumbling brick wall of the upper stories above the shop was graphed with minuscule apartment balconies, pots of scarlet behind wrought-iron railing."
I come from the same people group as Aglaia and family, namely Dutch-German Mennonites from Russia. As a result I was curious to see how the author, also an ethnic Mennonite, would convey the group's cultural flavor. She does much of it through traditional home-made foods, for example, Worscht (sausage), Kjielke (noodles), and Päpanät ("peppery nut-sized goodies").
Such down-to-earth Mennonite fare contrasts interestingly with the "rare beef with chocolate and wine" and other gourmet dishes Aglaia eats at a banquet described near the end of the book. Dramatic events during this banquet force her to finally decide. Will she continue trying to escape family, farm, and faith? Or will she integrate them into her life in a new way to become a more authentic Aglaia, or Mary Grace?
The Third Grace
Family, farm, and faith are not important to Mary Grace, the main character in the novel The Third Grace by Deb (Neufeld) Elkink. Actually Mary Grace sees family, farm, and faith as a three-fold stone she's forced to roll up the mountain of life. In that respect she's like Sisyphus of Greek mythology.
It's Francois, an exchange student from Paris, who first stirs in Mary Grace the desire to break free of family, farm, and faith. A teenager at the time, she regards Francois as the epitome of sophistication and sexual attraction.
His tales of Greek gods and goddesses thrill her. She's especially intrigued by stories of The Three Graces, mythic goddesses of life's pleasures such as play, rest, amusement, happiness, and relaxation. Mary Grace identifies so strongly with one of the Graces that she takes her name, Aglaia.
The smooth-talking Francois is about to relieve Aglaia of her virginity, with her encouragement, when her brother finds them. A faithful Mennonite, he defends his sister's virtue by wrestling Francois away from her.
One might think this event would shame Aglaia, prompting her to repent and return to her faith. It doesn't. Even Francois's disgrace in the eyes of her family and his abrupt departure don't affect her that way.
As soon as she can, she leaves the farm and moves to Denver. There she finds work as a costume designer. She loves the job, which lets her implement and develop her considerable creative abilities. However, she remains stuck in a time warp spiritually and psychologically.
Memorized verses of Scripture hinder her enjoyment of the faith-free life she's chosen. She has no romantic interests. "All her romance was relegated to the vault of her thoughts, where she could keep a close eye on it and steer clear of further pain….her lack of comfort with men stemmed from confusion about what she had to offer—about who she was. She'd lost a piece of herself when Francois left."
Her faithfulness to Francois's memory seems pitiful and neurotic, especially since she never hears from him. Even in her thirties, she can't abandon her first love.
Aglaia's employer, Eb, exerts a Christian influence on her. Her friend Lou doesn't.
Lou teaches at a university, where many of her lectures focus on goddesses and the deification of the feminine. She scorns Christianity for what she sees as its emphasis on male dominance. Furthermore Lou regards the Bible as a book of myths "preceded by equally valid tales of earlier cultures."
Like Lou, Eb is interested in stories told by earlier cultures. But his view is different from hers. He says "The Bible fulfills all the longings aroused by fairy tales passed down through the ages and tells us what they really mean. Look into the Word and it will look right back at you; it will see you and change you."
Whose lead will Aglaia follow?
Answers don't come easily. Complicating her journey are uncertainty about her career goals, the continuing influence of her Mennonite family, and a bittersweet reunion with Francois.
How will Aglaia find direction for her life? Will this late bloomer ever come of age? Elkink keeps us guessing almost to the conclusion of the story.
This novel grabbed me from the first time I saw it. I love the windmill on the cover, contrasting so oddly with the sculpture of one of The Three Graces. The book appeals to the senses in many ways. For example, Elkink does a good job of portraying life on the Great Plains with words such as "perpetually rouged by prairie wind." When Aglaia visits Paris, I felt I was there with her, seeing what she sees: "The crumbling brick wall of the upper stories above the shop was graphed with minuscule apartment balconies, pots of scarlet behind wrought-iron railing."
I come from the same people group as Aglaia and family, namely Dutch-German Mennonites from Russia. As a result I was curious to see how the author, also an ethnic Mennonite, would convey the group's cultural flavor. She does much of it through traditional home-made foods, for example, Worscht (sausage), Kjielke (noodles), and Päpanät ("peppery nut-sized goodies").
Such down-to-earth Mennonite fare contrasts interestingly with the "rare beef with chocolate and wine" and other gourmet dishes Aglaia eats at a banquet described near the end of the book. Dramatic events during this banquet force her to finally decide. Will she continue trying to escape family, farm, and faith? Or will she integrate them into her life in a new way to become a more authentic Aglaia, or Mary Grace?
The Third Grace
January 30, 2021
Absolutely fascinating. Marie Grace is a young woman who learns different values than she learned at home. A perfect character for the plot, that has you feeling a part of it. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Don’t miss out once it’s released.
February 5, 2021
The Third Grace tells a story of young woman, Mary Grace, discovering truths of who she is from navigating her current circumstances as a career woman and from reflecting on her past as a daughter of a farming family. The story is written primarily from Mary Grace's POV, however Elkink also tells her story well when the POV switches to the secondary characters, increasing the conflict and tension. I enjoyed Elkink's skilled literary writing style and appreciated her detailed research of greek mythology necessary for this book. I'd recommend this book for all who like to read contemporary and/or literary books focused on a character's self-discovery revealed through captivating external events (and, in this circumstance, in Paris, France)!
September 8, 2014
Aglaia Klassen is a thirty-something single woman developing a strong reputation in the world of costume design. Her goal: become a “seasoned urban artist” and find the inner peace that’s eluding her.
Born Mary Grace Klassen, she left that name behind with the family farm and the Mennonite faith of her childhood. ‘Aglaia’ is the name of one of the Three Graces in Greek mythology, and it connects her to a major root of her inner turmoil: François Vivier, the young French exchange student who spent a summer on the farm—and who left with her heart.
An upcoming business trip to Paris, and François’ sensual notes in an old Bible, bring the past into the present and Aglaia develops an obsession with finding Francois again. If she can see him now, perhaps she can put the past to rest and find her true identity.
The main influences in Aglaia’s life are Dr. Lou Chapman, a self-focused feminist who wants to lure her away from her employer to work for Lou’s upscale university, and Ebenezer MacAdam, Aglaia’s gentle boss who’s been quietly grooming her as his replacement.
Aglaia may not know who she is, but everyone else seems to know who they want her to be. Lou pushes, Eb suggests, and François’ notes reveal his own agenda. Author Deb Elkink presents each character as him/herself without commentary and without judgement and lets the reader worry over whether Aglaia will find herself—or be shaped into someone else’s version of reality.
The Third Grace is women’s fiction with the introspection of a literary novel, and the central characters are well-realized and strong of voice.
This is a thinking reader’s novel, although it will satisfy those of us who read mainly for the story. The characters of Lou and François see the Bible as only one of the many valid sources of myth, and Lou is selective in the mythology she uses to prove her own view of the universe.
Eb remembers his own questions along those lines, but he’s found his personal satisfaction in the Bible as truth and he knows it means more than vague philosophy. He’s not threatened, and he’s comfortable to pray for others without trying to argue them into his understanding.
The novel itself does not feel preachy or like a philosophical treatise (although Lou speaks that way because that’s who she is). It’s written by a Christian, perhaps more for wandering women than for those secure in the Kingdom, and portions of the content are more worldly than some Christian readers will find comfortable. Nothing is gratuitous, though, and each character’s thoughts and actions are true to who they are. That’s why the story worked so well for me even when bits were a bit out of my comfort zone.
The Third Grace is the story of one woman’s journey to reconcile with her past and find herself in the present.
You can learn more about Canadian author Deb Elkink at her website, or check out her blog, Rolled Scroll.
[Advance review copy provided by the Greenbrier Book Company in exchange for a fair review.]
Born Mary Grace Klassen, she left that name behind with the family farm and the Mennonite faith of her childhood. ‘Aglaia’ is the name of one of the Three Graces in Greek mythology, and it connects her to a major root of her inner turmoil: François Vivier, the young French exchange student who spent a summer on the farm—and who left with her heart.
An upcoming business trip to Paris, and François’ sensual notes in an old Bible, bring the past into the present and Aglaia develops an obsession with finding Francois again. If she can see him now, perhaps she can put the past to rest and find her true identity.
The main influences in Aglaia’s life are Dr. Lou Chapman, a self-focused feminist who wants to lure her away from her employer to work for Lou’s upscale university, and Ebenezer MacAdam, Aglaia’s gentle boss who’s been quietly grooming her as his replacement.
Aglaia may not know who she is, but everyone else seems to know who they want her to be. Lou pushes, Eb suggests, and François’ notes reveal his own agenda. Author Deb Elkink presents each character as him/herself without commentary and without judgement and lets the reader worry over whether Aglaia will find herself—or be shaped into someone else’s version of reality.
The Third Grace is women’s fiction with the introspection of a literary novel, and the central characters are well-realized and strong of voice.
This is a thinking reader’s novel, although it will satisfy those of us who read mainly for the story. The characters of Lou and François see the Bible as only one of the many valid sources of myth, and Lou is selective in the mythology she uses to prove her own view of the universe.
Eb remembers his own questions along those lines, but he’s found his personal satisfaction in the Bible as truth and he knows it means more than vague philosophy. He’s not threatened, and he’s comfortable to pray for others without trying to argue them into his understanding.
The novel itself does not feel preachy or like a philosophical treatise (although Lou speaks that way because that’s who she is). It’s written by a Christian, perhaps more for wandering women than for those secure in the Kingdom, and portions of the content are more worldly than some Christian readers will find comfortable. Nothing is gratuitous, though, and each character’s thoughts and actions are true to who they are. That’s why the story worked so well for me even when bits were a bit out of my comfort zone.
The Third Grace is the story of one woman’s journey to reconcile with her past and find herself in the present.
You can learn more about Canadian author Deb Elkink at her website, or check out her blog, Rolled Scroll.
[Advance review copy provided by the Greenbrier Book Company in exchange for a fair review.]
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews