The Atonement Child: A Novel

by Francine Rivers

From the New York Times bestselling author of Redeeming Love and The Masterpiece ― and “one of [Christian fiction’s] most honored and talented writers” ( Library Journal ) ―comes a heart-wrenching but uplifting story about a highly controversial topic.

Dynah Carey knew where her life was headed. Engaged to a wonderful man, the daughter of doting parents, a faithful child of God―she has it all. Then the unthinkable happens: Dynah’s perfect life is irrevocably changed by a rape that results in an unwanted pregnancy.

Her family is torn apart and her seemingly rock-solid faith is pushed to the limits as she faces the most momentous choice of her life: to embrace or to end the life within her.

This is ultimately a tale of three women, as Dynah’s plight forces both her mother and her grandmother to confront the choices they made. Written with balance and compassion, The Atonement Child brings a new perspective to a widely debated topic.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Novels, Adult

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers include Redeeming Love, A Voice in the Wind, and Bridge to Haven, and her work has been translated into more than thirty different languages. She is a member of Romance Writers of America's coveted Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

www.francinerivers.com
www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers
Twitter: @FrancineRivers

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Warning: This book (and this review) discuss rape, pregnancy, and abortion.

Yuck.

I'm tempted to just leave it at that, but my frustration with this book deserves more than a one-word review.

To start, I can't really remember the decision-making process when I chose to read this. I know it fulfilled a category in a reading challenge I was casually participating in, but so would a thousand other books. Maybe I should have known better than to read a Christian novel about rape and pregnancy, but (like, five years ago) I read and loved Redeeming Love by the same author, so I figured I was relatively safe.

Booooo.

This isn't even a real novel. It's three hundred pages of pro-life propaganda. I think what pisses me off most about this fact is that Rivers could have told this story with a protagonist who got pregnant after having sex, but instead she chose to use rape as a means to communicate her agenda. Her storytelling choices were disgusting, insensitive, and manipulative, to say the least. At one point her poor main character explained that being raped wasn't even that bad; it was just physical pain that went away pretty quickly. No, what really hurt her was the way her loved ones tried to pressure her into getting an abortion. Maybe there are real people who feel that way, but it was extremely obvious that Rivers wasn't interested in telling a story about sexual violence and healing. She was only interested in convincing her readers that abortion is the evilest thing on the planet.

I don't really care about her stance on abortion; this review isn't a criticism or a support of her opinion on that topic. But I am completely disgusted by the way she chose to tell her story and express her opinions. Even though I'm a Christian, I almost never read Christian fiction and I think it's going to stay that way for a long time. I feel so sorry for any rape victims who picked this up hoping for encouragement or compassion and instead got a sermon, and not even a very good sermon at that. Even the discussion questions at the end of the book were all about abortion and had nothing to do with sexual violence, so there's no possible excuse to make for the author's agenda. This is a pro-life opinion piece which is so clunky that when it tries to demonize the pro-choice group, even its stereotypes are stereotypes. I'm so sad that Rivers dragged the sensitive topic of rape into this just for cheap manipulation and drama. This book was gross, gross, gross. (Writing an angry review is cathartic, though.)

[LadyCalico · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since this book was a Christian novel about an unwanted pregnancy, one would also expect a strong anti-abortion message, but one also would expect a novel. Ms. Rivers delivers on the former, but not the latter. The novel was not without some good points and strong writing, but rather inconsistently. At times it appeared Ms. Rivers forgot about the quality of the novel altogether. Having read Sure As the Dawn I should have been prepared for the fact that Ms. Rivers is capable of churning out some really bad junk, as well as her quality novels. This sad abortion of a promising novel is one of the times when Ms. Rivers drops her standards. Yes, I am a Christian and anti-abortion and I agree with much of her message, but that doesn't change the fact that the novel has some big problems that, if not Ms. Rivers, some good consultants or editors should have fixed. Right from the beginning there were some factual errors that put holes in the story so big that you could fly the space shuttle through them--and had me gritting my teeth in frustration. If she has no medical background, she really should have consulted with a gynecologist before starting the book based on erroneous assumptions (like that painful cleaning done in the ER, it is called a D&C and prevents pregnancy). Possibly, she figured all Christian readers are idiots, so she doesn't have to worry about accuracy or Truth--just like the Supreme Court decision she so severely bemoans in the book. To me the Truth is important--not less so for a Christian, but more so. Since there was much to like in the book in spite of its flaws, I will end with a positive note. Ms. Rivers does not take a simplistic black/white, secular bad/Christian good approach. Instead she chooses a more thoughty Secular and Legalist bad/True Christian good. She does not spare the perfect, perfect Christians (aka hypocrites) in this book. The father is a total Christian Slimeball, who thinks his role as spiritual leader is a blackjack God gave him to pound on the inferior females in his life. Dean Abernathy is so typical of many I know, primarily men, who love the fetus but not the child--and certainly not the mother. One can't help but wonder how many of those who scream bloody murder, literally, during anti-abortion protests have never lifted a finger to help unwed mothers with their burdens--or are content just to add to those burdens. I guess they never read what Jesus had to say about that in Mathew 23 and Luke 11:46, but Joe paraphrased it so wonderfully in his confrontation with the Dean--one of the book's high points--that maybe they'll see the message here in case they skip over the verses of the Bible that address their own sins.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francine Rivers did such a great job portraying the big issue of abortion in this book. The main character, Dinah, a godly young lady, who is serving the Lord has the unexpected happen to her. You know the "why do bad things happen to good people" ordeal? Her "perfect" life is shattered by rape and the consequences multiplied by an unwanted pregnancy which now brings the question, "What to do with this child?". Her life as she knows it is over, unless she does what everyone else seems to think she should do, gets an abortion. That would solve it all. No bad reputation, no ruined life, no reminders of the bad thing that happened to her, as far as those around her it seems to be the perfect solution.... but what about the emotional scars abortions can leave? No one wants to talk about the facts, or give her any real information on the long term effects of a decision like this. Her family is being torn apart, her faith stretched to the limits, and time is running out. What will she do?

This book is so worth the read, for many reasons, but it especially gives insight about the damage abortion can do to a woman physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I wonder how many women are out there that no one knows what they have gone through or suffered in the course of their lives after having an abortion, whether out of choice or possibly being forced or coerced into one. What does God have to say about it? Is society's view on the issue an accurate one in light of His Word? This book certainly gives much to think about.

[Samantha Tankersley · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading several other books by Francine Rivers, I was highly disappointed by this novel. While most of her books have a clear evangelical message only bordering on "preachy," this one was blatant in its aims. I understand that her goal was to unpack abortion, and the regrets and ramifications it causes; however, this book felt like a con list for the procedure thinly veiled by a "story," rather than a well-written plot about a central issue.

While I enjoyed the main character and her love interest, the rest of the characters fell flat. They were simply tools used by the author to show another pro-life point. Also, I feel like the psychological wounds of the rape causing Dynah's pregnancy were largely glossed over in order to focus on the author's goal.

To me, an author, or any kind of Christian artist should make people ask questions, think about things in a different way. But in this book, Rivers simply beats her point into the ground with every angle she can get. In doing that, she failed to write an effective novel.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a deep read! The premise of the book is rape and abortion, both horrifically nightmare inducing topics. If you have a weak system, do not read this book. If, however, you do find yourself desiring to place your feet into a rape victims' shoes, please put them on carefully. A very heart wrenching look into the REAL church culture surrounding abortion and the hypocrisy we tend to hide. Francine Rivers never fails to provoke intense reflection and a desire to live a better life. This book will bring you to your knees literally, and you will go through a box of kleenex. You may even find yourself challenging your own church family to better educate and love their own. I read this at a time when a woman made news for being fired from her teaching job after becoming pregnant, and while under different circumstances; I find myself questioning the morality. Would they have her abort the baby and keep it a secret, enabling her to keep her job? What a humbling thought. As christians, we are called to love; and again Ms. Rivers points out the inner selfish desires that cause us to overlook the voice of God pleading with us to open our hearts and arms.

[Niki Petzoldt · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was seriously hard to read this book. I'm prolife, yes even in the instance of rape, and personally don't agree with birth control either. But seriously, this book wasn't a story, it was a prolife, anyone who thinks abortion is ok is an evil person, pamphlet. The woman who runs the abortion clinic? Well she's a crap parent with a drunk daughter who of course was on birth control.... And how many people in one story can have an abortion that ruinned their lives and gave them cancer???? Drivel...... This book could have been so awesome if the author told a story instead of pushed an agenda.

[Marnie (Enchanted Bibliophile) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. Exodus 13:2


First Sentence: It was on a cold January night when the unthinkable, unpardonable happened.

I think the first time I read this book I was to young to fully comprehend the emotional carnage that this book brings. I had to take breaks, put the book down and read something else, or just not read for a few days.
Some times it's so hard to follow God's word, to do what He wants. Rivers portray this struggle so beautifully, so real to live.

To date all of Francine Rivers' books had made me look at live in new light.

[Brittany · Rating 1 out of 5]

So terrible. I tried to give Rivers one last chance. Even though I already suffered through Redeeming Love, everyone said I should give this one a chance. I thought it was supposed to be a novel, but its actually pro-life propoganda, which wouldn't be so bad if you classified it as such. But it fails in every way possibly as prose.

[Lindsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Obviously when I picked up this book I knew it would have a lot of prayer and Church-y stuff, but I think that it was still a little over the top, and that isn't even my main problem with this book. My main problem with this book was the ending. Seriously, "Will you marry me?" You have to be kidding me. And then the Epilogue, what was up with that? I don't know what it had to do with anything and it seriously took away from the book. Who were those people supposed to be and what was the point of having the boyfriend walk the girlfriend to the nurse at the abortion clinic? Was that supposed to be her daughter in the future in this far fetched viscous circle of getting pregnant when you don't want to and deciding whether or not to abort the baby. What I would have liked to see was how her parents reacted to her keeping the baby, if she got married, how the baby was a couple years in the future... anything other than how it ended. I might seriously say it was one of the worst endings to a book I've ever read.

[Jennifer Triplett · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this for a book club and I have to pat myself on the back that I actually made it through the entire thing.

It's bad. So very, very bad. It's bad in every way a book can be: the plot is full of holes and is so predictable, the interactions and dialogue are one dimensional and lack any of the qualities of real human interaction, the writing flow is stuttered, it is poorly researched, and it is literally the most judgmental thing I've ever read. And her characters... they are like paper doll people with no depth or real personality. And she apparently did zero actual research when crafting her settings. The first half of the book takes place at a college. At one point, her main character goes to talk to her professor. The name of said professor? "Professor Provost." Professor. Provost. I wish I were joking. Alas, I am not. (If you don't get why this is mind-numbingly dense: Professor is an academic role at a university. Provost is also an academic role at a university. It's like naming her character "Doctor Nurse.").

The subject of the book is abortion and let me be transparent. I'm pro-choice but respect diverse opinions on this issue. People are entitled to feel however they feel about sensitive and personal topics like abortion. But, and this leads me to the absolute worst part of this book, when you start trying to use misinformation or out and out lies to push people to your side, you've moved from having a heartfelt opinion to being intentionally manipulative and deceitful. And that is what this book is. There are many, many examples of factual inaccuracies in this book with which she tries to leverage the readers towards her pro-life perspective. But I will only rip apart two of them for the sake of time.

1) She references "Post-Abortion Syndrome" as a condition women who have had an abortion often suffer, which supposedly ravages them with guilt. If you have no awareness of psychology, it sounds plausibly like a real condition. Except it's not. It's not an actual syndrome. It isn't in the DSM. It isn't diagnosed by actual mental health professionals. And despite her claims, that isn't because of some "medical bias" that causes people not to research this issue. It's because it HAS been researched extensively and there isn't evidence it really exists. Some women experience trauma tied to their abortion experiences and that is real. But that does not seem to be most women who have an abortion. There is no evidence that abortions themselves are significantly associated with a measurable and specific mental health condition or a deterioration of mental health. And there certainly isn't evidence of any causal relationship between abortions and the development of Post-Abortion Syndrome specifically (if you know anything about causation, you know in part why her claim is so bananas). This syndrome isn't real. And if you don't want to believe me, here's a quote from an American Psychologist journal article on this very issue:

"The most rigorous studies indicated that within the United States, the relative risk of mental health problems among adult women who have a single, legal, first-trimester abortion of an unwanted pregnancy is no greater than the risk among women who deliver an unwanted pregnancy. Evidence did not support the claim that observed associations between abortion and mental health problems are caused by abortion per se as opposed to other preexisting and co-occurring risk factors. Most adult women who terminate a pregnancy do not experience mental health problems. Some women do, however. It is important that women’s varied experiences of abortion be recognized, validated, and understood." (Major et al. 2009)

2) She also discusses abortion "causing breast cancer" in the later sections of the book. Shocking, no? What's a scarier boogie man than abortion? Cancer. And she claims (via dialogue from one of her characters) that of course we Americans wouldn't have heard of this, because the scientists that research this can't get their research funded or findings published. Except... Guess what?? Again, this HAS been researched extensively. In fact, there was a study done about 10 years ago with 83,000 participants (if you know anything about research, that is a huge sample) and they found no association between intentional abortion and breast cancer (it's from the Lancet in 2004). There are some studies that find an association between multiple miscarriages and breast cancer (although most research is pretty skeptical of this as well). In this literature, miscarriage is often referred to as spontaneous abortion, so maybe she just skimmed studies and didn't understand what she was reading. But given some of the other nonsense included in the book, I'm going to guess that no, she didn't in fact bother to do any real research.

This book is basically the LifeNews website turned into a novel. It's just as barren of fact and clearly biased, and the writing is even worse in quality. It is literally the worst book I have ever read in my life.

But hey, I finished it. Somehow.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like a story that promises a heavy topic, but never do I ever enter a story that is obviously going to carry on with a character in a constant mournful state like this. It wasn't easy to prepare my mind to keep reading, no matter how hard Dynah Carey's life got. The main topic of The Atonement Child is abortion and the story is centered on whether or not Dynah keeps the baby after she is raped. So it says in the synopsis, so I knew what I'd be getting myself into, I guess.

This is Christian fiction so the main question on my mind was, "how is God going to redeem this situation?" It was impossible for me to grasp how Francine Rivers or anybody was going to tell me a story where such an unfair thing happens and we're to come out of it still trusting in God and His words and promises. The easier way out would obviously seem like the best choice at this time.

Francine Rivers does it though. She uses multiple POVs; from that of Dynah's parents to her doctor to tell a sympathetic and empathetic story about Dynah battling with her tragedy with God right by her side. Francine Rivers unpacks so many of the the world's familiar pressures and also uses scripture to battle some of my worst thoughts. By the end I was compelled to cling to God and even more determined to do so in Life's worst trials.

It was an emotional read and I appreciate how none of the hardships were glossed over or left out. I feel encouraged and like I did some deep thought weightlifting.

[Allison Ourada · Rating 1 out of 5]

WARNING: REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Confession time: I chose this book as a 'hate read' (you know a book that sounds so terrible that you just HAVE to read it to see if it's as bad as it sounds? Yeah...). And honestly, some aspects of the books surprised me by how NOT terrible they were. But there were several parts that made me want to throw it against the wall (and if I hadn't been reading it on my kindle, I probably would have. Multiple times). So yeah, I have a lot of thoughts on this book. Here we go.

Let me preface this by saying that I am a Christian and I have read and enjoyed a few of Francine Rivers' books, namely, the Mark of the Lion series and Redeeming Love. I've read many many books by Christian authors in the past, and Francine Rivers is one of the authors that I do like for the most part. I commend Rivers for trying to tackle a subject that is obviously dear to her heart, but I feel like this book ultimately failed (HARD) for me. To be fair, I'll start with:

The Good (and/or The Not Terrible)

1. Again, this is a tough and very loaded subject. I am begrudgingly impressed that this book exists at all, and I'm sure that Rivers has gotten a lot of flak for it.

2. As much as this book annoys me, I have to admit that it was pretty darn readable. I finished it in less than two days.

3. Despite the fact that the majority of main characters in this book are Christian (or claim to be), they are flawed in a very believable way instead of being super perfect.

4. The relationship that builds between Joe and Dynah is nice.

5. I liked that this book expressed how people can talk a big game about their morals, but the true test of what you believe occurs when you're thrown into a terrible situation. Ethan, the 'perfect Christian guy' becomes a massive victim blaming jerk who can't deal with the fact that his fiancee has been 'defiled' (seriously, I wanted to punch this guy in the throat so many times), Dynah's good, moral parents have so much baggage that is brought to the surface by this event, and Dynah has to reconcile her previous views of God with the horrible things that are happening to her. Seriously, bravo, Rivers.

But for all the good, I am still giving this book one star, and I would give it zero if I could. And so:

The Bad (aka Things that Made Me Want to Light Every Copy of This Book on Fire)

1. It's sooooooo preachy...sooooooooooooooooooo preachy.

2. You expect me to believe that every single person that Dynah knew besides her grandmother and Joe was THIS gung ho to try and make Dynah HAVE an abortion? REALLY? Not ONE OTHER Christian she knew was going to try and convince her not to have an abortion? REEEEEEEEEEALLY????

3. Holy cow, has EVERY WOMAN in this universe had an abortion? Two generations in the same family and then the third generation considering it seriously enough to actually go to an abortion clinic? Seriously? I get what Rivers was trying to do but it was all just way too convenient for me.

4. The victim blaming in this book is off the charts. Does victim blaming happen in the real world? Yes, and it makes me equally as angry. Added onto that is the extra layer that exists in a lot of Christian purity culture that any woman who has sex before marriage is dirty, defiled, impure, and broken. This mentality is disgusting and sadly happens all the time in the real world. I'm not saying that it's bad that Christians believe premarital sex is a sin, but mentally throwing women (and especially, oh, I don't know, RAPE VICTIMS) in the metaphorical garbage is just vile, and Jesus would not have done it (see: the fact that he hung out with ACTUAL PROSTITUTES and treated them with compassion and love) Is this mentality throughout the entire book believable? Definitely yes, unfortunately. but it makes me SO ANGRY regardless.

5. This book had so many one-off comments that made me want to flip ALL the tables. I returned my digital copy to the library so I can't give exact quotes, but here are the worst offenders that I can remember (and trust me, there were many more):
-While fighting with Hannah (Dynah's mom), Doug (Dynah's dad) is freaking out about the rape and yells that the rapist might have AIDS! Or he might be BLACK!!! I seriously had to put the book down for a minute after this. Yes, the rapist was despicable. All rapists are. But WHY WOULD IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF THE RAPIST WAS BLACK? Racist, Rivers. Disgustingly racist. Shame on you.
-When Dynah runs away from home to gather her thoughts, there is a brief period when she is living in a hotel and cannot find a job. She contemplates applying for benefits, but remembers that her father (again! Prince of a guy, Dynah's dad) has often ranted about people 'leeching off the government' so she decides she doesn't want to do that. There is no shame in needing public assistance and to shame people who DO need it is extremely gross. And, reality check Dynah, if you are unemployed, single, and pregnant, you are EXACTLY the kind of person the system exists to help. It's your choice if you don't want to apply for it, but don't dump on all the people who use it.
-The waitress that worked at the diner before Dynah got the job there (Susan, I think? I don't remember her name) mentions that she calls one of her Asian coworkers 'Ho-Chi-Minh' (I believe-it was something similar if not that exact nickname) and that he hates that nickname. Here's a tip, maybe don't call someone a nickname that they don't like, especially if that nickname is directly tied to the other person's race. Again, that's racist.

6. I do not like how this book addressed the topic of rape. I suspect that Rivers chose to make her protagonist a rape victim so she wouldn't have to deal with the touchy topic of consensual premarital sex among Christians, and also the fact that Dynah got pregnant from rape pulls the whole abortion debate into a gray area for a lot of people. However, the rape seems to get shoved pretty far into the background as soon as Dynah finds out she's pregnant. Then it's 'should I or should I not get an abortion' for the rest of the book. I don't want to diminish how difficult it must be to decide whether or not to get an abortion. That has to be one of the most difficult decisions for any woman to make. But aside from the men in Dynah's life repeating over and over that they want to beat the rapist to death and everyone contemplating what a 'monster' the baby will be because her father is a rapist (which seriously, gross), the book just seems to mostly drop the rape aspect of it. I also take issue with the fact that the rapist was the stereotypical 'stranger in the shadows' (which I know does happen, but much less often than the victim knowing their rapist), but I assume that Rivers didn't want to deal with fleshing out the character of a rapist and possibly dealing with Dynah taking him to court or anything like that. At its heart, this book is about abortion, not rape, but the fact that Rivers introduced rape as a plot point and just conveniently disposed of the rapist bugs me.

I know that a lot of people loved this book. If you loved it or were moved by it or it changed your life for the better, I will not discount your experience or say that you're wrong. You're entitled to your opinion and I am not going to fight anyone about whether this was a good or a bad book or extrapolate on the reasons I listed for disliking it. But personally, I hated this book. Capital 'H' HATED it. Would not recommend. To anyone. Ever.

[Kristine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate that this book delves into the controversial moral and intimate subject of abortion. I'm glad that the author didn't make all the Christians "good guys" and the non-Christians "bad guys". I'm glad she shone a light on the hypocrisy that's rampant in Christianity.

But I just didn't like very much else about this book. The characters were pretty one-dimentional. The story was predictable. The dialogue was cheesy. The way everything resolved was too perfect. I've never read Christian fiction before, but I had high hopes that this would be a though-provoking and deep book, based on the beginning. About a quarter of the way through, though, it just got a little to schmaltzy and preachy for me.

[Tessa Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book ... the best one I've read in a long time.

[Jasher Drake · Rating 1 out of 5]

:(

[Katrina Van Grouw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting, I couldn’t stop. This was the only Francine Rivers I hadn’t read, so I was very excited to do so. This book tells the story of a girl who is raped and has to decide whether to keep her baby; it is so emotional and made me cry a few times. This book opened my eyes to the fears and struggles an unplanned pregnancy can bring, and just how much the abortion industry lies to women about side effects, the dangers of the actual procedure, and the emotional damage an abortion can have. There is also a large amount of commentary on people who are “pro-life”: until they are involved. We see many people around Dinah, the main character, treat her terribly or try to push her to get an abortion, even as Christians. This opened my eyes to how much the church needs to help those recovering from an abortion to find help and forgiveness, but also to think about the mother involved, not just the child. Dynah’s own fiancé internally blames her for the rape and wants her to get an abortion, despite being a champion for the pro-life movement previously. This book exposed hypocrisy on both sides and I really recommend it.

[Dana Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story of a protected, adored virgin being brutally raped and dealing with a resulting pregnancy could not have been an easy story to write. The author did a good job of creating a believable Christian family in crises by allowing us inside their deepest thoughts thereby revealing weakness, doubt, fear, and anger woven with faith, redemption, and hope.

The Atonement Child was an interesting mixture of thoroughly developed characters undergoing intense trauma mixed with a few secondary players that seemed a bit flat. While I'm glad to have read the book I did not love it for a few reasons. I felt it hurried key moments of development in the central character, Dynah. The story spiraled out from her forming a generational anthology introducing us to three generations of women each with their own story of unwanted/inconvenient pregnancy. At times I felt like I'd been wandering in the desert for forty years trying to sort out the timeline. Eventually things snapped back to the current storyline but by midway through it was exuding an almost fairytale like feeling. The story becomes wildly implausible because everything works out seamlessly right down to the tiniest detail but it's presented in a "well, with God all things are possible" kinda way. And, of course, with God all things are possible so perhaps...

Despite the lower points there were moments that shined. The author excelled at examining marriages and family dynamics by exploring the vast range of emotions felt by Dynah, her parents, and her grandmother. She captured the nuance of Dynah's parents' marriage and feeling for one another to perfection.

The greatest failing was in the lack of discussion about the option of adoption. While it was mentioned briefly very little time was spent looking into adoption as a legitimate means for coping with unwanted pregnancy. Normally the omission of options would not be criteria for ranking a book but it is clear the author is using the story as a means of helping girls in this situation and I applaud her for doing so. Yet, while Dynah was a nineteen year old college student with many options available to her most girls who find themselves pregnant are much younger and adoption is almost always the very best option. Teens in high school should not and cannot be presented only the options of abortion or raising a child. Of course, this book was published in 1997 when pregnant twelve years old wasn't quite so commonplace as it is today. So, perhaps if given the chance to write the same story set in the current time frame this oversight would be attended to more carefully.

Speaking of the year of publication... I caught myself thinking, "Why don't they just use their cell phone?" only to remember they weren't widely in use or quite so small back then. In the same vein I was amused to think of Dynah and another character, Joe, actually writing letters to one another instead of using email. Oh how the world has changed! :)

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how the author wrote from all angles, in this story. The girl who was raped- her fiancé- friends on the sidelines- a teacher- mom- dad- grandparent- abortion doctor- abortion clinic director- a pastor... A boyfriend who had no choice, when his girlfriend had an abortion- and a boyfriend who pushed his girlfriend into it.

Mrs. Rivers portrayed them with care and honesty, not just using cookie cutters, but going into the "why's" behind things. She's had an abortion herself, which gave even more weight to her words, personally. ❤️

I honestly didn't know what decisions or paths characters would take! I was constantly at the edge of my seat.

Redemption, as always, is a main point of her work. That forgiveness is possible. Where she takes you into the darkness, she always shows that the Light can reach through it all. And she did it here... ❤️

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book very very very very much :D actually I found this in my university library accidentally while I was utterly bored waiting for a friend of mine to come. I was surprised at how much I ended up loving this book actually though. Being a Catholic and a Sri Lankan the feelings that Dynah was going through became very personal to me. Not that I had any experience but it was very heart wrenching seeing her go through it. I guess if i had to go through a similar situation I would be as distressed as her. But the choices she made was good and I liked how she stuck by them. Her indecisiveness was totally ok by my standards. I also loved Joe. He stood by her all the time and he wasn't the always preaching type but a person loving God nonetheless. The only problem I had was how in the world could the grandmother, mother and daughter all go through abortion? I mean that was a little too much for the author to put but other than that this book was a very nice one that was more than fun to read.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! My first Francine Rivers & certainly not my last. This touched my heart in so many ways. I loved it.

[Gabrigeeta · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5
Very powerful but a little bit preachy at times.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francine Rivers always give a great story based on God's character and men's depravity. This is a great example. With abortion such an issue even among Christians, I would encourage all Christians to read this. Her characters could be based on real people. I saw some that I knew personally. I think the one that gripped me the most was the doctor that was performing the abortions and the reasons why. I realize not all doctors have the same reason but I appreciated this part of the story the most. The story has real conflictions and emotions thru out. If you are pro choice, you will either feel that this book is an attack on your beliefs, however, I am sure that Rivers prayer that is God will grip the hearts of those that read this and see the truth of abortion.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Quickie Review

Abortion has never affected me personally, but, as an emotionally sensitive person, this novel still moved me nonetheless. Dynah's struggle about what to do with her unborn child, and her desire to do the right thing without knowing what it is, made for very gripping reading. Though it wasn't perfect--that's why I didn't give it a perfect score--the overwhelming emotional themes make up for any complaints I could come up with.

Content Concerns: Themes of abortion, rape, and sex outside of marriage, as well as emotional intensity, are all through this book. Anyone who is unable to understand or deal with such material should probably stay away.

Score: 4.5/5

[Romina Bellusci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Francine's work, she's one of the best christian writers I know and my absolute favorite, why? Because you can see God's love, God's message in every single page of every book she wrote. Her writing flows beautifully, her dialogues are well written and keep you reading, plot, romance, love, forgiveness, God's wisdom is all wrapped up in her books. The Atonement Child was such a good book, it thought me so much, it really opened my eyes to the post abortion depression and made me see those doctors that perform abortions daily under a new light. The way Francine stays objective but at the same time makes you go on a rollercoaster ride full of emotions and surprises is phenomenal. I was Pro-life before I read this book, and I'm even more pro-life after reading it. I have some friends who sadly got writ of their baby, yes it IS a baby and I refuse to call it "the problem" or the "fetus", they all confirmed what Francine wrote about, even if they may not believe in God, they all agree that they regret their decision and they will carry that weight for the rest of their lives. One dear friend even told me that she sometimes stops to look at a little boy or girl and think about how her son/daughter would have been of the same age. That said, I love how Francine doesn't say that it is wrong, she just tells you all the details and all the conflicts and makes you decide what to think of it. Let's face it, Francine has a gift for writing. If you're looking for a good book with a lot of suspense, love, truth and God's wisdom, please read it, and I promise you won't regret it. cheers and God Bless ;)

[Erica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book had an incredible story line and above average character development. I am staunchly pro-life and so completely appreciated the books position. I am however not too fond of fiction that has undertones. This book is just that. There is a lot of preachy sections and though I think all of it is true and worthwhile I don't think a novel is the place for it. I don't think that someone who is looking for or in need of encouragement to make a pro-life decision is going to look in a novel and if they happen to I don't think they'd take it that seriously, since it would be QUITE ridiculous to site sources in the text. For this reason a lot of the preachy sections just come across as over the top and condescending toward someone who might not be pro-life. I hope that it encourages some but for me it is just not what I want in a novel.

[Tasha enderby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very hard book to read even for a believer. Well I should say it was hard for me personally to read this book with choices I have made in my own life. This book will have you angry, in tears and ashamed all at the same time. The story is redeeming in the end and of course it all works out as God has intended but you learn a lot about yourself, other believers and faith along the way. This book put a lot of focus on generational sin and how one grandmother's choice has tainted all the women in her line. I believe this to be for many famillies still today. I see it in my own family and seeing the courage Dynah has to overcome it, stop the cycle and begin again is overwhelming for such a young women.

[Honeybee · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the BEST books ever written about the abortion issue. Francine Rivers masterfully and sensitively examines the topic from just about every possible angle. Having been involved in the pro-life movement for decades, I have seen many sides of the abortion debate. I have read many books. This is the most outstanding. Buy it for teens, adults--anyone you care about. Whether staunch pro-lifers, "pro-choice," or undecided on the issue, ATONEMENT CHILD will give them plenty of food for thought. We read this novel in a book club I facilitated, and all the ladies loved it! Discussion questions at the back make it a powerful tool to assign in an ethics class or other church and educational venues. Gotta get it folks! Then try out her other powerful novels, as well.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Rivers, and understand that some are better done than this, some are poorly done. Please note that I didn't read any reviews, only the blurb, so had no idea this book was about such a controversial topic and how much this book was focused on it--had I known, I'd have avoided it.

Although this book has a very high average rating, reviews are all over the place, even from Christians. Some of the complaints are just, but some are questionable. For example, one of my GR friends of colour has given this book 5 stars whereas one white reader claims this book is racist. The latter reviewer completely ignores a scene where racism is called out. The protagonist's father did make a racist comment, but given that he was being ignorant and mean about all of this I'd say that was highlighting his hypocrisy and ignorance, not because Rivers is racist.

This book is very controversial because it deals with abortion; this topic is highly polarizing, and I'm not giving my views on it because I keep my political thoughts offline. What resonated with me was that people were pressuring Dynah to abort rather than letting her take the time to make her own decision--and I mean her "Christian" fiancé, her father and at least one other man. There is a lot of good writing in here, but there are times when Rivers veers away from strong novel writing, particularly later on. I loved the fact that it showed us hypocritical "Christians," but for those not familiar with non-Catholic pro-life stances, not all say it's wrong 100 percent of the time. The hypocrisy comes more from some whose religion is more about show, and for me it has nothing to do with that they were pressuring her to abort after being raped, it was about why they were doing so. They lacked empathy and compassion for Dynah.

There are a few characters I thought conveniently too flawed--it would have been far better if the director of the abortion clinic were a fully developed person who had ethical reasons for being pro-abortion and not just a money-grubber, although it's true that it's a big revenue generator and that there probably are some in it for the money. People are rarely so "black and white" when it comes to opinions.

Anyone who thinks that this represents all Christians or Christian stances, that's ludicrous, since there is an enormous range between the ultra liberal and ultra conservative "Christian" churches.

I do wish that Rivers had done a bit more fact checking. I will excuse one study she mentioned, because it hadn't yet been checked--all scientific studies need to be confirmed by separate ones. She got me looking things up, such as the volatile arguments both sides have over postabortion syndrome vs PASS. One secular psychologist I read didn't understand that there are licensed Christian counsellors who help women overcome feelings of guilt, etc. I couldn't find anything about the supreme court ruling that women seeking abortion didn't have to have their questions answered in depth.

The epilogue was idiotic.

[Moonlight 🌸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was filled with drama and angst and much food for thought. Very well written. It would’ve been 5 stars but I docked one because something in here sounded racist. I loved Joe and Dynah was a great heroine.

[Yarril · Rating 5 out of 5]

In reality, I would have agreed that Dynah take the morning after pill in order not to get pregnant after she was raped. Even when she got pregnant, her boyfriend (trained to be a pastor) and all her Christian College dean and professors, parents and friends wanted her to have an abortion saying that God will understand. Dynah made the decision to listen instead to her heart and her heart said that killing the baby is not right. It also broke my heart to read that she was shunned by the College she was studying in because they don't want her to stain the school's reputation that there might be talks that she got pregnant out of wedlock because she refused to announce to the world that she got raped (understandable, with trauma and all)..

Anyway, I love this book. My most favorite and heartbreaking part was the ending...

When a girl and her boyfriend was in the abortion clinic, Jesus was there with them saying No, I love you. Don't do this. Trust me.

And when the girl went into the examination room to have the baby aborted, Jesus was crucified once again - God's Atonement Child for our sins.