Once upon a time there was a village. Along the south border of the village was a gravel road, and beyond the road, a field. This was no ordinary field, for it was strewn with waste from and trespass into it was expressly forbidden by the King. Although they have been warned about the consequences of trespassing by village elders and even the King himself, Delilah, Lilly and Hava cross over at the counsel of a philosopher who promises liberation. In doing his bidding, they quickly realize they do not know what they had always felt sure of. Through their respective encounters with the Field, Delilah, Lilly and Hava each take up their own roles in the age-old battle between the King and those who oppose him.
Lydia Thomas does a little bit of this and that, but is always writing in between this and that. In her spare time, she enjoys DIY projects and crafting, and spending time with family and friends, playing board games and watching movies. She is a bibliophile, cinephile, and pluviophile, and is fascinated with everything from history to science to theology. She’s been a Michigan transplant in the great state of Texas for most of her life, but now resides in Oklahoma, where she goes back and forth between saying “you guys” and “y’all.” She loves Jesus and wants to focus her writing on Him. The Field is her first book.
First off, let me say that I adore allegories, so when I heard about The Field, I had to read it. (I did receive an ARC for an honest review.)
There are many characters in this book, and I loved that there was. We get to see what "The Field" - which represents sin - does to each person who steps foot into it and to those they love.
It starts with Lilly, who is lonely, walking near the field that everyone avoids. She does it for solitude so she can journal her feelings. When "D", otherwise known as Deceiver, finds her journal, he has easy access to her feelings, using them against her so he can pull her into The Field, where he promises them treasure and tries to tell them that the King is lying to them.
Lilly steps in, feeling like she'll never be good enough or loved, and gets hurt. That's so much how sin is for us. We think it will be okay; we're tricked into thinking that no one loves us, that everyone else is doing it, and that God is lying to us.
This book is a reminder that Jesus died for us, that He loves us, and that we're in a battle against good and evil. I can't tell you how much I loved this book. It basically goes through every step of being a follower of Christ to having to fight the devil to showing how much God/Jesus loves us.
This is the perfect allegory. I can't even with this book. It's hard to put into words how perfect it is.
Then why a four star? I felt like it could have had a little more depth to it, honestly, and the writing was a little choppy with lots of "he said, she saids," but that didn't deter from the novel as a whole. The story is amazing, and I would strongly suggest it to ANYONE who loved Christian fiction. Heck, I'd suggest it to ANYONE.
I'm not much on allegory. It has to be really well done for me to enjoy it.
At first, I didn't think I would make it through the book. It seemed like the entire allegory was finished by about 25% in. I considered putting the book down, but kept reading and I'm so glad I did. This is one of those books that stick with you and make you think long after it's finished. I call this type of book "chewy." (It's a compliment).
Working largely through the themes of sin and forgiveness, The Field interweaves stories from Eve in the garden to the end of time, with appearances by Delilah and others you will recognize from the Bible. The way the story is told in non-linear chronology, keeps the reader from predicting exactly how/where the story will end.
If you're a lover of allegory, you will love this book. If you are a Christian, you should read it.
**I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Field by Lydia Thomas is a gem of truth and light. For me, a book such as this cannot bear the simplicity of such words as "inspirational", "powerful", "moving"; for it is like taking the magnificent sun and trying to make such a powerful heat fit into the body of a firefly.
This story is potentially life-changing. It is an allegory of major New Testament truth, put in the simplest and most comprehensible way; with striking and well-established characters, well-written phrases, and few typos.
This story is rich and soul-churningly good, and must eventually be translated into every Language, in my opinion.
I was given an ARC version for my honest opinion. I am full and encouraged and hopeful; and, yes, I am very moved to the innermost part of my soul. Beautiful!
It had some slow parts, but they were what needed to be for the scene. I highly recommend The Field. It would be an Amazing choice for a book club. It would allow for much discussion.
This book is great! I am a prereader for many books by this publisher. I loved that Lydia made characters that I could fall in love with. After reading this book I went back to my scriptures to seek out some of the characters and what their stories are. This book is great. I have recommended to my friends and family to check it out. Great job Lydia!
Lydia Thomas weaves an allegory focusing on how gripping sin can be, how tenacious the Devil is, and how redemptive the blood of Jesus will always be. The Field would probably appeal to anyone from middle-grade reader to older readers who enjoy allegory.
The story revolves around The Field and how the temptation of forbidden treasure can lure you in, make you distrust what you know, and question those you love. Each character has their own battle with giving up the stain and scars from The Field, it isn't difficult to relate to them at all.
I received this book in return for an honest review. I can't rate this book because I DNF at 38%. this book was so confusing to me that I honestly had no idea what was going on and it wasn't until I read someone else's review that I knew what half of these things stood for. Even then it still kinda annoyed me. It jumped around waaaaay to much to the point, I still have no idea who is who. I couldn't get a bond with any of the characters. So, sadly I had to put it done. Maybe someday I'll come back to it... but right now, I just can't.
I was given a copy of “The Field” in exchange for an honest review. Wow, I loved this book! One of the best Christian allegories I have ever had the privilege of reading. It tells the story of the ultimate battle, the one for our souls. It clearly portrays our enemy, the Deceiver, and the love of the King. I give it five stars and will definitely be looking for more from this author. No swearing or sexual content, there is violence, but nothing explicit. Good for teens and up.