Mountains of Spices

High Places #2

by Hannah Hurnard

An allegory of the nine spices mentioned in Song of Solomon compared with the nine fruits of the Spirit.

Genres: Christian, Fiction, Christian Fiction, Spirituality, Christianity, Classics, Christian Living

250 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Hanna Hurnard was a twentieth century Christian author, best known for her allegory Hinds' Feet on High Places.
Hurnard was born in 1905 in Colchester, England to Quaker parents. She graduated from Ridgelands Bible College of Great Britain in 1926. In 1932 she became an independent missionary, moving to Haifa, Israel. Her work in Israel lasted 50 years, although she would later maintain a home in England as well.
Hurnard's early writings (especially Hinds' Feet on High Places and the sequel Mountain of Spices) were embraced by the mainstream Christian community, but later on in her life she seems to have departed from orthodoxy.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great sequal to Hind's Feet. After personal healing and an understanding of who we are in Him, our time in His presence leads to a change of passions within us as we transformed into His image. The fruit of the Spirit bloom and should quite naturally lead to extending the kingdom of His love to the world

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I hadn't realized I had read this ten years ago. Unlike the first book, which encourages and builds me up every time, this one is a jumble of little stories, vague allegories that don't have a lot of meaning, and easy solutions.

I enjoyed seeing the characters again, and I loved how the Shephard transformed the lives of those who were enemies in the first book. Yet, everyone was converted in the end and very easily. I think it would have been better if the focus had remained on Grace and Glory and some things had been a struggle.

Overall, it was an okay read, but I would say you could easily skip it.

[Anna McBane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another captivating allegory by Hannah Hurnard! Filled with beautiful imagery and spiritual insight. I walked away from each chapter with a special type of stillness.

[Sydney Schrader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hinds feet was encountering the Lord yourself, this is the great commission! And mission work and how lovely it is to love others and bring them to the Lord!

[Emma McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo so good! Such a perfect sequel to Hinds Feet. Not as much of a gut-wrenching, soul-mirroring journey as Hinds Feet, but so many beautiful and valuable lessons and good food for prayer. I now want to read everything of Hannah Hurnard’s.

[Tanner Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously took me a long time and didn’t love this as much as Hinds Feet but y’all know I was still underlining every other sentence with slow tears rolling. Would highly recommend absolutely!

[Isa Gueno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and profound! Epic and emotional! Fun and whimsical! I loved this and it’s the perfect sequel to Hinds feet.

My favorite quotes!!!!

The Shepherd 🥲:
“There is absolutely no experience, however terrible, or heartbreaking, or unjust, or cruel, or evil, which you can meet in the course of your earthly life, that can harm you if you but let Me teach you how to accept it with joy; and to react to it triumphantly as I did myself, with love and forgiveness and with willingness to bear the results of wrong done by others. Every trial, every test, every difficulty and seemingly wrong experience through which you may have to pass, is only another opportunity granted to you of conquering an evil thing and bringing out of it something to the lasting praise and glory of God.”

This exchange between the Shepherd and Grace and Glory:

"Did you think it was a very terrible path, Grace and Glory? Did you think it very strange that after dealing so gently and lovingly with you all the way up to that place, I should lead you by such a strange and bitter path afterwards?"

She said nothing, only laid her hand in his and gave a little nod. "What did you say to yourself when the path led you to the bitter Spring of Marah?"*

She answered simply, "I said to myself, 'It is his love which plans this way for me and I will trust him and follow where he leads.'"

"Yes," said the King in a glad, strong voice,
"it is always safe to trust love's plans, and every lover of mine can sing with fullest assurance, ‘surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’”

Ok I’m done. But like truly… talk about something that will bring you to reverence and simple child-like faith!!!!!!!!

[Maggie Martindale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this book more of a 3.5! I think that Hinds’ Feet on High Places was perfect to me making any book a tough following act, but there was a lot to like about this one tho!

The spices being compared to Fruits of the Spirit gave such beautiful, helpful imagery in understanding what it really looks like to live out each attribute in my life. I could add quotes, but you might as well read the book cause ALL of it's just sooooooooooo good.

It was cool how Grace & Glory went back down from the High Places into the Valley of the Shadow of Death & shared her experiences w the Shepherd w the ppl living there before even if they were horrible to her. This led to redemption & new names & relationship w the Shepherd (last chapter = glorious). & I thought it was a neat touch that the people had this innate longing to know the Shepherd in their hearts, illustrating the true nature of mankind.

[Nay Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid five-star read. It took me a while to get through as I was dealing with personal things, but this was such an amazing follow-up sequel to Hinds Feet on High Places. I adored the allegorical classic and enjoyed it.

I loved Grace and Glory and how she lived up to her name. The Shepherd is everything and more. Seeing the Fearing family begin to grow and mature in the things of the Lord was amazing. All the names were important to understanding a human's different emotions and aspects and how God can take you from one state to another.

Nothing is left unused by God.

The connection between the nine spices and the fruit of the Spirit tied into love was so eye-opening.

This is definitely one for the books! Highly recommend this beauty!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to one of my favorite books of all time. I love the characters and the beautiful way the Shepherd illustrates so many truths of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book enough that it has been my before-bed reading for the past few weeks, but it's not one I would read again, nor did I find anything particularly outstanding about it. It is a sequel to Hurnard's Hinds' Feet on High Places, which I liked a lot; I've also read Hurnard's Winged Life, which I gave 5 stars. Although Mountains of Spices didn't particularly float my boat, it fulfilled my purpose: good spiritual bed-time inspiration, something calm and relaxing. And soporific.

Here, we follow the characters we met in Hinds' Feet again; every other chapter follows up with some of them, as well as a few new ones.

The alternating chapters are when Grace and Glory (who used to be "Much-Afraid" in Hinds' Feet) goes with the Shepherd to nine mountains of spices; each spice is one mentioned in the Song of Solomon, which Hurnard calls "the Canticles." But those chapters didn't do all that much for me; in fact, pretty much what I remember is pretty scenes of Grace and Glory sitting with the Shepherd enjoying the beauty (Hurnard's descriptions of nature are lovely), or looking over the Valley of Humiliation, and lots of poems. I really didn't like the poems. The most interesting part of them was figuring out how they scanned (I'm not sure if the 8-6, 8-6, 8-8 format is a sonnet, or something she made up; my English lit studies are too far in the past).

The best thing about those chapters was that they made me very sleepy, so I usually started the next night in the middle of one of those chapters, then read a chapter about the various characters, and then would start the next "spice" chapter, get bored and sleepy, and then finish it the next night.

I wouldn't recommend this to anybody, really, because why read an inferior volume? But if somebody absolutely loves Hinds' Feet, they might enjoy this as well.

[Kelsey Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed both storylines of this book ... the time Grace and Glory spent with the Shepherd on the Mountains of Spices, and seeing how the people she knew in the Valley of Humiliation were transformed. It's a sweet and encouraging allegory even if I didn't feel it was deeply profound to me.

[Jessica Sprecher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, the ending is so good!!!! And for the story as a whole is great! *chef's kiss* I do wish there had been more on all the different characters' transformations and a wee bit less on the comparison between the nine spices and the nine fruit of the spirit (because it would come across as a sermon at times. XP) but that's just a personal opinion--others might prefer that part! (And it was very enlightening and good!)
Content Warnings include off-camera physical abuse, off-camera alcohol abuse, some emotional abuse, a character considers suicide (not graphic), and probably some more that I am forgetting.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

“That love is far too weak and small
Which will love some but not love all.
If love to one it will decline,
‘Tis human love and not divine.
Love cannot content to rest
Till the beloved is fully blest.
Love leaps to succor all who fall,
And finds his joy in giving all.”

Although this sequel to Hinds Feet in High Places was a little harder for me to follow than its predecessor, I enjoyed it. It was beautiful and convicting to see the Shepherd over and over again transform the inhabitants of the Valley of Humiliation through their weakness and submission.

[Rebecca Janke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The follow up to Hinds Feet on High Places—storyline doesn’t flow as well, nor does it land as deeply (I think due to the purpose and nature of the journey taken by Grace & Glory and Shephard). Yet, Grace & Glory’s journey, as well as the side plots of her family still had me teary at points over God’s love, compassion, & delight in His children returning home to Him.

Still, a lovely lovely allegory—a good read in comparison to Hinds Feet’s GREAT read, but I would recommend!

[Rachel Alenius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takeaways:

- Warmed my heart towards the lovely Shepherd.
- The transformations often gave me a smile and a happy sigh
- Some lovely personifications of Fruit of Spirit, eg of Gentleness “A lovely gracious submissiveness characterized their every movement and yet at the same time there was something grandly regal about the poise and perfect control of their motions, no weakness of any kind but the most perfect command.”
- Want to read Hinds Feet on High Places

[John Sester, LC · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect continuation of "Hind's Feet"...

Although my experience of this book was not as 'intense' as reading her first book, this volume was still wise and powerful. Grace and Glory's conversations with the Shepherd always left me thinking, reminding me of his action in my own soul over the years...

[Ashlyn Wheat · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Entreat me not to leave Thee, Lord,
For Oh, I love Thee so,
And where Thou goest Lord of Love
There will I also go.

Where’re Thou lodgest I will lodge,
Thy people shall be mine,
Whom Thou dost love I also love,
My will is one with Thine.

As Thou didst die, so I will die,
And also buried be,
For even death may never part
My love-bound heart from Thee.”

[Claire Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing spectacular show stopping
"He loves thee far too well
To leave thee in thy self-made hell
A savior is thy Lord"
Hinds Feet on High Places is better but this sequel is still incredible!!! A new fav!!

[Rachelle Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful allegory. Practical encouragement. Deep truth presented creatively. I loved the sketches of individuals who decided to follow the Shepherd; they were given new names, lies they believed were destroyed with truth, pride and fear became trust and love, and they were transformed. Good for injesting quickly or for mulling over, for reading to children or alone.

[Stina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful allegory about what the Lord can do in our hearts, turning our worst weaknesses into our greatest strengths

[Kim K! · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this was a sequel to Hinds Feet in High Places! Made me love it all the more! Such a gentle read with such real and convicting truths in it!!

[Jasmine Strite · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful allegory. But read Hind’s Feet On High Places first. Otherwise this one won’t make much sense. One of my favorite authors!

[Joey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Candy Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sweet and charming. I will say that. It wasn’t near as good as Hinds Feet and left feeling slightly disappointed. She seems to mix what was allegory before and makes it real. I look at what the allegory points too, Craven Fear chasing after the main character, not a guy trying to get a girl to marry him. Here, Craven fear isn’t just an image but a real character who has his own response to the shepherd. I don’t think it works as well and had me confused at times. As a book itself, taking out of the Hinds Feet shadow/name/sequel, I thought it was quite well written. A story about a woman going back to her homeland to witness to her estranged family works in its own right. I’d only change the Shepherd showing up in kind of spooky ways. I’d also have a little hardness with more of the family, they come to the shepherd too easily. In real life many don’t come around or change quickly. Many don’t fully come around at all.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A follow-up to Hinds Feet on High Places, this allegorical novel follows the main character from the first book (Much Afraid, who is renamed to Grace and Glory) as she descends from the High Mountains and returns to village in the Valley of Humiliation. The many family members of Fearings each have their own vices and weaknesses, but there are so many beautiful redemption stories in this novel. Whereas Hinds Feet on High Places focused on Much Afraid/Grace and Glory's redemption story, this one has so many different types of people and shows that the Good Shepherd/King is able to transform any life humbled and surrendered to Him. The chapters alternated between a chapter where Grace and Glory is on one of the nine mountains with the Shepherd, learning an important lesson about His love, and then a chapter about a particular person in the village who eventually turns to him. Some of the mountaintop conversations were above my head and poetic, but there was still a lot to ponder in those chapters. I would always read a bit quickly to get to the next chapter, since I loved the redemption stories and found them to be really well written and believable. This was a re-reading, so some of it was a tad familiar, but it had been more than ten years since reading it, so a lot of it felt new.

[Carter E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was different. Mountains of Spices is the book I just got done reading. This book is really different than any other book I have read in the past. Mountains of Spices has Kings and Queens in it. Not only that but it also has many chapters about mountains and their significance in this book. For every mountain there is at least 1 or 2 poems for them describing them and their importance in the book. I would recommend this book to someone who is in the mood of reading about Kings and Queens in the past, this was a pretty good book and I would highly recommend it.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I loved Hinds Feet on High Places, I felt 'meh' about Mountains of Spices. The allegory felt more forced and the conflict is a little too easily resolved.

After returning from the High Places with the Shepherd, newly re-named Much Afraid (now Grace and Glory) encounters her old life and family - Bitterness, Umbrage, Murmurings, Craven Fear, Mrs. Dismal Forebodings, etc. Through introducing them to the Shepherd, everyone is re-named as they experience transformation - from Craven Fear to Fearless Witness, etc.

[Emma | meadowroselibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Love is the constraining power which makes my lovers willing to go all lengths, even to death itself, in order to bring the good news of the love of God to those who have never heard of it. It is love to the Lamb of God who bears the sins of the world and still must bear it and suffer with sinners until every sin-defiled creature turns at last from their sinning and seeks his delivering power. For as long as sin lasts and defiles and ruins his creatures, Love cannot come down from his cross nor cease to bear the sin of the world."

[Saphraneet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this as much as I did the first time I read it over 35 years ago. The author had a unique way of teaching about the fruit of the Spirit by associating them with the nine spices mentioned in the Song of Songs. It was satisfying to read how the lives of the characters introduced in Hinds' Feet turned out.