Christian Fiction Devourers discussion

February's Group Read is The Illusionist's Apprentice by Kristy Cambron!

GR Summary:
Harry Houdini’s one-time apprentice holds fantastic secrets about the greatest illusionist in the world. But someone wants to claim them . . . or silence her before she can reveal them on her own.

Boston, 1926. Jenny “Wren” Lockhart is a bold eccentric—even for a female vaudevillian. As notorious for her inherited wealth and gentleman’s dress as she is for her unsavory upbringing in the back halls of a vaudeville theater, Wren lives in a world that challenges all manner of conventions.

In the months following Houdini’s death, Wren is drawn into a web of mystery surrounding a spiritualist by the name of Horace Stapleton, a man defamed by Houdini’s ardent debunking of fraudulent mystics in the years leading up to his death. But in a public illusion that goes terribly wrong, one man is dead and another stands charged with his murder. Though he’s known as one of her teacher’s greatest critics, Wren must decide to become the one thing she never wanted to be: Stapleton’s defender.

Forced to team up with the newly formed FBI, Wren races against time and an unknown enemy, all to prove the innocence of a hated man. In a world of illusion, of the vaudeville halls that showcase the flamboyant and the strange, Wren’s carefully constructed world threatens to collapse around her.

Layered with mystery, illusion, and the artistry of the Jazz Age’s bygone vaudeville era, The Illusionist’s Apprentice is a journey through love and loss and the underpinnings of faith on each life’s stage.

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Chime in if you plan on joining in on the read!

I'm in! I'm planning on also using this book for February's challenge, as it has roses on the cover.

I'm not sure if I'll read this next, or second to next in my reading schedule, but I'm in!

Yes, I'm in. Already read the book, but I'll hold off on spoilers!

I'm going to try to join!

I'm in :)

I have several reading commitments, but if there is time, I would love to join you.

I'm planning on it:-)

I'm going to try to join in! I have some other books I'm reading too so it will probably be slow going, but I'm so excited! This will be the first book of the month that I've been able to join! :)

Thanks for chiming in, everyone! Looking forward to the discussion! :)

I'm gonna try and get in on this one too.

I'm planning on joining in as well!

Hoping to be able to join in as well -- trying to read it this week!!

I'm planning on reading it. I had bought it a few months ago and was excited when I saw it had been chosen as the book of the month!!

My library didn't have this in print, but I did find it in audio so hopefully that works, and I can join this month. =)

Awesome! :)

I'm on page 200 and enjoying the story immensely. It's had some tense moments but the mystery is still pretty mellow. It's a good mix so far.

We actually read Kristy's previous release The Ringmaster's Wife last year in January, so I know perhaps some of us have read that book, but has anyone read that one or her other books? Anyone have a favorite so far?

I just finished this book and really liked it. First book to make my Favorites of 2018 list. I also read The Ringmaster's Wife and The Butterfly and the Violin both of which got 5 stars from me.

I read The Butterfly and the Violin first, of hers, and it's still my favorite. I have also read The Ringmaster's Wife. Looking forward to catching up on her others and reading The Lost Castle soon.

I've got a copy from the library... now just to finish up my current reads.

I've started reading it. The first chapter has me hooked. Should be a great read!

I finished it, and while I liked it, I only gave it 3 stars on GR because I didn't "really" like it. I can't state specifically why I didn't like it more--guess maybe because I didn't have the urge to keep turning pages? I have not read any other books by this author, but from looking at reviews, I might check out some of her other books and see if I "really" like them to give them a 4 or 5 star review. I DO enjoy reading books by authors I've never read before, because there is always the potential to discover a real gem that way.

Hello, everyone! It doesn't seem like it, but it's mid-month, so I want to go ahead and open the discussion up as well as post some discussion questions! I'll post the first three now. :)

1. Though she lives in a world of mystery and illusion, Wren's faith continues to push her story forward, even when confronted by the seemingly ironclad facts of Horace Stapleton's case. It isn't until she crosses paths with Elliot and his fact-based logic that she realizes how deeply held her convictions are. How would Wren's story have ended differently if she'd only relied on what she could see--and prove--with her eyes? Was her faith a major factor in her pursuit of the truth behind Stapleton's illusions?

2. Though the world sees Wren's Lockhart as an illusionist on a stage, Jenny Charles is the real woman who lives behind the scenes. How are the personas of these two women different, and how does Elliot manage to see the authenticity behind both? In what ways do Wren and Elliot finally unmask who they truly are?

3. Harry Houdini lived a life of adventure from the stage. In this story, however, we imagine him as a wise mentor offstage, helping to shape Wren into the skilled entertainer she would one day become. As Houdini began to ask deeper questions about faith and spirituality in his final years, how did the debunking of false mediums affect Wren's view of their shared vaudeville world? Though the story opens months after Houdini's death, how was he ever-present in Wren's journey?

I haven't started the book yet, so if I fit it in this month, I'll jump in.

I haven't started it yet, either. Too many reviews and books for reviews in my way!!

I finished it yesterday! It wasn't quite a 5 star book for me, but I still really liked it. I'll be reading more of Kristy Cambron's books. :)

Hannah, I'm right there with you on review books. :) I'm simultaneously working on two now, to hopefully catch up a bit quicker.

Megan, I'm glad you're hooked on Cambron after reading this book. I loved her debut, The Butterfly and the Violin. Very emotional, deep read.

I read "The Illusionist's Apprentice" yesterday and while it was an okay story I never particularly connected with the characters. All the reviews that I am reading loved the book and I see here that several people really loved it. What am I missing? I am wondering if I look for different things in books than most people? Do I like different sorts of characters?

I actually thought that Wren didn't have faith in God as I read the book and wondered why this book was considered to be an inspirational book. I remember reading her comments about faith but they were confusing and I didn't interpret them as indicating that she had a strong faith in God. When I read the author's discussion comments at the end I saw that I misunderstood Wren's character. I went back through the story today but still feel that the faith component is very minimal throughout the story and you have to really search to find evidence of Elliot and Wren's faith in the story.

The whole part about trust and domestic violence was very troubling but I can't really say anything about that in a review without giving a whole bunch of stuff away and the book doesn't actually deal with anything regarding the domestic violence part. It just includes it as happening. Also what happened regarding Charlotte? Why was her father trying to rip her out of her mother's arms when her mother fell? Was he going to hurt Charlotte in some way? Was her mental condition related to something her father was doing?

For me as a mystery story I enjoyed it. It kept me engaged and thinking. It provided a few twists and turns that I didn't exspect until a few seconds before the revealing. I also like that it was like nothing I had read before.

However like Jolyn the faith component also lacked for me. Initially I was intrigued how faith and illusion could cross paths. And to be honest I still don't think they can.

I love the questions Jolyn. I never thought about it in that much depth but yes there was a few unanswered questions.

Andrea wrote: "Hannah, I'm right there with you on review books. :) I'm simultaneously working on two now, to hopefully catch up a bit quicker.

Megan, I'm glad you're hooked on Cambron after reading this book. I..."

Thanks Andrea! I'll have to check that one out :)

I have to agree about the faith aspect. That was one reason I couldn't give it 5 stars. It was just kinda talked about here and there, but not very deeply. I did like Wren a lot, but I wasn't a huge fan of Elliot. Not sure why, but I did feel like he was pushy at times.

I have to agree w/Jolyn about the characters and the faith component. I didn't have any strong feelings for any of the characters, either in a good or bad way. I didn't see faith as a domineering subject in this novel either.

I DID like the book enough to finish it, as I was curious to how it would end (and I don't EVER flip to the end of a book in the middle of reading it just to see the story's conculusion - ha).

Maybe I'm just having an "off" month, and the book for next month I'll be able to give it 5 stars, have more to add to the discussion, and the next book will be an "obvious" Christian book. :)

it seems many of the Christian authors have gone to what I call "Christian Lite." They put just enough faith in their book to get the designation Christian or Inspirational. They appear to be trying to pull in the secular readers as well while slighting those of us who really appreciate a strong faith thread.

I wholeheartedly agree with you Loraine! I think we must be very careful with what books we read! If we read whatever and proclaim to be Christians how are we keeping our minds clear of the junk that is in many books nowadays.

If Jan Karon's iconic series has done so well in the general market, why not put the "lite" books alongside it? Many readers would be delighted to find a new clean writer, and we wouldn't be complaining about Christian books without much Christian in them. Everyone wins, right? So go general market....

I find it interesting you bring up the Mitford books, Hannah. I have been re-reading and finishing out the series for one of my challenges this year, and especially in the last few books of the series that I've read, the Gospel was preached far more clearly than in many of the so-called Christian books I've read lately.
That said, while it was definitely 'lite' on the Christian theme, I did appreciate the distinction that Wren made between illusion and magic. It seemed to me that she was saying that magic was based in the occult, whereas illusion was grounded in things that could actually be seen (should the illusionist wish to share their secret), such as with Elliot figuring out how Wren escaped the handcuffs, rather than just appearing to be some mystical, unexplainable thing, as the first magician (can't recall his name) tried to pass off with his 'trick' of raising the dead. Wren drew a line in the sand for herself, based on her faith, and I appreciated that. The faith thread was very subtle, but it was there, though I definitely agree this book seemed to have been marketed for a more 'general' audience than a purely Christian one.

Hannah wrote: "If Jan Karon's iconic series has done so well in the general market, why not put the "lite" books alongside it? Many readers would be delighted to find a new clean writer, and we wouldn't be compla..."

Hannah I agree as long as they are clean, but many of the Christian "lite" books now are starting to include bad language, too much sex, etc. I loved the Mitford series and do not mind any Christian "lite" book as long as it has not slid down the slippery slope of trying to appeal to the general audience by losing Christian values.

True. Christian books with content is such an oxymoron...

I just started this book today. :) I loved the opening lines. They definitely set the right mood for that first scene.

One of the things I like about Cambron's writing, is her ability to pen beautiful, almost poetic, descriptions. Here is a quick example:
The fog surrounded the trunks of aged trees in a haze of white, limbs climbing up out of the ghostly vapor. The tree's arms stretched and yawned toward the sky, spring buds dotting all the way up to the tips of the branches."

I never felt that Wren never tried to say that faith and "magic" went hand in hand. In fact, she was pretty adamant that what she did was not magic, but purely illusion. She never really tried to fool anyone by saying that her illusion was magic.

I did feel that the faith element of the story overall was very light. I mean, it was there, but maybe somewhat vague? Like literally the wording used was "faith," I believe. However, just because that's the case, I'm not sure that the story should be dinged because of it.

Different readers have different tastes. I think it's good that there are authors that take the lighter track and authors that take the "heavier" track in terms of talking about God and faith. Perhaps someone that wasn't a Christian might pick this book up because it wasn't overtly "Christian" and it might plant a seed. I'm not saying it would change their life or anything but every little bit helps sometimes, and there's nothing wrong with using the story itself to be a metaphor for faith and belief in God.

I'm not trying to argue or anything. I just see that Kristy Cambron is obviously a Christian if you follow her at all on social media, so I am hesitant to just paint her story with a broad brushstroke as trying to please both Christian readers and secular readers. And, even if she was, I don't actually see that as a bad thing. I see that as a good thing because it would reach more readers. It's an overall uplifting story, so I would never see that as a bad thing.

Anyway, I know none of this was very eloquent. Just some random thoughts I had.

For the actual story and my enjoyment of it, it was a fun mystery, but nothing that blew me away. I actually liked Elliot better than Wren for most of the story. I feel like in her desire to make Wren mysterious, the author made her too mysterious for me to feel like I knew her. The historical details and the mystery were enough to keep me reading, and I have to agree with Laura that some of the descriptions are lyrical and lovely! I could really picture everything in my mind and feel like I had a good idea of what the vaudeville world might have been like.

Laura wrote: "One of the things I like about Cambron's writing, is her ability to pen beautiful, almost poetic, descriptions. Here is a quick example:
The fog surrounded the trunks of aged trees in a haze of wh..."

Yes! Those same sentences caught my attention - so lovely! :)

Laura, I'd fully agree about her writing. The description of the library was so vivid and unique.

I started a couple days ago and hope to have a chance to finish this week.

Yes, I really enjoyed the unique, historical details featuring vaudeville. The mystery was actually a pleasant surprise to me, and It kept me turing the pages!

Beth wrote: "I never felt that Wren never tried to say that faith and "magic" went hand in hand. In fact, she was pretty adamant that what she did was not magic, but purely illusion. She never really tried to f..."

Beth I agree with you. Wren was very vocal about what she did was illusion and not magic. During her time with Houdini, she saw him debunk many who promoted that it was magic. I believe she tried very hard to keep her faith separate from what her career was. I also agree that there was a light faith element and there is a need for both in Christian fiction. My only problem is when the light faith element also includes foul language or TMI on sex.

Overall I thought this was a really good book. It was an interesting look into vaudeville and what was going on at that time in history. Including how Houdini was extremely vocal about is opinions/beliefs on spiritualists. I also liked that there were a couple of plot twists that I didn't see coming. This was the third book by Kristy Cambron that I've read, and it definitely won't be my last.

I enjoyed this book, but felt really distracted while reading it. I'm going to chalk it up to the timing of the semester--I started it when I was sick with the flu, and have been playing catch-up at work for the past two weeks, so I think it may have colored my views on the story as a whole.

I completely agree with everyone who said that the faith element was a bit concealed. I thought that there was SO much more depth that could have been added to Wren's faith if only she had connected her struggle for self-sufficiency with a realization that she (and all human beings) were created to need God and the support of a true community. The older I get, the more I realize that I cannot do what I have been called to do on my own!

A faith element that I did see, however, was the difference between illusion and magic. With illusion, people know that it isn't real--that it is just a show. On the other hand, magic--especially the kinds 'performed' or pretended by mediums, etc. is dangerous because people actually put their hope in it, not realizing that they are a) placing their hope in something that is false, and b) being taken advantage of and being exploited by people who are only in it for fame or profit. It made me think about what I put my hope in...do I ever put my hope in something that is false, or can never provide peace, hope, or life for me like the Lord does? I suspect that we may do this at times without even realizing it...just like many of the innocent bystanders in the book. Just some food for thought :)

I couldn't put it down after the 50% mark and loved the story there.

The main thing about the faith element I didn't like is that I felt magic and seances were really just dismissed out of hand as "falsehoods" rather than mentioning that there was anything inherently wrong or sinful about using magic or hosting seances. It put it down to being a game for gain rather than the smallest mention of the actual dangers of contacting a demonic world.

Hannah, I was right there with you on that part. However, this book ended up making my favorites list, because the mystery and story were so great, despite the lack of faith coming into play on the magic stuff.

Betsy wrote: "I enjoyed this book, but felt really distracted while reading it. I'm going to chalk it up to the timing of the semester--I started it when I was sick with the flu, and have been playing catch-up a..."

Betsy, I completely echo your thoughts with the missed opportunities with Wren and her faith. I think maybe if there had been a bigger, more clear moment with that, I would have warmed to her character considerably.

Suzy wrote: "Overall I thought this was a really good book. It was an interesting look into vaudeville and what was going on at that time in history. Including how Houdini was extremely vocal about is opinions/..."

Yes, I have to say the plot is extremely engaging! That and the beauty of the descriptions and the details of that lifestyle kept me flipping those pages.

I actually really enjoyed Wren. I love quirky, unique characters, and she definitely fit that bill. I was wishing through the majority of the book that her faith would have been more highlighted or intrinsically threaded in, but overall, I found her fascinating.

Which was your favorite character and what was it about that person that hooked you in?