Let's eat Grandpa!

Rooms by James L. Rubart

Read: as a review copy from LibraryThing Early Reviewers (B&H Books, 400 pages)

Rating: 5 out of 10 (finished 5/3/10)

Synopsis: On a rainy spring day in Seattle, young software tycoon Micah Taylor receives a cryptic, twenty-five-year-old letter from a great uncle he never knew. It claims a home awaits him on the Oregon coast that will turn his world inside out. Suspecting a prank, Micah arrives at Cannon Beach to discover a stunning, brand new nine-thousand square foot house. And after meeting Sarah Sabin at a nearby ice cream shop, he has two reasons to visit the beach every weekend. When bizarre things start happening in the rooms of the home, Micah suspects they have some connection to his enigmatic new friend, Rick, the town mechanic. But Rick will only say the house is spiritual. This unnerves Micah because his faith slipped away like the tide years ago, and he wants to keep it that way. But as he slowly discovers, the home isn-t just spiritual, it-s a physical manifestation of his soul, which God uses to heal Micah-s darkest wounds and lead him into an astonishing new destiny.

NOTE: this review contains some spoilers.

Overall Impression: I don’t read a ton of Christian fiction, so I don’t have a range of books to compare this one to. One of my favorite authors, though, is Ted Dekker, and I think I expected something more along the lines of his work — creepier and darker. Instead, this was lighter than I expected, especially with that (fantastic) cover. The story was interesting — guy inherits a house that turns out to be way more than he expected. I loved how the house changed as Micah grew as a character, and how he was both drawn to and confused by what the house meant to him. They way his former life and his new life changed was also very well done. The characters were all likeable, although I’m not sure they had quite the depth I hoped for.  

When I compare it to my own journey of faith, however, I get a little tripped up. Micah leaves his Bill Gates-style life in Seattle to seek God in this house. He ends up leaving his old, materialistic life in favor of a more simple life that is guided by God. All this is good — I think that God calls us to reevaluate our priorities all the time and seek after him with abandon. My problem was the (perhaps unintended) “moral” of the story — that if you seek after God, you will be physically blessed. Despite leaving everything he loved in Seattle — his company, his condo, his prestige, etc. — he still ended up with the “perfect” life after he gave up everything. He got the (9000-square-foot) house and the girl and a career he loved. We have to be able to give things up to God and be okay with nothing (at least no physical reward) afterward. I’m just afraid that people who read this book will think, “If I seek after God, my life will be perfect!” I realize this is just one story of a million, but it still felt a little cause-and-effect to me.

Pros: Interesting concept and plot. Likeable characters, especially Rick.

Cons: “Moral” that I don’t agree with. I felt a bit iffy about Micah’s Big Sins –  his materialism and his love of rated R movies. The movie part felt very contrived and legalistic. I figured out what was going on in the dark room right off the bat — if that was supposed to be a mystery, it was too obvious.

Extras: The author’s website

Other books I’ve read by James L. Rubart: none

Other blogger reviews: Michelle’s Masterful Musings

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from LibraryThing as part of their Early Reviewers program.  The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”