Nine

Back Cover

Zoe Johnson has spent most of her life living in the shadows, never drawing attention to herself, never investing in people or places.  But when a wide-eyed, bedraggled teenager with no memory walks into the diner where Zoe works, everything changes.

Against her better judgment, Zoe, who has been trying to outrun her own painful memories of the past, finds herself attempting to help a girl who doesn't seem to have any past at all.  With little warning, they must follow the only sure thing they know: a woman hundreds of miles away will either save them...or be the last person to see them alive.

Review

Nine is an action-packed read: part thriller, part science fiction, part conspiracy, and part... something unlike I've ever read before!  Kudos to Rachelle Dekker for her unmistakable writing talent - she is truly an incredible story-teller.  I found myself re-reading phrases and paragraphs for the pure joy of appreciating her way with words. Nine took me on a crazy ride, and I couldn't help but be drawn into this complex, multi-faceted story following Zoe and Lucy: two young ladies who struggle with their identities and how they are to view themselves.  Both struggle with a crippling past and the journey they embark on is their hope for a better future - if they stay alive long enough to see that future.

I really dislike having to write this, but I unfortunately encountered a couple drawbacks.  The body count in this novel is high.  Like really, really high.  I'm sure it could rival any secular R-rated action movies out there on the market. I struggled over the cold, calculating scenes detailing torture and ruthless killings.  It felt extremely out of place for a "Christian Fiction" novel, and wasn't quite what I was expecting.  Which leads me to the second drawback: a distinct lack of faith element in the story.  Other than a cringe-worthy flippant remark about only Jesus being able to enter a locked room, and references to a cult society where Christianity was skewed in terrible ways, there is no mention of God at all in the book.  The characters in the story are asked to change who they are, but through their own power, without seeking Christ and viewing his redemptive work on the cross as the only power to save (something I was hoping for in a Christian fiction novel, so it was disappointing not to see that theme incorporated into the story).  

All in all, Nine is a well-written suspense novel packed full of cliff-hanger moments. If you want a wild ride centered around a desperate fight between good and evil, then this is the book for you.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.