Arising From The Ashes

Specters In The Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright is a powerful dual timeline Christian novel that consumed me from the start.

The tale is set in 1921 and present day as we view the action through alternating chapters with the two lead characters.

The leading ladies have parallel lives – both are alone as their parents have died. Both had mothers who struggled in life – one through addiction, the other with a genetic mental illness. And both leading ladies have good hearts, despite their upbringing.

Mental illness is an ongoing theme in both time periods. Today there is a lot of help. Back in 1921 characters were shut away from the world if there was any glimpse of mental illness.

We also meet a character who is physically disabled, having lost a leg during a battle in World War I. He fears that others may see him as ‘less than’ he was but he is still the same kind-hearted person. “I’m no less a man now than I was when I went to France.”

There is much to fear in the novel. We learn that “It is alright to be afraid… It’s what we do with that fear that’s important.” Fear may still exist even though we have faith. “I choose faith… even though I’m still… afraid.” When we have faith, we can look to God and our fears will diminish.