Book Review: The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers

As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m on a hiatus from hoity-toity literature. I’m only reading for the fun of it right now. But as I read The Scarlet Thread, I was quickly reminded that reading for the simple pleasures inside printed pages does not mean surrendering storytelling excellence.

(My bookclub comrades will undoubtedly notice that this selection breaks my cardinal rule of not reading books on which the name of the author is printed in larger type than the title. The only defense I can offer is that sometimes, even the best rules might need to be broken. For now, I'll have to say it's more of a 'guideline'.)

I became an instant admirer of Francine Rivers when I read Redeeming Love. After I finished that book, I quickly devoured the heart-twisting tale again, and then passed the book along to family members to enjoy. Her Mark of the Lion series was even more engrossing, and I relished each of those three books immensely. When I find an author I enjoy, I typically read everything that particular writer has to offer. So I’m surprised that I never continued reading her other books.

I purchased three Francine Rivers paperbacks to kick-off my Reading is Fun Again campaign. And despite crying rivers of tears in a very public airport bar, I couldn’t put the first one down!

The Scarlet Thread weaves together two parallel stories. The first story follows the tribulations of a modern woman whose life is dropped into a blender and set to puree. She loses her parents, moves away from her hometown, and her marriage is crumbling. But we get to watch her walk this treacherous path and eventually rest in the comfort of God. Meanwhile, we also peek into the diary of her ancestor, a pioneer wife on the Oregon Trail, who wrestles with God on her journey through marriages, childbirth, death, and the wilderness of her expedition.

Each story is very engaging, and I found myself very invested in the characters. And while Rivers is known for writing a story with a happy ending, it isn’t necessarily a tranquil path with unrealistic assumptions and pat answers. We see God’s miraculous hand working in the lives of the characters, but it is often in such a common way that we can see how His hand might likewise be touching our lives. I love that!

I offer my enthusiastic recommendation for The Scarlet Thread. It is an enjoyable and charming story that did just what I needed it to do. It made reading fun again.