Francine Rivers knows how to weave a poignant story dealing with profound issues, that are resolved by resounding faith. This story deals with a young woman's journey after rape; and in fact, how everyone else around her deals with it as well.

All in all, I thought this was a good book. It kept me very engaged and I read it very quickly. I agree with what some others said, in that I was shocked that after hearing about Dynah's Christ centered and wholesome upbringing, her parents marriage and very character so very quickly disintegrated. It was clear that it was not just Dynah's pregnancy that was the cause, these issues have been around for years, and the amount of anger and resentment that so quickly surfaced was just...unbelievable for a family of Christ followers. Not that Christians are perfect of course...but this was a bit, okay a lot, much. I also had mixed feeling on Francine Rivers' clearly trying to push the idea that any birth control at all is wrong. I was really shocked and put off by that. Dynah's thought process when she refuses the morning after pill, and the rest of the book make clear that Rivers' doesn't believe that any form of birth control is ever acceptable. I find that ascertation shocking and dangerous. I can not believe that any one would fault a rape victim for taking the morning after pill. And Rivers' states that birth control pills are abortificants. I find that a bit much. The abortion clinic director is certainly portrayed as a monster with no heart. And finally, when Granny is discussing abortion with her friends, and one shares that her granddaughter had one, because the pregnancy was 6 months sooner then planned, I kind of wanted to throw the book across the room. While that MAY happen, I think its incredibly hard to believe that a happily married couple who looked forward to having children someday would actually abort b/c it was sooner then planned. I do not believe that people really believe the rhetoric about it being 'just tissue' to that extent.

This is a must read. It is a difficult subject but denying it does not help the problem any. We need to stand firm and pray!

As a fan of Francine Rivers' Biblical fiction, I hate to write anything less than complimentary but I have to say honestly this is not her best work. It seems like every other character in the book has had an abortion. I can think of other ways to drive home the point that abortion is a devastating experience other than having multiple characters disclosing their own personal stories about the exact same thing over and over again throughout the plot. The book was overall engaging, but a bit tiresome.

I loved this book! Working at a crisis pregnancy center as well as knowing girls who have gone through this situation themselves, I thought the book was acurate. As a Christian I thought the struggles between, her and God were very accurate too. Being a Christian doesn't mean happy all the time, but through struggles we question God, we doubt, we hurt, yet we trust in God to answer those prayers and trust Him enough to go to him when we are hurting the most. I thought the book was greatly written and the characters portrayed great. Ethan is a real guy...I see all the time. Her roommate thinks she knows the best for her but doesn't. Her parents want the "best" for their daughter yet they forget to deal with their own feelings and past. It was very real and I loved the book!

Atonement Child from Francine Rivers is a pivotal book dealing with the issue of abortion. At times, it has been criticized for not being realistic enough, but to those who've said that, they've missed the point. Though it was written in 1997 and some of the references might seem a bit dated, the message stays the same. If you were stripped of all your comforts; home, friends, future . . . would you still serve God? I read this book when it first came out, when Christian Fiction with issues was a new genre. I decided to read it again when it tumbled from my book closet. I'm glad I did.

What an amazing masterpiece. This book is what made me want to go into a career with girls struggling with teenage pregnancy. Such a hard topic but Rivers writes so well and depicts so perfectly the battle in Dynah's mind and heart. So honest. My favorite book!

I was very touched reading this book... for the second time. I love that it shows that no one has to be a victim, that God can carry us through anything... that He is faithful, even when we are faithless - because He can not deny Himself. I became connected to the characters, I felt their emotions with them... I felt emotions against some. In other words, this writing really drew me in, it was written wonderfully.
God's love is strong and powerful, and He is able to birth us all through the fire it we're willing.

I was very touched reading this book... for the second time. I love that it shows that no one has to be a victim, that God can carry us through anything... that He is faithful, even when we are faithless - because He can not deny Himself. I became connected to the characters, I felt their emotions with them... I felt emotions against some. In other words, this writing really drew me in, it was written wonderfully.
God's love is strong and powerful, and He is able to birth us all through the fire it we're willing.

I simply love every book I've read by Francine Rivers. A message that stands out to me and is a prevalant theme in her stories is that we need to listen for God's answers. This is so hard to do since life is so rushed and we're all so impatient. I first read The Mark of the Lion series because it was given to me by a good Christian friend. I would start reading it, then put it down again. There's a lot of backgound information at the beginning that is very deep, especially if you haven't read much of the Bible. I'm guilty of not reading mine enough. These books, however, made me pick up my Bible and start reading again. If you haven't read this series, please do. Hadassah's story will change your outlook on life.
I'm actually still reading The Atonement Child. I stayed up until 2 A.M. reading it last night and plan to finish it today. Ms. Rivers does a superb job of broaching this delicate subject. She also makes you feel like you are Dynah. As I struggle daily with waiting for God's answers, these books give me the assurance that God is there and He has a plan for us all. Perhaps the message in this book is that Dynah had to go through this trying experience to change the people around her and bring them back to God. Thank you, Francine Rivers, for your excellent work in Christian fiction!

... this novel presents various aspects of the decision to have an abortion, or to not have an abortion, and the after-effects of that decision with delicacy and compassion. This is perhaps the first in-depth, abortion decison piece I have ever read that focuses a great, great, deal on the person carrying the child - the WOMAN! In one passage of the book, one life-long supporter of pro-life causes says she is withdrawing her support of the cause because too many focus on the baby and completely ignore the woman carrying the baby. *This is a key passage in this book, as it illustrates that this is not as much a book about the life of an unborn child, as it is about the hard choices and frightening life of a single-mother carrying a child.

The only thing that made me squirm a bit (as a life-long believer that abortion should not be made completely illegal), is the suggestion in parts of the book that the pro-choice movement is a money-driven one, and abortion clinics exist mostly for capitalistic purposes.

But regardless... If you are looking for a well-written novel that explores one single woman's choices regarding her unborn child, AND if you are able to keep an open mind, I highly suggest this book. It was entirely different than I thought it would be.