"The Girl Behind the Red Rope" by Ted Dekker & Rachelle Dekker

The Girl Behind the Red Rope (Sept. 3, 2019) by Ted Dekker & Rachelle Dekker.*

How far would one go to be obedient and pure in faith? For members of the Holy Family Church, they retreat deep into the woods of Tennessee with their only partition of protection a red rope around the perimeter. There is a gate at the main entrance, but it’s clearly for aesthetic, as it’s keeping no one out except the Fury. Haven Valley is their refuge, and they live simply. Women wear compressors (corsets) and long dresses with multiple layers so that no man can know their shape and be tempted. Nineteen-year-old Grace has been married five months to Andrew Marks, a widower in his late 40s, but she does not live with him. She’s only permitted scheduled conjugal visits and will move in once she has conceived.

            Grace has been helping Jamie Weathers, her brother, avoid the perimeter patrols so he can slip beyond the red rope. Breaching the perimeter isn’t permissible and when he questions what is beyond and Grace admits her role in aiding him, they are both banished from Haven Valley. The Fury supposedly run rampant outside of the rope, so why was Jamie never attacked? When he is attacked and Grace is left unscathed thanks to her guardian, Bobbie, they are allowed re-admittance to Haven Valley. Jamie’s conviction in and commitment to Sylous, their guardian, is renewed and stronger than ever. Now it’s Grace who’s filled with doubt. Ben Weathers returns unannounced, clearly dying, but still unscathed by Fury a decade after being cast out for not putting his faith in Sylous. He arrives with Eli, who’s around the same age Lukas would have been had he lived. Grace is told Eli is her brother. Eli seems to Grace to be light and love; to Rose Pierce – who brought them to Sylous – he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Who is correct? Who is Eli? Why does Sylous feel threatened by a young boy?

            When I began this inspirational fiction novel by father-daughter duo Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker, I was thinking, It’s about a cult. Then I thought, It’s a supernatural cult, because that is what it felt like. It didn’t feel like an apocalypse so much as an ultra-dramatic world where all types of fear have manifested itself into corporeal form, even if not always seen. I typically love fantasy novels, but I found myself struggling with the pacing. I simply couldn’t fully engage with the novel, but I expect I’m in the minority there. The way the Fury present is a thought-provoking idea, and the plot is stimulating. The examination of obedience and faith from the perspective of a brainwashed group in this fictional setting was interesting, but I also can’t imagine not knowing I can think for myself without retribution or punishment. And that’s where my struggle with this book lies, so I’ll be grateful that I can be free-thinking.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly 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.”