The Hour Before Dawn [Review]

Title: The Hour Before Dawn
Author: Penelope Wilcock
Labels: Adult Fiction | Historical | Biographical
Publisher: Crossway
Contains: Mature content
Publication Date: January 31, 2012
Buy It: Crossway | Amazon | Book Depository

My Rating: ★★☆☆
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Blurb: A moving story about grief and healing unfolds in an English countryside monastery as the beloved brothers of St. Alcuin discover new depths of God’s grace and restoration.

          Once again, author Penelope Wilcock reaches back through the centuries to the ancient monastery of St. Alcuin. Abbot John is undergoing deep, emotional shock after learning of the rape of his sister and murder of his mother; Father William is discovering his own vulnerability; and there, immersed in the daily routine of simple tasks, the brothers undertake the greatest task of nurturing the grace of God in their souls.

          Book 5 in the recently continued The Hawk and the Dove series, The Hour before Dawn explores the psychological impact of grief and trauma as well as how one can be healed. Wilcock deftly weaves themes of the resurrection and ascension throughout the story, exploring the process of having survived suffering, but not yet having moved on. Characters eagerly await the coming dawn of restoration. Based on solid historical research, Wilcock’s representation of monastic life is authentic, rich with poetic prose and a sense of time and place.

          The Hour before Dawn affirms our need for one another’s understanding and love as well as our need for a personal relationship with Jesus. Wilcock’s newest story helps readers understand the grieving process, make connections between the Bible and everyday life experiences, and nurture an attitude of understanding and kindness.

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          Not going to lie - I was pretty disappointed with this fifth book in the Hawk and the Dove series. I've read all four of the other books in this series and enjoyed them; sadly the trend went spiraling downward by the time I had finished The Hour Before Dawn.

          While the characters remained relatable, it was the plot I found to be lacking in my tastes. The majority of the plot centers around newly installed Abbot John's sister, Madeleine, who at the very beginning of the book is accused of being a witch and is brutally raped. John and Madeleine's mother is killed during the incident, and the home Madeleine and her mother share is torched. What killed me was the graphic telling of this incident. There was just way to many details, and I really didn't need that mental image stuck in my photographic mind. There were a few other graphic incidents, but I won't mention them for the sake not spoiling it for potential readers. 

          The last fourth of the book was better, as the characters began to reconcile and move past their own personal trials to get on with life. Still, I thought the apparent speed at which Madeleine began to act like her old self a tad unbelievable. After everything that had happened, you would think it would take longer to recover. All in all, I wasn't impressed with The Hour Before Dawn. I'll still keep an eye out for the sixth book, due to be published sometime in 2012, I hope it'll have a better plot line than the 5th did.

          I received a free galley of this book from Crossway and Netgalley for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review.

The Hardest Thing To Do by Penelope Wilcock [Review]

         Over the last few days, I've found that one of the hardest things to do is put this book down. I love the characters' personalities and relatability as I watched them overcome the personal obstacles they faced within the confines of the St. Alcuin monastery. As I've read through the series, I've found that Penelope Wilcock has an excellent talent for pinning down the personal struggles we all face, despite the different time period the book is set in.
          I liked how the plot centered around the monks' clear rejection of Prior William, who has much to learn in the realm of compassion and mercy, and their journey toward forgiving past wrongs. The subject of rejecting those who have offended us in the past seems to be a common ground for just about everyone - at some point or another, I think most people have had trouble forgiving and moving on. This common ground provides the relatability we need to be able to connect to the characters and understand them and their point of view, even if the reader doesn't necessarily agree with the character's viewpoint.
          At the same time, I felt like I got a good look into Prior William's point of view, which varied vastly coming from the reject's view. The loneliness, fear, and vulnerability stood out to me as I realized how great a need we as people have to be forgiven and accepted. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and recommend reading it - do note, this is an adult level book.

I received this book for free from Crossway for this review.

The Long Fall by Penelope Wilcock [Review]

          The Long Fall, I believe, has just become my favorite book in the Hawk and the Dove trilogy. The book, much to my surprise, changes in the style of the first two books of the series. In the first two books, the book is relayed as a series of stories told to a young girl by her mother. In The Long Fall, the story is told simply as a straight story, with no story-telling from alternate characters. Despite my initial surprise at the change, I liked the style change, and hope to see the same new style repeated in the 4th book (The Hardest Thing To Do).
         This third book of the series centers mainly around the struggles of two main characters, Father Peregrine, who becomes severely ill throughout the book, and Brother Tom, who struggles with coping with his close friend's illness. Throughout the book, these two men strive to overcome their personal fears, shame, humiliation, pride, and grief, drawing from each other the courage, strength, and humility they need to get through their dark trials.
          I liked how The Long Fall capitalized on personal struggles we all face at some time or another. Although at times I didn't quite agree with the theology presented, the deep discussions held between Peregrine and Tom were thought provoking and interesting. This series is definitely aimed for the adult range. I  found it to be very enjoyable, emotional at times, and an excellent book in general. Now, go read it! :-)

I received this book for free from Crossway for this review.

The Wounds of God by Penelope Wilcock [Review]

         Any apprehension I had about this book, and the series, (as I previously stated my skepticism in my review of book one) is thoroughly gone. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean I agree with every single practice exercised in this book, but as for the book as a whole, I enjoyed it greatly. What really hooked me in was the characters.
         The characters always seem so real to me. I won't go into great detail, to save from spoiling the story. But I always felt like each and every character was distinct, full of true, relatable emotions aroused from believable situations. Each character seemed to have their own struggles, struggles we all face in everyday life.
         I didn't find it to particularly heavy, or hard to understand, even when doctrinal/theological topics were brought up. While there are serious scenes and moments, I found a healthy mix of laughable sections, amusing quotes to lighten and balance it out. I found it to be an easy read, so much so I read it in a total of three days -- something I haven't done in years! All in all, I enjoyed this book immensely. Now, go read it :-)

I received this book for free from Crossway for this review.

The Hawk and the Dove by Penelope Wilcock [Review]

          Alright, I'll admit it. I was a bit skeptical when I agreed to read this book (as well as the series). I had never heard of the book before, I knew very, very little about it, and what little I did know made me wonder if maybe I shouldn't have committed myself to reading and review it. All I really knew was it was a book involving monks, a monastery (or Abbey, whichever term you prefer to use), and "who discovered in the daily rhythm of their work and worship that the whole of life is a love story about a tender and passionate God." The dark color scheme of the cover didn't add any reassurance to my apprehension (yes, I at times judge books by their covers, shame on me :P). However.
          Despite all, I am entirely glad I read this book. Being the grammar-nazi that I am, it took me a little bit to get used to the different style of grammar used, while acknowledging the fact that the rules have indeed changed since the time it was written, and will no doubt continue to do so. Once I was over that minuscule obstacle, I enjoyed each and every chapter right up to the end - to the point I had to read the last chapter even though it ended up forcing me to stay up longer than any human being ought to.
          The writing flows well, with plenty of refined description without overloading you with unimportant detail, and carrying over the characters emotions to the reader. Each character was real, with real emotions, real flaws, real obstacles in their lives, making the book connectable despite the historical time setting. All in all, I loved the book, would recommend reading it, and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

I received this book for free from Crossway for this review.