Send Down the Rain

by Charles Martin
Hennepin County Library hardcover 331 pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships

Martin is a gripping storyteller! That said, he is very subtle about the faith aspect of his communication. I'm not sure if that's intentional to draw in readers who are not Christians, or if he doesn't see his writing as a platform for sharing his faith.

The blurb on the back would have helped me better understand the opening of this story! (I read it after I read the book.) Main characters are Joseph (Jo-Jo) and Allie, with Bobby, Jake, Suzy, Catalina, and others playing supporting roles.

We'll have a lively discussion on Monday, I'm sure! There are a lot of topics going on in this book - the Vietnam War, broken families, abuse, human trafficking, double lives, illegal immigrants, secrets, . . . he definitely wrote a powerful story.

Page 233 - "Long time ago, a friend gave me a gift I can never repay. The longer I live out the reality of that gift, the more I come to understand the enormity of what I owe and what is required to wipe the slate." (The message of grace . . . )

Page 258 - "Anger, rage . . . they're as real as you and me. They don't have bodies like us, but they live . . . live in us. Take up residence in our soul."

Page 270 - At the start of Chapter 39, the first overt mention of any "God-thing" is from Psalm 84:7 "They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion." Frankly, I didn't see how this was particularly fitting for this part of the story . . . but I'll probably be enlightened in our discussion.

Page 299 - The title reference! "'Watch over my boy . . . all the days of his life . . . and let him live to see the rain.' She closed her eyes. 'Send down the rain.'" Again, I'm eager for our discussion of the book. Joseph's mother prayed this for him after their conversation before he left for the war.

Page 312 - "I'd seen what evil could do. Evil never gave itself for anyone. It takes what it doesn't own. Holds your head under the water. Rips your head off your neck and dangles it from the city wall. Evil dominates. Controls. Eradicates. Evil is a sniveling punk, and if you let it inside you then you spew hatred, which is just another name for the poison we drink hoping it'll hurt someone else."

Page 320 - sweet passage. "The place where the tears come from is full again."

Page 325 - Epilogue "As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools."

Page 329 - "'Thank . . . you.' The words were separated by pain and they were long and hard in coming. The empty tequila bottle bobbed in the distance. Glass reflecting sunlight. A diamond floating on the surface of the world. 'For giving me what I needed.' He swallowed and dug his hand into the package. 'And not what I deserved.'" Yes! This is how God loves us, by giving us what we need instead of what we deserve.

To be honest, a lot of this book was predictable. But it was very well-written and intense in parts. My favorite was Catalina and her children and how Jo-Jo interacted with them.