Rivers, Francine. The Atonement Child.
Tyndale House; 1997, ISBN: 0842300414.
Reader’s Annotation
Dinah, a college student, faces gut-wrenching choices when she finds herself expectedly pregnant after a vicious attack, and the people she turns to for help each seems to have their own motives.
Plot Summary
As a freshman at a Christian college, Dynah has it all—a family who loves and supports her, a boyfriend on the fast track to success, and her faith in God. Then, in one random act of violence, and Dynah’s “perfect” life comes crashing down around her. After being raped, Dynah find that the unthinkable has happened—she is pregnant. All her beliefs about “choice” and “life” are put to the test, and the people she turns to for support, have agendas of their own. The college administration, the boyfriend, her own parents who have secrets of their own, even Dynah’s grandmother all have a stake in what Dynah decides about her pregnancy.
But Dynah finds the strength to make the decision she needs to, without the added influence of so-called friends and family.
Critical Evaluation
Because Rivers excels at character development, you feel like you know Dynah Carey right from the start. And even though you know it’s coming, when she is attacked, your heart breaks along with her as she suffers the indignities in the immediate aftermath, and the consequences that follow. Rivers is even handed with the failings of those who should have “had Dynah’s back” as she struggles to sort out her options and all the implications. The hypocrisy and self interest is maddening in light of what this girl faces, and yet in portraying the characters this way, Rivers succeeds at conveying the variety of reactions people have when something like a rape goes from being theoretical to actual. Rivers' own biases do come through loud and clear, however, and I was disappointed with the stereotyped depiction of manager of the abortion clinic. Overall, though, Rivers presented a fascinating snapshot showing how one pregnancy affects more than one woman.
About the Author
Long before her success as a writer of Christian fiction, Francine Rivers enjoyed great success as an established romance novelist. She started out her career at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she received a B.A. in English and journalism. Francine grew up in a Christian home, but did not truly establish a relationship with Christ until much later in life. At that point she turned her efforts to writing Christian fiction, and has enjoyed a highly successful career in that genre. A mother of three grown children, Francine and her husband Rick live in Northern California. For more information, go to: http://www.francinerivers.com/
Genre
Realistic Fiction/Issues
Christian Fiction
Curriculum Tie-ins
Social studies/Social issues
Book Talk Ideas
- If Dynah turned to you for advice, what would you have told her and why?
- What would be the best way to support someone who finds herself in a situation like Dynah’s?
- Do you think that the abortion debate should be widened to include more discussion simply than “pro-choice” and “anti-abortion”?
Reading level/Interest age
Adult cross-over
Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas
Rape; Abortion; Christianity/religion
- Present the library's selection policy
- Become familiar with this work and other similar works in the collection
Why I included this work
As a college student, the main character, Dinah, weighs her options in the wake of an unwanted pregnancy. What I appreciated was the way that the author showed that while the woman is, of course, most directly impacted by an unwanted pregnancy, others are directly impacted as well. The author’s treatment of abortion is remarkably complex.
Great Quote from the Book:
"Everyone wanted to be the best. Best student. Best servant. Best Christian. They got caught up in it, pressing and pushing until they forgot whom it was they were trying to please."
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