Book Review: Phoebe by Paula Gooder

Dear Friends, 

Biblical fiction is one of my favourite genres to read, and Paula Gooder's book, "Phoebe" did not disappoint me.

I really enjoyed reading the imaginative account of Phoebe. Phoebe is a deacon mentioned briefly in Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome. In Paula's book, Phoebe journeys from Corinth to Rome to bring the Christians there a letter from Paul. It turns out that Rome was Phoebe's childhood home and we learn that there is another reason why Phoebe needed to return to Rome. At the end of the book, Phoebe prepares to visit Spain to spread the good news there. But it's not just a physical journey she embarks on as she also has a spiritual journey to take. The friendships she makes in Rome help her to grow spiritually, to receive God's love for her in a deeper way, to open her heart to being loved by others, to receive healing from her past and to also give and receive forgiveness.

Some of the characters, such as Paul and Prisca were portrayed differently to the picture I've always had of them, but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Rather it gave me the opportunity to consider a perspective different from my own.

I found myself drawn to many of the characters, Phoebe (of course), also Felix and Peter. Paula succeeds in bringing these men and women of the Bible to life. The book reminds me that they were real people with real lives and experiences which we can learn from. The chapter in which Peter explains about God's forgiveness was one which I found personally very helpful.

The second half of the book is Paula's notes on the culture and the history of these first Christians. This section added another dimension to the book. I found this section interesting and her notes gave me a better understanding of what it would have been like to live as a first century Christian. Within the notes, the reader learns more about things such as the practice of freeing slaves and adopting them as sons, the roles of women at the time, the love of God, forgiveness, the variety of Christian worship, persecution etc. What worked best for me was to read the notes alongside Phoebe's story. Although if you prefer, you could read the notes once you had finished Part One.

One indication for me as a reader is whether a book such as this gives me the desire to go back and read God's Word for myself. To see what the Bible has to say. Paula's book does just this.

If you are someone who enjoys read Biblical fiction and also likes to understand the Bible, the cultural and historical setting of the day, then I recommend this book to you.

Some of the ways to connect with Paula:

https://www.gooder.me.uk

Twitter:  @paulagooder

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulaRGooder

Vicki