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A sincere Christian takes a sharp, intelligent look at many aspects of life. The opening short story about a Muslim girl converted to Christianity sets the tone. A lengthy speculation on the life of the family of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is imaginatively based in scripture. Five brief accounts concern people who touched the author in some way related to her faith, followed by eight articles exploring marriage through scripture. For example, a wife has to submit to her husband, and he has to be a provider and decider, but understandable and forgivable exceptions occur when a woman has to work to earn money for the family or when a husband is physically abusive. Davies expounds firm opinions about the First Amendment and the teaching of Darwinian Evolution, concluding with insights on the coming tribulations and new “revelations” found in the Book of Revelation.
Davies has composed her prose like a practiced wordsmith. The collection is unusual, comprising so many different kinds of offerings, but the central theme is clear: the author advocates a strict, scripturally based form of Christianity. Her means of piquing new interest for ancient ideas include the story of a preacher who disguises himself as a beggar outside his own church and a metaphorical fantasy about a slave girl who becomes a princess by dint of her unflagging devotion to a single, heroic figure. Though no author bio is included, Davies reveals a lot about her life experience in the course of her writing. The reader may speculate that she has written this book as a legacy for her family while recognizing her clear strengths as a serious, compelling writer whose work could usefully serve as subject matter for Christian study groups and further discussion of the controversial issues raised.