Book Review & Giveaway: The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner

Posted on October 8, 2008 by Rebecca @ The Book Lady's Blog

Recently published September 16, 2008

Lauren Durough is a student at UC Santa Barbara and the daughter of a wealthy businessman.  She has bucked family tradition by electing to attend a local school instead of Stanford, and she intends to strike out on her own and create an identity for herself away from the influence of her family.

The thing is, I don’t want my destiny handed to me. I want to choose it.

This is the treasure the impoverished forget they have: the ability to choose a new road. They may struggle all their lives to stay on it, but at least they chose it for themselves…

…When you only do what is expected of you, you never learn what you would’ve done had you chosen for yourself.

In this spirit of independence, Lauren responds to a want-ad posted on a bulletin board at school and finds herself in the home of 83-year-old Abigail Boyles, who has also lived a life of wealth and privilege.  Ms. Boyles hires Lauren to transcribe the diary of her ancestor Mercy Hayworth, who was a victim of the Salem witch trials more than four centuries ago.  The diary is fragile, and the writing is unfamiliar, but Lauren sets about the task with an eagerness to prove to herself and her family that she can do something different.

As she begins transcribing the journal entries, Lauren is drawn into Mercy’s world. She is captivated by the firsthand account of the hysteria that swept the early American colonies during the witch trials, and the consequences of the Puritans’ judgments and superstitions force Lauren to examine her own ideas about the world and to reassess her assumptions about other people. She comes to know that

We understand what we want to understand. That’s how it is. How it’s always been.

As Lauren develops a shy flirtation with her cousin’s friend Raul, she identifies with Mercy’s difficulty forming a relationship with her own beau, John Peter, and the romances develop in an almost parallel pattern throughout the book. Meissner has an excellent grasp on her characters’ thoughts and emotions, and she succeeds in making both Lauren and Mercy—and even the intrepid Abigail Boyles—sympathetic and powerful.

The more time Lauren spends with the journal, the more involved and invested she becomes in telling Mercy’s story, but Miss Boyles evades her questions about what she intends to do with the finished product, and the tension rises as Lauren nears the end of her project and makes a disturbing discovery about Mercy’s untimely death.

The Shape of Mercy is written as a combination of present-day narrative from Lauren’s perspective and 400-year-old entries from Mercy’s journal. Meissner’s prose is gripping, and her story—with a solid foundation in history and research—is compelling and difficult to put down.  I opened the book on Sunday morning and stayed curled on the couch until I finished it the same evening. I loved seeing Lauren’s character grow and develop and witnessing her interactions with difficult historical material.

When WaterBrook Press contacted me to offer a copy of this book, I was hesitant to accept because I had seen that it is classified as religious fiction, and that’s one genre I generally don’t read. After reading The Shape of Mercy, I’m honestly a little confused by that classification.  While the witch trials are an inherently religious topic, and while Mercy’s journal entries make brief mentions of the church and her faith (in the form of wondering where God is in the midst of the hysteria in her village), this didn’t really strike me as a religious book.  There’s no exploration of personal faith or indictment to pursue religion in any particular form, and Lauren really doesn’t spend any time contemplating her own beliefs.  The religious element was no heavier than you might expect in a general fiction title, and I think that is a very good thing. Perhaps the publishers put this one in religious fiction because that’s where the rest of Meissner’s books are?

The Shape of Mercy was a great departure into historical fiction and a wonderful introduction to an author I hadn’t heard of before.  Readers of religious fiction and general fiction alike will enjoy and relate to this captivating story within a story.  I’m giving The Shape of Mercy 4.5 out of 5.

Click here to visit the author’s website and here for her blog.

And now for the good stuff: The folks at WaterBrook Press have generously offered to give away The Shape of Mercy to one lucky reader.  To enter, leave a comment here telling me about a book you’ve read that’s outside of your usual habits. Blog about it (and leave a link here) to receive an additional entry.  The winner will be selected randomly.  This contest is open to residents of the US and Canada and will close at 11:59pm Eastern next Wednesday, October 15th.

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68 Responses

  1. bermudaonion, on October 8th, 2008 at 3:08 pm Said:

    I just read “American Born Chinese” which was my first foray into a graphic novel. To be honest, I probably won’t be reading another one any time soon. Thanks for hosting this giveaway!

    Reply
  2. Jeane, on October 8th, 2008 at 3:14 pm Said:

    I recently read “Sunshine” which was the first vampire story ever for me. Now I’m tackling the original “Dracula.” Thanks for including me!

    Reply
  3. iubookgirl, on October 8th, 2008 at 3:58 pm Said:

    I’m actually reading outside my norm right now, Descartes’ Bones. I’m just getting started, but am enjoying it so far. Thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply
  4. Devourer of Books, on October 8th, 2008 at 4:14 pm Said:

    “Zoe’s Tale” was way outside of my normal, being science fiction, which I do not read except for some young adult novels.

    “The Shiniest Jewel” was pretty out there for me as well; it was a graphic novel/memoir, and I’d never before read a graphic novel, or even a comic book other than the random Archie in grade school.

    Reply
  5. Ti, on October 8th, 2008 at 4:26 pm Said:

    For my book group, someone picked Nobody True. It’s a murder mystery of sorts but about out of body experiences. Way, way out there for me and it was horrible! It had lurching bodies which reminded me of Dawn of the Dead and very bloody, graphically depicted scenes of the murder.

    I would not be turned on by religious fiction either but what you described here does not sound like that. Please enter me!

    Reply
  6. Amanda, on October 8th, 2008 at 4:52 pm Said:

    Hmmm…I think the book I wouldn’t normally read is Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer and I really liked the book. My husband had me read it and it’s not something I normally would have read but I am glad I did.

    Thanks for the contest!

    Reply
  7. Grominou, on October 8th, 2008 at 4:55 pm Said:

    I’ve always thought that I would never read a Stephen King novel, thinking they were very gory and really not my cup of tea. But I came up on “Needful Things” this Spring in a public library benefit book sale and decided to give it a try (as it was only 1$, not a big risk!). I was surprised how well written it actually was, and only a couple of passages were a bit too violent for my taste.

    Reply
  8. writemeg, on October 8th, 2008 at 5:11 pm Said:

    I’m not usually into historical fiction and find some aspects of it particularly gruesome (read: The Salem Witch Trials!) but have forced myself to move beyond regularly contemporary fiction at points. Usually I’m pleased I have!

    I read Geraldine Brooks’ “Year of Wonders” a month or so ago and really enjoyed it overall. It was fascinating to “visit” England in the Middle Ages and go on a terrifying adventure with Brooks’ characters, especially Anna. I usually stick with chick lit and the like, so it was a really cool departure.

    I blogged about it here:
    http://writemeg.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/a-year-of-wonders/

    And I would love to be entered in the contest! :) Thanks Rebecca!

    Reply
  9. Lindsey@A Kindred Spirits Thoughts, on October 8th, 2008 at 5:13 pm Said:

    I recently read These Boots Weren’t Made for Walking and Tracey Bateman’s Drama Queen series – I don’t usually read chick lit so these were a little out of the ordinary for me. I loved the Drama Queen series, though! Thanks for the giveaway, I would love to read this!

    Lindsey

    Reply
  10. Ladytink_534 (Jen), on October 8th, 2008 at 5:29 pm Said:

    Oh this sounds a lot better than I thought it was! Hmm… I’ll read just about anything but the first time I stepped outside my comfort zone was when I read a biography for the first time. I can’t remember which one it was, Dolly Parton maybe, but I remember really loving looking up all the songs and movies that were mentioned and now I try to read a biography once every couple of months.

    Reply
  11. valerie mabrey, on October 8th, 2008 at 5:45 pm Said:

    Finding Alaska was a teen book that I read and like very much.

    Reply
  12. Susan Smith, on October 8th, 2008 at 5:51 pm Said:

    I read Audition which is an autobiography which was outside of what I usually read.

    Reply
  13. Elizabeth, on October 8th, 2008 at 5:57 pm Said:

    I read a mystery and I haven’t done that before and was so pleasantly surprised by it. It was called ‘Murder on the Ol’ Bunions’ and was a light entertaining book. I think I’ll look into more mysteries since I enjoyed that one.

    Reply
  14. Alyce, on October 8th, 2008 at 6:40 pm Said:

    I read “Dreaming Again” a book of short stories, some of them horror, and I don’t usually read horror stories.

    Reply
  15. Lis, on October 8th, 2008 at 6:56 pm Said:

    i book i “read” recently was the arrival by shaun tan it’s a graphic novel i am very glad i bought this book the story and art were INCREDIBLE! i had never bothered with a book like this before i’m very glad i did though : )

    Reply
  16. karissa, on October 8th, 2008 at 7:17 pm Said:

    I read “the Road” at the beginning of the summer. and I don’t want to give too much away, but with all the mystery, and never knowing what is going on, I normally would have put it down after a chapter or two. But it was so good, i never did! I loved it.

    Reply
  17. Adrienne Gordon, on October 8th, 2008 at 7:25 pm Said:

    I’ve read a vampire series called Necroscope.

    Reply
  18. Gaye McGill, on October 8th, 2008 at 7:49 pm Said:

    I’m reading “Promises to Keep” by Joe Biden and enjoying it very much. Some of the most interesting parts to me are his insights into other politicians – none of them unkind. This type of contemporary political book is usually something I avoid.

    “The Shape of Mercy” sounds like an excellent read and I’d love to win a copy.

    Reply
  19. S. Krishna, on October 8th, 2008 at 8:06 pm Said:

    Hmm…I recently read “The Man Who Loved China” by Simon Winchester. It was interesting, but a bit dry!

    Reply
  20. charline s, on October 8th, 2008 at 9:30 pm Said:

    I read a book called earthly pleasure that was different from my normal reading

    Reply
  21. Amy Tucker, on October 8th, 2008 at 9:52 pm Said:

    I just read the Clan of the Cave Bear!~ Way out of my reading world. Usually, I like mystery and horror.

    Reply
  23. Rich Lawrence, on October 9th, 2008 at 4:20 am Said:

    For years the only mysteries I read were by men,but now there are a lot of ladies writing good mysteries.

    Reply
  24. Kathy Scott, on October 9th, 2008 at 7:38 am Said:

    I read Eragon because I hjad to make sure that it was ok for my 8 year old to read.

    Reply
  25. Susan C, on October 9th, 2008 at 10:08 am Said:

    I normally read fiction, but I recently read The Mother of God by Tarlo, Luna. It was about the mother of Anrew Cohen- a guru. I enjoyed it very much.

    Reply
  26. Vicky Boackle, on October 9th, 2008 at 12:40 pm Said:

    i read a harlequin romance and this is not my norm.

    Reply
  27. Shelley, on October 9th, 2008 at 1:44 pm Said:

    For me, I just enjoy reading so I will read anything. Books are a wonderful escape…an adventure! Reading truly a way to learn about so much–it is too bad that more people wouldn’t take the time to just sit and relax with a book (people think books are NOT relaxing!!)

    Oh well….

    Thanks for running this contest:)

    Reply
  28. tobye, on October 9th, 2008 at 2:20 pm Said:

    I’m a fiction reader normally, but I recently read “Nickel and Dimed, on Not Getting by in America” and was enthralled. Very enlightening.

    Reply
  29. beth shepherd, on October 9th, 2008 at 2:22 pm Said:

    Thank you for having this. I just recently read Lisey’s story by Stephen King. Not my normal read but it was an excellent book. Thank you!
    tatertot374@sbcglobal.net

    Reply
  30. Desmond, on October 9th, 2008 at 2:29 pm Said:

    I just read “Last Days of Summer” by Steve Kluger and I can’t recommend it enough. Someone gave it to me; I would never have picked it up on my own.

    Reply
  31. Meagan Bennett, on October 9th, 2008 at 2:44 pm Said:

    I just recently read the book “41 Short Stories” by O. Henry.
    It was interesting and not what I was expecting. His take on the way people live was quite intriguing especially after reading the introduction on his life. He probably would have liked his life to have turned out as well as some of his stories did.

    Reply
  32. janeh, on October 9th, 2008 at 3:56 pm Said:

    I recently get an ARC of CROSSED BONES (Now titled THE TENTH GIFT) and it was about two different times …the present and the seventeenth century…… which were tied together by journal entries recorded by a young woman in 1625. didn’t think I was going to find it terribly interesting..historical fiction is not my favorite……but it was fascinating…..and I had a hard time putting it down.

    Reply
  33. Holly, on October 9th, 2008 at 4:37 pm Said:

    Looks terrific. I just tried to read, “The Tenth Case” and couldn’t do it. It’s a legal thriller and definitely out of my usual habits!

    I blogged the giveaway here. http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2008/10/giveaways_09.html

    Reply
  34. susan varney, on October 9th, 2008 at 4:48 pm Said:

    the history of a vampire usually i read love stories

    Reply
  35. Sandra, on October 9th, 2008 at 6:53 pm Said:

    I always said I would never read a graphic novel, but I decided to try The Rabbi’s Cat by Joann Sfor and it was really good. I hear he’s written The Rabbi’s Cat 2 so I must now read it too, of course. Never say never. Please enter me, this story sounds very good. Thank you.

    Reply
  36. Tammy, on October 9th, 2008 at 8:47 pm Said:

    I started the seris by Johnthen Kellerman books I dont really read mysereys but I really like his books now. My favorite is Historical Fiction, like Henry and Elizabethen times.

    Reply
  37. chartroose, on October 10th, 2008 at 1:14 pm Said:

    Earlier this year I read “Now is the Hour” by Tom Spanbauer. It’s a homosexual love story–the first one I’ve ever read, and it was quite good! I’ve already blogged about it.

    Please enter me. This novel sounds like a real sleeper. I love sleepers!

    Reply
  38. Clifton Wade, on October 10th, 2008 at 3:00 pm Said:

    I recently also read a book about homosexual love and was surprised about how my idea was all wrong!
    Thank you for this great contest and prize – a book is a gift that keeps on giving!

    Reply
  39. Book Titled The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner | Mom Giveaways, on October 10th, 2008 at 10:57 pm Said:

    [...] 2008 If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!Where: The Book Lady’s BlogWhat: Book Titled The Shape of Mercy by Susan MeissnerHow To Enter: Leave a comment on the [...]

    Reply
  40. Kimberly V., on October 11th, 2008 at 12:06 am Said:

    I recently read “Escape” by Carolyn Jessup. The book is about a lady who escaped a polygamous marriage (true story) and goes into details about that lifestyle. This is WAY outside of the normal genre for me. I normally read true crime stories and inspirational stories/books.

    Thank you for a great giveaway. It sounds like an interesting book.

    Reply
  41. Genevieve Larson, on October 11th, 2008 at 1:48 am Said:

    The Kite Runner. A girlfriend passed the book on to me and said it was a must read and she was right.
    jen

    Reply
  42. Baba, on October 11th, 2008 at 11:42 am Said:

    I just read Shakespeare The Invention of the Human by Harold Bloom. Certainly out of my usual realm of reading material. It was a bit of intellectual droll for me. But then most analyzing of Shakespear usually is I suppose. I really need some good reading now, after this one. I would love to win.

    Reply
  43. tim brown, on October 11th, 2008 at 1:00 pm Said:

    THANK YOU GOD BLESS

    Reply
  44. Christina, on October 12th, 2008 at 3:18 am Said:

    I read “The Edge Of The Alphabet” by Janet Frame (best known for her autobiography An Angel At My Table). She lived in Australia and had a rare form of epilepsy and was committed to an insane asylum because of her seizures and had to spend her time among mental patients until a visitor
    discovered her poetry, smuggled some out and had a book published by her – but by that time her life had been irrevocably changed (she was 60 when she got out!). “The Edge Of The Alphabet” poetically describes the people who were her inmates and daily friends, and how they were treated as if they were on the fringe of society (which they were). It’s a beautiful book, and not many could have survived what she had to suffer!

    Reply
  45. MJ, on October 12th, 2008 at 4:36 pm Said:

    *do not enter me*

    I just wanted to comment and scream about how much I love this book. Everyone should read it. Your post does it well for justice. *grin*

    I also have a giveaway for two copies going on if you have any one who needs a second opportunity to win a copy, ending October 14th.

    Reply
  46. Erica G, on October 12th, 2008 at 11:23 pm Said:

    I read a book called Summer Blowout. This book had a really light hearted and fun side. I usually pick books that are more in the mystery or romance genre.

    Reply
  47. christopher h, on October 12th, 2008 at 11:41 pm Said:

    i’m reading the pocket idiot’s guide to ebay motors, way out of my interest but i’ve got to get a new car

    Reply
  48. Janet F, on October 13th, 2008 at 12:11 am Said:

    I read River’s End by Nora Roberts and it was out of my usual reading range.

    janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

    Reply
  49. Vicki Wurgler, on October 13th, 2008 at 3:38 pm Said:

    my son gave me a book to read Wizrd, I think it’s a horror book about spirits, I’ve just started reading it

    Reply
  50. Theresa N, on October 14th, 2008 at 6:29 am Said:

    I read An Embarrassment of Riches by Gerald Hansen a dark family comedy. It’s not something I’d normally read, but I did like the book. What can happen if one person in a family of never do wells win the lottery. The person who won the lottery was the best one in the family. Jealousy, jealousy, jealousy….

    Reply
  51. Linda Moeller, on October 14th, 2008 at 9:39 am Said:

    I’m reading the Bible.

    Reply
  52. Sarah, on October 14th, 2008 at 11:20 am Said:

    I read It by Stephen King and I really loved it!

    Reply
  53. littlelatina, on October 14th, 2008 at 11:20 am Said:

    I’m interested thanks

    Reply
  54. Angie P, on October 14th, 2008 at 1:38 pm Said:

    I just finished reading Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series. That is not the typical type of novel that I usually read, but I really enjoyed them.

    Reply
  55. Joyce Jacobs, on October 14th, 2008 at 5:55 pm Said:

    The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester, about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary. I usually read thrillers, so it was quite a departure for me.

    Reply
  56. Ed Nemmers, on October 14th, 2008 at 5:55 pm Said:

    I read a Sue Grafton book; it was out of my comfort zone.

    Reply
  57. Sylvia Belle, on October 14th, 2008 at 6:12 pm Said:

    I am waiting for a friend to give me a book

    Reply
  58. Ellie, on October 14th, 2008 at 7:01 pm Said:

    I’m reading Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series right now. I’m on book three and really loving it. I’ve never read YA books before. Even when I was a young adult. These are so well written that the genre does not even come into consideration, in my opinion.

    Reply
  59. susan p, on October 14th, 2008 at 8:02 pm Said:

    Every once in awhile I read a book that is not the usual type I would read. I once read this book about a teenage girl who had an affair with her married neighbor and got pregnant. She and her younger sister hid the baby in their closet- took turns staying home from school to watch the baby. Turned out to be very interesting…thanks.

    Reply
  60. Gina Stratos, on October 14th, 2008 at 9:06 pm Said:

    The Harry Potter series…. completely out of my realm but I read it and fell in love.
    gkstratos@yahoo.com

    Reply
  61. Susan Meissner, on October 15th, 2008 at 10:56 am Said:

    Thanks for the review, Rebecca! After reading all the comments here, I went on Amazon and ordered The Heretic’s Daughter. Can’t wait for it to get here. . .

    Reply
  62. vmlay, on October 15th, 2008 at 11:31 am Said:

    I read “The Enchantment of the Hedgehog” which was definitely something different for me — it turned out to be very good!

    vmlay@artsci.wustl.edu

    Reply
  63. Karen Gonyea, on October 15th, 2008 at 12:02 pm Said:

    Great Review.

    Reply
  64. mike pease, on October 15th, 2008 at 12:55 pm Said:

    sylvia brownes the other side

    Reply
  65. Rebecca, on October 15th, 2008 at 1:12 pm Said:

    Susan: Thanks for visiting and for sharing this great book with us. The Heretic’s Daughter is on my bookshelf right now, too. Come back anytime!

    Reply
  66. Christy, on October 15th, 2008 at 2:27 pm Said:

    The Love Spell by Phyllis Curott is the last book I read that is out of my ususal reading fair.

    I’d love to be entered to win a copy of The Shape of Mercy.

    hawkes(at)citlink.net

    Reply
  67. Frances Watson, on October 15th, 2008 at 7:20 pm Said:

    I’ve read a vampire series called Necroscope

    Reply
  68. Donna K, on October 16th, 2008 at 12:01 am Said:

    I read a book about baking bread.

    Reply

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