Hope Road

After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart ****

This debut novel by author Nicole Baart is the story of Julia DeSmit, a young girl who has lost both her mother and her father. She is searching for herself, and although she won’t admit it, for the God she used to know. The story of her journey is touchingly expressed and gently intriguing.

The first half of the book moves rather slowly, although its events are necessary to set up the second half, which is both gripping and sensitive. The entire novel is, as advertised on the cover, “beautifully written.” As I have mentioned with other superb novels I’ve read recently, this novel also avoids the most common pitfall of Christian fiction - cliches. It manages to express Christian truth without inserting sermons at various points in the text. Rather, it illuminates reality. And it avoids other cliches, too, that could be all too easily lapsed into with some of the subject matter later in the novel.

This novel is an excellent addition to any bookshelf, and well-written enough to hold its own among stellar works both secular and Christian. A beautiful and promising debut.

Recommended age level: 15+. This novel deals with some serious issues, particularly in the latter section. They are dealt with seriously and honestly, not gratuitously. Still, a few aspects of the story would not be appropriate for young teenagers.