My review of The Spirit of Sweetgrass by Nicole Seitz
Posted by:
Michelle Sutton on
September 9, 2007 at
10:25PM EST
Publisher's Description:
Essie
Mae Laveau Jenkins is a 78-year-old sweetgrass basket weaver who sits
on the side of Hwy. 17 in the company of her dead husband, Daddy Jim.
Inspired by her Auntie Leona, Essie Mae finally discovers her calling
in life and weaves powerful "love baskets," praying fervently over them
to affect the lives of those who visit her roadside stand. When she’s
faced with losing her home and her stand and being put in a nursing
home, Daddy Jim talks her into coming on up to Heaven to meet sweet
Jesus-something she’s always wanted to do. Once there, she reunites
with Gullahs and African ancestors; but soon, her heavenly peace is
disrupted, for she still has work to do. Now Essie Mae, who once felt
powerless and invisible, must find the strength within her to keep her
South Carolina family from falling apart.
My review:
Well
here is another book that makes me go hmmmm... because it's supposed to
be a Christian book yet there is so much contained in this story that
is simply not Biblical. However, the fictionalized character of Essie
Mae is a delight to read. I think it's important to note that what the
above description from the publisher doesn't mention is that the love
baskets that Essie Mae "powerfully prays over" also has voodoo rituals
attached, only she calls it hoodoo. Essie would weave the hair of
people into the basket in hopes of matchmaking. And in this story the
hoodoo techniques always worked.
While I found some of her
thoughts hilarious and her culture entertaining, this story contained
quite a few weird theological moments...like when Essie thought they
needed to help Jesus out when they were in heaven, and some of the
things they did in heaven were "way out there". But this is a fictional
story. So if you don't take it seriously and read it for mere
entertainment you will enjoy the book. I'd love to believe that I will
look young, beautiful, and get to make love to my husband in heaven,
too, but that simply isn't so. And I found it odd that her voodoo
practicing aunt was in heaven along with some other folks that
practiced similar things. Like somehow that was irrelevant to their
faith in Jesus? Hmmmm...I dunno.
The writing and
characterization of the story was excellent, however, and I commend the
author for her creativity and ability to engage the reader, but I don't
think it should've been marketed as Christian fiction by a Christian
publisher. But I'm only one opinion. If you can get past the warped
theology and you are seeking a book that is compulsively readable,
you'll like this story.
The Spirit of Sweetgrass was published by Integrity/Thomas Nelson and released in March 2007.
