Sara's Laughter: A Review

Sara's Laughter
a novel


by Tom Milton

This was a bizarre book...

No, no, I can't begin the review that way. Too confusing.

Let's see, lead with the positive...

OK, first of all, this book was very confidently written. The author puts me to shame with his proffesionalism, character development, and pacing.

That said, I'm afraid I have to disagree with the earlier reviewers idea that this book has anything, at all, to do with the Biblical story of Sarah and Abraham. The husband was no Abraham, and the wife certainly no Sarah. Every single issue in their lives differed from that of the Biblical Sarah (and, no, I am not just talking about the fact that this story takes place in modern day America), and differs in ways that seriously detract, even contradict, any parallel to the Biblical story.

I received this book as part of a book review program that advertises itself as 'Christian' and this book was, as a result, a real surprise. Let's face it, most of what passes as 'Christian' literature nowadays is either old (and Puritan/Reformed or the like), hypermodern (live like the world but thank God for the good things that happen and go to church/Bible Study/and/or witness to someone during the book) or Charismatic. This book was a dramatic change in that it was Catholic, and not very good Catholic. The lead characters committ 'mortal' sins right and left; and seem to hold their Catholicism mostly as a social and 'moral' prop.

The moral dilemna's facing the main characters are complex, and the other reviewers have dealt with these. I disagree with their reviews and, largely, how the characters dealt with the issues in the book. But I have a bigger axe to grind, namely the issues that weren't dealt with... the issues that lurked below the surface and were largely ignored.

The Scriptures teach us to honor our Father and Mother, and to obey them; and this book doesn't even bother to teach the opposite, it just assumes it. The main characters parents might be loved, but they are dishonored, disrespected, and disobeyed throughout the book.

Another issue that is just 'assumed' is that it is extremly important to 'wait' for 'the right man' (who turns out to be an adulterer... go figure) instead of marrying early out of obedience to parents, or even for love. Space would fail to illustrate the many ways in which Scripture contradicts this view (indeed, in which it is flatly contradicted by the very story of Abraham and Isaac!).

All in all I am glad to have read this book, as it provided me with valuable insight into an interesting and, to me, largely unknown set of subcultures. But as a 'Christian' book (let alone as an analogy of the Abraham and Sarah story) I'm afraid I can't recommend it.

Vaughn Ohlman
Author of Island Peoples


(At the request of some annoying beaurocrat at the Federal Trade Commission I am required to tell you that I received this book as part of the Book Crash program. This mandate is obviously unconstutional, but what else is new?)