Grace

By Richard Paul Evans


Wow! This book takes your breath away in the ease with which one can read it, the message it denotes, and the emotions it creates in the reader. While the story's climax happens shortly after Christmas, the entire book unfolds over a span of several months prior to Christmas. "Grace" is not a book that is only good at Christmas, it is good year-round.

Eric is a fourteen-year old boy who has been moved from California to Utah by his parents as they struggle financially. His younger brother, Joel, is his dearest friend, and the two of them build a clubhouse in their backyard. Fall arrives and so does school. Eric is a good kid who gets picked on at school for being a dork; he spends most nights working at a burger place not far from his house. One night, while he is closing up, he notices a girl named Grace in the dumpster; she appears to be eating scraps, so Eric invites her into the restaurant and gives her a free meal. She admits she has run away from home and has nowhere to go. Eric invites her to stay at the clubhouse.

In the next couple of months, Eric and Grace fall in love. They rely on each other for so many things, so when the truth of Grace's situation is made known, Eric remains faithful and stoic. He continues to help her in any way he can.

Richard Paul Evans tells a beautiful story, employing many mechanics to make a story grab your attention from the beginning. He draws practical, easy-to-envision images:

Our new home was a warped, rat-infested structure that smelled like mold and looked like it might have fallen over in a strong wind--- if it weren't for all the cracks in the walls that let the wind pass through. What was left of the paint on the exterior was peeling. The interior rooms were covered with wallpaper, most of it water-damaged with long rusted streaks running down the walls. Still, for a couple of boys from the California suburbs, the arrangement wasn't all bad. The house sat on nearly five wooded acres bordered on two sides by a creek that ran high enough to float in an inner tube during the summer.

Richard Paul Evans also has a way of lightening the mood in the story, just enough that the reader doesn't feel mired in sorrow. He writes easy-going dialogue that truly gives voice to each character. An example of a scene that makes the reader chuckle is when Eric is talking to his mom on a morning when he has agreed (much to his own dismay) to skip school with Grace.

The next morning I got ready as if I were going to school. Mom made us Cream of Wheat for breakfast and, as usual, Joel put so much raspberry jam in his bowl that his cereal was crimson.

"Like a little Cream of Wheat with your jam?" I asked.

He took a mouthful, reading the back of a cereal box. "I like it this way."

"I'm going to work early," my mom said. "We're counting inventory. Want a ride to school, Eric?"

Not once since school started had my mother asked if I wanted a ride. It's like she knew I was up to something. "Uh, no. Thanks. I'm meeting someone on the bus."

She looked at me with pleasant surprise. "You have a new friend?"

My mother was always concerned over my lack of friends.

"Yeah."

"What's his name?"

"Who?"

"Your friend."

"Oh. Gra...ck."

Her eyebrows rose. "Grack?"

I nodded.

"That's an odd name. Where's he from?"

"Uh, here."

"Hmm. Sounds Hungarian. What nationality is he?"

"American," I said. "I think."

"Well." She looked at the clock. "You'd better get going. Maybe Grack would like to come over sometime."

"Yeah. Sure. I'll ask."

She walked over and kissed me. "Have a good day," she said and left the room.

"Grace" is not just another Christmas story intended to make the reader have a revelation. There is an actual message with substance to this book. Grace is an abused teenager. Her step-father molests her. He abuses her both physically and emotionally. "Grace" serves as a reminder that there is always someone who needs help escaping their abusive homelife. All it takes is one person to help create a safer, better environment. While it is easy to turn our heads and look the other way, we need to be aware of others in our life.

Even though "Grace" is a sad book, it is a story of hope, it is a story of living, it is a story of caring about the people around us. Richard Paul Evans has given us a rich story; read it and take it to heart.

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