And she liked it.”
I think we all can agree that everyone struggles with himself in some way. Some, more than others. Some, less than others. And some people’s struggle can be more serious than others.
Nonetheless, we all struggle.
Deny is the story of a 16 year old girl named Cassie Moore, who is struggling with herself.
Struggling with the darkness inside of her, and whether or not to just accept who she is.
The story begins in the mind of Cassie. It’s written as if Cassie is telling the story by herself, which I find very interesting.
Throughout the book, Cassie is faced with choices and decisions, that can either make her life better, or ultimately make it worse.
Now, a lot of you may be thinking : “Well, I don’t want to read a book about a killer.”
Honestly, I totally understand because there are some scenes that are pretty disturbing.
I’ve read a number of thrillers in my day.
I am a huge fan of Dean Koontz, who is known for his thrillers. So I should have been used to that stuff.
WRONG.
The beauty of this book, is that, it’s free. It’s clean, and pure from other opinions.
Artists sometimes forget that, your art is for yourself FIRST.
It’s an extension of yourself. It’s a way for you to express who you are, and what you feel, and what YOU think.
If someone just so happens to like it, well that’s the icing on the cake.
Other people’s opinions are secondary.
I think this, “opinion”, mindset is what fogs a writer’s original vision. Which is why I think a lot of them are hesitant to write freely, and possibly water down their work for the public.
Deny has none of that.
I mean, I’ve read thrillers before, but boy, I was NOT prepared for this. The writing is extremely pure, which I am not used to.
Some of the scenes are kind of difficult to read. One of the main reasons why, is the fact that Mark is a very detailed writer.
In some instances, it felt like I was in the scene myself, watching it happen right before my eyes.
I was freaked out and had to stop reading like twice during the whole book.
BUT, I’m a sensitive person, so I’m sure that played a huge role in it, and it might not affect you the same way.
So don’t let any of that deter you. This book is breathtaking.
The way it starts off, the prologue, is like the most amazing opening to a book that I have ever read in my entire life.
Seriously.
It just set the tone for the entire book, and pulls you in.
It’s so gripping.
It’s beautiful.
I was actually really surprised at first, because a lot of it was relatable. There were certain points that were made, and certain sentences or paragraphs that either had me in tears, or shake my head in agreement. Or both.
What I especially love about it, is the fact that it’s faith based. It’s not just about some crazy teenage killer. There’s actually a very strong moral to the story.
I spoke with the author about why exactly he chose to go in the direction he did, and he said that the main message he wanted to get across was that no one is too far off from salvation. He said that many people accept their flaws and struggles as JUST a part of who they are. That his character, Cassie, is an extreme example of the sin nature in all of us. Even so, there’s hope for redemption, and we can be forgiven and discover who we were really created to be.
Amazing.
My mind was blown when I finally understood. It is all started to make sense.
Getting through a few scary scenes was totally worth it on the long run, because I felt something.
I felt hope.
Over the years, I’ve read Christian books or simply faith based books, but I’ve struggled to get through them.
They. Were. Boring.
I’m sorry, but it’s true.
Every author I’ve read from, attempts to portray the message in the same way.
Although their intentions were good, it was usually just not captivating enough to keep me reading.
Deny is a fresh new take on spreading the message.
Even just the first few chapters are filled with excitement and intrigue.
When I neared the end of it, I actually didn’t want it to end. It’s just THAT good. It happens to be the first book in a trilogy, so all hope was not lost! Haha…
One line that really resonated with me, was : “Deny yourself.”
It’s like in Islam, when we’re taught that we have to control our nafs (lower self), and put it in its place when it urges us on to sin. It’s the same teaching, but from a different angle.
That’s one of the things that Mark is reminding us through his writing. Deny, deny, deny. Deny yourself.
In being human, and dealing with struggles in my own life, that’s one of the many things from this book that’s going to stay with me forever.
What’s interesting is that not a lot of writers actually have the ability to create a genuine positive impact on a reader’s life. You don’t find too many people with this gift. But when you do, it is really something special.
With this kind of influence though, you only hope that it gets put to good use; being a man of Christian faith, you know that Mark’s gift will be.
On a scale of 1-10, I give Deny a 5,129,863,480,261,900,000.
I laughed. I cried. I was freaked out.
It was perfect.
This book helps anyone struggling with certain things in his life, or someone who needs a boost in their faith, OR just someone who wants a good read.
So, give it a shot.
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