From Across the Ancient Waters by Michael Phillips ~ Review

My Review: From Across the Ancient Waters reminded me of the Christian fiction written in the early 1900's, with its detailed descriptions and strong biblical foundation.

This book tells the tale of prodigal Percival "Percy" Drummond, the only son of a city vicar. He is sent to the country to live with his unbelieving cousins in the country. He is shocked at the way his cousins Florilyn and Courtenay treat they're parents, and slowly but surely he begins to turn back to the sound teachings of his parents. While visiting in Wales he meets the quietly charming, yet somewhat mysterious, Gwen. What will they find beneath the depths of the Ancient Waters?

As I mentioned briefly before, this book reminded me of the many wonderful classical Christian treasures written in years gone by, the way the lesson is taught and the attention to detail is nothing short of classic. I realized while reading this book that it is not for everyone and there were times when I felt like I was slogging through ridiculously meticulous descriptions, once I believe it took four pages to describe one house! So yes, it was a slow starter, but I believe that if you keep reading you will find a pearl hidden inside.

Another thing I liked about this book was how clean it was. Yes, there were some things that were alluded to, but only the barest minimum so that the reader knew something of what the situation was, and nothing more.

I loved watching as Percy, though a rebellious son himself, was able to be a shining light to others. The depth throughout the entire book of Percy's character, how he grew and changed throughout challenging circumstances and made living altering choices, was rich and well done.

One thing I might add is that this book was different from alot of other book by Mr. Phillips that I have read in the past, with more of a classical lilt to it, though there are many of his older books that I think would be more like From Across the Ancient Waters. I immensely enjoyed it's classic charm, and the style in which it is done, so different from the books on today's Christian fiction market. But overall I enjoyed almost every minute of it, and I recommend this as a book well worth reading.

Final Rating: 4.75 out of 5

I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. I was not required to give a postive review, but only to state my opinion respectfully. Thanks :)