BOOK REVIEW: PIERCING THE DARKNESS

Bacon Elementary School seems to be like any other school except that the school offers non-traditional subjects, such as a curriculum called ‘Finding the Real Me’; where pupils are taught to find their ‘true selves’ by connecting with inner spirit guides and channelling spirits. 

The problem begins when a student, Amber Brandon, transfers from Bacon Elementary School to Good Shepherd Academy. Amber is a ten year old girl with a spirit guide called Amethyst who often exhibits animal characteristics by prancing like a horse and making animal sounds in class. This upsets the school’s headmaster, Tom Harris, who regards Amethyst as a demon; and so one day he attempts to cast the demon out of Amber. 

Amber’s mother is infuriated when she learns of the attempted ‘exorcism’, and she, backed by big organizations like the American Citizens Freedom Association and the National Coalition on Education, files a lawsuit against Good Shepherd Academy. The school hires an attorney, Wayne Corrigan, to represent them in the lawsuit, but what they don’t know is that they are entangled in a conspiracy that is bigger than what they could ever imagine.

 In attempting to gather information that will help them win the case, Tom and Wayne find themselves fighting against forces that are not just physical but spiritual as well. In the race against time, Tom and Wayne discover that the battle is also over spiritual territory, and only with the help of a mysterious woman, Sally Beth Roe, the writer of the ‘Finding the Real Me’ curriculum, can the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place.

Frank Peretti

 Piercing the darkness is a novel written by Frank Peretti, best-selling author of several books like the Oath, Visitation, Monster, Prophet and The Veritas Project.

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK…

Love, love, love. This is my favorite book for the moment. While I found it a bit difficult connecting with the first book in this series [This Present Darkness], I was hooked on this book from start to finish. 

If you love suspense, this is the book for you. It will keep you on the edge of your seat-you just can’t wait for Peretti to break the suspense. The story plays out neatly and beautifully and the characters are intricately woven into the story. Peretti is a master of the thriller genre, and I found the book to be quite interesting, entertaining, captivating and engaging.

In addition to being entertaining though, the book contains lessons. First, it serves as a grim reminder to parents to be aware of what’s going on in their children’s school. What subjects are they taking? For non-traditional subjects, what does the curriculum entail? Are your children being taught values that are in line with what you want them to know? Be involved in your child’s school. Know the curriculum.

The book also highlights the need for schools to have a system of checks and balances-Know your students before enrolling them at your school. Extensive detailed information about each student should be obtained where possible as this can save a school in the event of a lawsuit.

I heartily recommend this book to those who are yet to read it, particularly church leaders, parents and educators.