Hard to read while rolling your eyes

Like most Texans, I was raised very religious. Like most people who have religion shoved down their throats for 18 years, I am now an atheist. Atheism isn’t why I hated The Shack, though, it’s because it’s a fucking terrible book.

I realized pretty quickly I didn’t like this book, given how shoddily the words are put together. I don’t even want to call it writing. I think I digested about 20% of the overall book, followed along completely, and still felt I gave it too much effort. I went back to Alabama Pink’s original review and was pretty gratified to see I agreed with her and more than a little sad she wasted her time on a collection of sentences like this.

All American white dude suffers tragedy, meets god. But because this guy thinks he’s more enlightened than thou, the holy trinity are represented by a Middle Eastern Jewish man, an Asian woman, and an African American Mammy stereotype. Of course, Young isn’t enlightened enough to give us anything but standard Christian heteronormativity in this drivel, there’s a whole chapter about how man and woman were made for each other and yes, I am shocked I read anything given how hard I was rolling my eyes.

There are some parallels between The Shack and the Bible, mostly in the writing structure. He tells you what he’s going to do, he does it, he recounts having done it. And repeat. The Shack is about Christianity curing white man pain because reasons. There’s not even any entertainment value here.

I point you now to the OG review, where she does a much better takedown.

Bingo Square: AlabamaPink