Review - The Reluctant Healer
The Reluctant Healer
by Andrew Himmel
release date 10/8/2018
312 pages
Chapter length: short
2 out 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from Smith Publicity. All opinions are my own.
According to the publisher, "The Reluctant Healer tells the story of a young attorney who is torn between mounting evidence that he has the spiritual ability to heal others and his life-long skepticism of alternative views. Will Alexander is cautious and conventional. But when he meets Erica, a beautiful, intense energy healer, he becomes troubled not only by her unorthodox endeavors but also by the limitations of his own existence. Amidst this turmoil, Will is startled to discover that he may possess metaphysical gifts of healing that confront the narrow doctrines of his regulated life.
The Reluctant Healer paints a portrait of a reasonable man who traces a path between skepticism and belief. Flawed, funny, and agnostic, Will distrusts much of the alternative world, even as he struggles internally with phenomena that challenge both his sense of self and his orderly perspective. Will’s love for Erica, the exposure to her world, and his newfound powers place his life in a state of uncertainty, teetering between disruption and liberation."
My main takeaway from this book was the idea of challenging what we believe in, what we're willing to believe in, and our reasons why. The narrator, Will, is a pretty cut-and-dry kind of guy. He's a lawyer who values logic and reason above all else. When Erica enters his life, she pushes his limits, and causes him to question not only what he believes, but how changing his beliefs changes who he is as a person.
I think this topic resonates with most people. I doubt there's anyone out there who hasn't struggled with the ideas of religion and spirituality, whether they strongly believe or strongly don't. If you were presented with evidence proving the opposite of your beliefs, how would you react? If you experienced something that changed everything you spent your whole life thinking, how much would that change who you are as a person? I've never had an experience like Will's, but the questions this book prompted really made think.
The reason for my low rating was the lack of dimension in the main character. While Erica came alive on the page, Will continually fell flat for me. Although I was invested in the overall theme of The Reluctant Healer, I felt no connection to Will, and struggled to stay invested in his story arc.
While this wasn't the book for me, I think people who are interested in spirituality and asking life's big questions would enjoy it.
by Andrew Himmel
release date 10/8/2018
312 pages
Chapter length: short
2 out 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from Smith Publicity. All opinions are my own.
According to the publisher, "The Reluctant Healer tells the story of a young attorney who is torn between mounting evidence that he has the spiritual ability to heal others and his life-long skepticism of alternative views. Will Alexander is cautious and conventional. But when he meets Erica, a beautiful, intense energy healer, he becomes troubled not only by her unorthodox endeavors but also by the limitations of his own existence. Amidst this turmoil, Will is startled to discover that he may possess metaphysical gifts of healing that confront the narrow doctrines of his regulated life.
The Reluctant Healer paints a portrait of a reasonable man who traces a path between skepticism and belief. Flawed, funny, and agnostic, Will distrusts much of the alternative world, even as he struggles internally with phenomena that challenge both his sense of self and his orderly perspective. Will’s love for Erica, the exposure to her world, and his newfound powers place his life in a state of uncertainty, teetering between disruption and liberation."
My main takeaway from this book was the idea of challenging what we believe in, what we're willing to believe in, and our reasons why. The narrator, Will, is a pretty cut-and-dry kind of guy. He's a lawyer who values logic and reason above all else. When Erica enters his life, she pushes his limits, and causes him to question not only what he believes, but how changing his beliefs changes who he is as a person.
I think this topic resonates with most people. I doubt there's anyone out there who hasn't struggled with the ideas of religion and spirituality, whether they strongly believe or strongly don't. If you were presented with evidence proving the opposite of your beliefs, how would you react? If you experienced something that changed everything you spent your whole life thinking, how much would that change who you are as a person? I've never had an experience like Will's, but the questions this book prompted really made think.
The reason for my low rating was the lack of dimension in the main character. While Erica came alive on the page, Will continually fell flat for me. Although I was invested in the overall theme of The Reluctant Healer, I felt no connection to Will, and struggled to stay invested in his story arc.
While this wasn't the book for me, I think people who are interested in spirituality and asking life's big questions would enjoy it.
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