The Girl From the Papers. Jennifer L. Wright. 2023. [August] 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: My mama always told me I would live and die as a nobody. Here at the end....I couldn't help but wish she'd been right.
Premise/plot: The Girl From the Papers is inspired by the infamous criminals Bonnie and Clyde. It is--for better or worse--published by a Christian publisher as Christian fiction. Beatrice Carraway, our heroine, falls head over heels with bad-boy, Jack Turner. These two have big, expensive dreams and want to live above and beyond the law. Both are reckless dreamers.
While Jack Turner is in prison for his crimes, Beatrice hears the gospel and contemplates the Christian faith. But Jack has no use for God. She'll have to choose between being with Jack and loving him as is--with a dark heart and low values--or choosing the God who loves and forgives.
The plot mostly follows--though it seems to be condensed and perhaps slightly rearranged--the real life misadventures of Bonnie and Clyde. Mostly.
The author has given new names to all the major and minor players. But it's a loose disguise, in my opinion. Anyone who has read a book about the criminal duo will recognize not just Bonnie and Clyde but their gang and family members.
My thoughts: I've read a handful of books about Bonnie and Clyde. I was conflicted by this one. On the one hand, without a doubt this does make for a fascinating historical read. On the other hand, no matter how you twist and turn it, finding sympathy and love for these two is difficult.
It seems this one is mostly fan fiction with gospel sermons/presentations thrown in throughout the book. For better or worse. The ENDING for Bea is world's away from Bonnie's end. There are almost three hundred and fifty pages of reckless, ungodly living before you get to the redemption. I suppose Bea's disillusionment with the "Christian faith" and the "Christian church" and "established religion" may relate to some contemporary readers who have also been deeply hurt/bruised by Christians.
I think some readers will absolutely love it. A few others may be turned off either by a) all the reckless sinning and immorality OR b) all the preaching. You can't please everybody.
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