4 out of 4 stars
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Mallory Carter isn’t sure what final event has led her to the pearly Gates of Saint Peter to have a private conference with the revered saint himself in Through the Gates, a novel by author A.V. Schmidlin. Yet, Mallory soon realizes that her life back on Earth has ended. Now she must face a difficult interview related to the abuse and devastation she’s suffered, her tumultuous marriage, and the earlier death of her only daughter. Though Mallory longs to go spend eternity with her child in heaven, Saint Peter’s questioning doesn’t seem to be tilting in Mallory’s favor. Will her answers for the earthly choices she’s made be enough to sway Saint Peter into making a positive judgment?
Now, it’s important to note right off that although this novel indeed has a religious theme, this book is not of the Christian fiction genre. Neither is it meant to give theological instruction concerning religious practices or the afterlife, as allegories might. Still, this story’s theme of eternity serves to expand the scope of the protagonist’s reflections on the way she’s lived.
The author writes with a smart and piquant style. Though much of the subject matter is intense and rather dark, Mallory prevents her life (and death) story from becoming overwhelmingly heavy through her wits, her affection, and her down-to-earth personality. Her conference with Saint Peter spans most of the novel in first person, present tense, and she relates the account of her life to the reader in past tense. Mallory doesn’t give her account chronologically, but her reflections follow the course of the conference instead. While there are occasional slips in tenses that don’t appear to be intentional, the flow of the story is smooth overall.
It would’ve been easy to depict Mallory’s quasi-celestial meeting with Saint Peter as something overly formal. However, the interaction between these two characters develops more of a personable and empathetic quality. Mallory’s references to “God” and “god” are telling, and though some of her musings on love become redundant, her reflections are thought-provoking. She considers what it’s like to nearly disappear along with one’s fading dreams, what it’s like to miss oneself. While I imagine some readers may have qualms about the story’s conclusions on what true love is, the novel strongly makes its case in a way that is anything but superficial.
Therefore, I give Through the Gates a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. Despite its minor flaws, the novel unashamedly addresses tough questions with a nuanced level of sensitivity. I’d recommend it to contemporary and women’s fiction readers who appreciate stories that delve into serious and challenging issues concerning the human experience.
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Through the Gates
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