Review of Snatched Up to Heaven!
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christopher_robin
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Review of Snatched Up to Heaven!
[Following is a volunteer review of "Snatched Up to Heaven!" by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul.]
Snatched Up to Heaven is a very unusual spiritual book that contains the supernatural experiences of two children, Priyanka and Deepika, claiming visits to heaven and hell. Their parents, Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul, actually wrote the book in which these visions were presented as some kind of divine revelation, interpreting the encounters by the children with the use of biblical scripture. With its precarious glimpse of the afterlife, this novel enlightens and gives immense hope to those readers deeply ingrained in Christianity.
The strength of Snatched Up to Heaven lies in its naivety. It is a deeply faith-bound volume. The children's visions, described down to great detail; from golden streets and angels to terrible depictions of hell, are alive and catching. The narrative is set clearly within biblical scripture, and the various visions are connected by means of verses in the Bible for clear theological explanation. The children's innocence and the matter-of-fact recounting of their experiences lend purity and authenticity to the story.
Yet, the book is limited on various counts: for one, it relies on subjective accounts of personal experiences. As amazing as the children's visions may be, they are not critically considered nor alternative explanations sought to account for the experience. In addition, no psychological and cultural contexts that may influence the children's dreams are pursued and thus make the book somewhat superficial to any reader who wishes to engage with deeper and more critical thinking over spiritual experiences.
There are also certain repetitions in the book that could also constitute a weakness in some literature. The lack of a narrative arc or tension makes the storytelling less engaging. While heavy reliance on scriptural validation is understandable, it can become monotonous-especially in those moments when readers might expect more personal insights into how these experiences affected the family. There is very little reflection, beyond the spiritual, on how these visions shaped the authors themselves. It attempts to provide a clear view, through scripture, of what happens in the afterlife via the guileless eyes of children. For this, deeper analysis is lacking as the narrow focus is on religious legitimacy that may only appeal to an already convinced audience.
What would really help with this book would be delving deeper into the other points of view and perhaps some more rigorous editing. This would expand its appeal beyond its obvious base of faith-based readers. This book would be well-suited for Christian families, Sunday school teachers, or those seeking simple reflections on the afterlife that affirm scripture. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
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Snatched Up to Heaven!
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Snatched Up to Heaven is a very unusual spiritual book that contains the supernatural experiences of two children, Priyanka and Deepika, claiming visits to heaven and hell. Their parents, Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul, actually wrote the book in which these visions were presented as some kind of divine revelation, interpreting the encounters by the children with the use of biblical scripture. With its precarious glimpse of the afterlife, this novel enlightens and gives immense hope to those readers deeply ingrained in Christianity.
The strength of Snatched Up to Heaven lies in its naivety. It is a deeply faith-bound volume. The children's visions, described down to great detail; from golden streets and angels to terrible depictions of hell, are alive and catching. The narrative is set clearly within biblical scripture, and the various visions are connected by means of verses in the Bible for clear theological explanation. The children's innocence and the matter-of-fact recounting of their experiences lend purity and authenticity to the story.
Yet, the book is limited on various counts: for one, it relies on subjective accounts of personal experiences. As amazing as the children's visions may be, they are not critically considered nor alternative explanations sought to account for the experience. In addition, no psychological and cultural contexts that may influence the children's dreams are pursued and thus make the book somewhat superficial to any reader who wishes to engage with deeper and more critical thinking over spiritual experiences.
There are also certain repetitions in the book that could also constitute a weakness in some literature. The lack of a narrative arc or tension makes the storytelling less engaging. While heavy reliance on scriptural validation is understandable, it can become monotonous-especially in those moments when readers might expect more personal insights into how these experiences affected the family. There is very little reflection, beyond the spiritual, on how these visions shaped the authors themselves. It attempts to provide a clear view, through scripture, of what happens in the afterlife via the guileless eyes of children. For this, deeper analysis is lacking as the narrow focus is on religious legitimacy that may only appeal to an already convinced audience.
What would really help with this book would be delving deeper into the other points of view and perhaps some more rigorous editing. This would expand its appeal beyond its obvious base of faith-based readers. This book would be well-suited for Christian families, Sunday school teachers, or those seeking simple reflections on the afterlife that affirm scripture. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
******
Snatched Up to Heaven!
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: At Vitoria by Marcia Riman Selz
