This is the third in the Extreme Devotion Series, books by Macias about Christians with overcoming faith in the face of persecution.
Zhen-Li is in prison because of her faith. She was raised to adhere to the part line but fell in love with a Christian and married him. When she was pregnant with her second child, she refused the ordered abortion. It happened anyway when her father had her kidnapped and the baby was forcibly aborted. Trained as a teacher, she spoke of Yesu with children. Now she was paying the price. Ten years of hard labor and “reeducation.”
Tai Tong is a guard in the prison. He is a mean man and is determined to break Zhen-Li. He will make her deny her Yesu by beating her and then taking her for himself. He will stop at nothing, even killing her husband and son if that is what it takes. Will Zhen-Li have the strength to be faithful to her Savior?
Interspersed with Zhen-Li's story is that of Julia Crockett, in an assisted living home in California. She and her husband has made a mission trip to China and she had hoped to go back again. But her husband has been dead for twenty years. Yet she still felt the burden of China and prayed for the Christians there. Her prayer partner is her good friend Laura.
A new resident in the home is cranky Margaret. Julia tries to befriend her but Margaret is so full of hurt, Julia is put off.
Julia and Laura pray faithfully for China and frequently feel a burden for someone in immediate need of strength. It is at those times Zhen-Li is facing Tong's wrath. When the women meet Margaret's granddaughter, they know she needs prayer too. She is heading for danger with her rebellious lifestyle. Will she be rescued before she is sold into sex slavery?
This is a rewarding read. Macias kept my interest throughout the novel as the various stories are woven together. The story is based loosely on the life of Christian magazine editor Li Ying, currently serving a ten year sentence in China.
My only disappointment was the ending to Zhen-Li's story. Even though it appeared positive, the future is uncertain. Nonetheless, the novel helps the reader understand the situation for Christians in China.
New Hope Publishers, 313 pages.
1 comment:
Thank you so much for posting this lovely review of Red Ink, which recently won Novel of the Year at the Golden Scroll Awards banquet and is currently up as a finalist for a Carol Award from ACFW. I have dedicated the book to Li Ying and accepted the award in her honor.
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