Steel, Sparkle, and Scripture is a blog for book
reviews. Books will be rated on a scale
of one to seven stars and evaluated by their basic quality and enjoy-ability as well
as their balance of three other elements which I have found again and again in
my favorite novels: their Steel, their Sparkle, and their Scriptural content or
message.
Steel – The steel
of a book is its structure, the bones that make it strong and give it depth. A story’s steel can be found in its consistent
voice and tone, the determination or reality of its characters, the configuration
and weight of its plot, the power of its language, and the stakes the
characters face throughout the story.
Sparkle – A book’s
sparkle is the bit of fire that breathes life into its pages. If a book’s steel is its bones, then the
sparkle is its heart and spirit. This
spark can be found in engaging conversation, unique story lines, spunky
characters, breath-taking landscapes, vivid language, heart-touching or
heart-breaking scenes, sweet or epic love stories, long-awaited reunions, and unexpected
plot twists.
Scripture – The
scriptural element in a story tends to be the part that sticks with me the most
because it holds truth for real life.
This message may come in the form of Bible verses or characters’
thoughts, struggles, and conversations, but it does not have to be overtly
displayed throughout the pages. For
example, a fantasy novel may not explicitly name God or Christianity, but it
can still make these known through its themes or even through allegory.
In my opinion, the greatest books contain all of these elements
in a delightful balance. In fact, this
balance may just be the most difficult to find in a book. For a little bit too much Sparkle or not
quite enough Steel can hurt the overall appeal of a book. For example, a book with only Scripture and
little Sparkle and Steel may come across as “preachy” or better serve as a devotional,
or a book overpowered by Steel could bog a reader down in boring detail while a
Sparkle-filled novel may come across as nothing more than a light summer
read. Therefore, the best stories are
those that blend all three elements together.
Don’t get me wrong – a book can still be outstanding, even if
I don’t see these three elements in equal or strong enough measure. I am just one reader, and these are my
personal preferences. I understand that
many will disagree with my standards and predilections, and they are more than
welcome to their own partialities. In
fact, I believe that most books will please some readers, even if they are not
the right fit for me. This is why my
reviews will always include a recommendation of who I think might enjoy the
book.
