THE SHACK is the kind of book that drives long-time authors
crazy. Right out of the chute, first-time novelist William P. Young
has a bestseller on his hands, with some two million copies in
print. Even more maddening are two specific factors: one, the first
million copies were self-published, unevenly written and poorly
edited; and two, the story bears the marks of questionable
theology.

And yet, at least some of those envious authors and theological
critics have to admit that there's a lot to like about this
publishing phenomenon, and there's a reason ---- or really, many
reasons --- why this book is so popular. But first, to the story
itself. This is in part an allegorical novel, which is important to
keep in mind as you read the book and any review of it.

Mackenzie Allen Phillips's youngest child, Missy, is abducted
during a camping trip in Oregon, and evidence found in an abandoned
shack some time later leads authorities to suspect that she has
fallen victim to a serial child abductor and killer. Over the
ensuing years, Mack, his wife and his surviving children attempt to
get on with their lives, with varying degrees of success --- or, in
some cases, failure. And then, one day Mack receives a letter that
had not been mailed but was placed in his mailbox. The letter
provides details that no one could possibly know --- no one but
God, that is. And the sender asks Mack to meet him (the letter is
signed "Papa") at the very shack where Missy likely lost her
life.

When Mack arrives at the shack, however, everything changes. His
world turns upside down, as the shack becomes a welcoming, cozy
cabin, the landscape takes on an entirely different look and the
occupants of the cabin --- well, let's just say that if you don't
already know this part of the story, I'll let you be surprised.
This is where the allegory kicks in and where understanding the
nature of that literary form is essential to fully appreciating the
story. To take this portion at face value and then attempt to apply
a dogmatic biblical perspective to it is to misunderstand the book
completely.

At any rate, Mack remains at the cabin long enough for God to
answer the myriad questions he has about his daughter's death ---
some emotional, many relational, most theological. The answers
don't necessarily come quickly or easily, and some don't square
with much of evangelical biblical interpretation. Or maybe they do,
depending on your interpretation of evangelical biblical
interpretation. We're getting into deep theological waters
here.

So what is it about THE SHACK that created all of that
word-of-mouth buzz? First off, it's a compelling story of an
anguished father trying to make sense of a moment in time that
changed so many lives forever. Second, the book presents an image
of God that some readers --- with the emphasis on some ---
will find more accessible than whatever image they have in their
heads right now. Finally, the novel offers hope to many who have
faced unimaginable loss and are left with a truckload of questions
about who God is and how God can allow so much heartache and
tragedy to exist.

For those readers, the story itself will no doubt overshadow the
theological problems and the uneven quality of the writing, which
shines at times and falls flat at others. In fact, the writing
changes so dramatically when Mack reaches the shack-turned-cabin
that it's as if Young wrote that section at an entirely different
time from the rest of the novel. The previously poignant story
takes on the tone of a rollicking romp through an alternate
universe, with Young simply providing the narration.

Biblical literalists will find little to like here. But if you
understand allegory and don't have a problem with an open-minded
exploration of the nature of God, you'll discover plenty of food
for thought in THE SHACK.