KIRKUS REVIEW
SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN Doralyn Moore Friesen Press (306 pp.) ISBN: 978-1-5255-8410-7
BOOK REVIEW The lives of a handful of strangers intertwine in this novel of forgiveness and renewal. Moore organizes her book into several parallel narrative strands, each revolving around one of her small group of central characters. First, readers meet Merisela when she’s a teenager working at the Taco Snack Shop in the Mexican village of Playa Orma, “a beach resort glued onto a poverty-stricken fishing village,” and being sexually abused by her stepfather, Jose. Readers also encounter Mike Edgerton, who shows some promise as a baseball pitcher in school despite his impoverished background (“I didn’t think they’d let kids from that development play in the league,” he overhears somebody say. “I’ve heard the place is crawling with drugs”). But Mike is shortly in jail on manslaughter charges; there, he meets good-hearted social worker Keaton Thomas. The book’s most involving character is Maria Rojas, who gives up a thriving dental practice in Mexico to immigrate to Toronto with her husband, Eduardo. But he abruptly leaves her and their four children for another woman, forcing Maria to register for welfare. In alternating chapters, Moore follows these characters and others as they navigate small triumphs and one series of setbacks after another, each segment told with an appealing reserve and a good ear for dialogue. While her players often suffer life-changing difficulties, the author never descends into bathos, and the result is that their struggles seem all the more believable for being underdramatized. The eventual plot resolutions, including the central and glowingly optimistic one, are effectively rendered. Issues like immigration, domestic abuse, and inequality percolate beneath the surface of these separate stories, but the overall narrative is dominated by themes of endurance and redemption (foreshadowed in the book title’s reference to the Gospel of St. Matthew’s call for forgiveness). These themes feel very real when embodied by these well-realized characters—who become even more intriguing as they begin interacting with one another. A readable and involving tale about several characters finding new directions in life.
SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN
A REVIEW
Seventy Times Seven is a story about courage and the often unseen hand of God moving in the lives of human beings in the midst of difficulty and confusion.
It is a story of desperate courage:
The stories of Merisela and Michael open up for the reader the dynamics of fleeing abuse and betrayal, forgiving and trusting. Perhaps God has been moving in your life and you haven’t yet realized what He is doing or how He is working. Reading Seventy Times Seven may help you to step into a new place of becoming all that God has designed for you to be.
Review by Rev. Bruce Edwards, B.A., M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D., Pastor, Markham Chinese Alliance Church, Markham, Ontario
SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN Doralyn Moore Friesen Press (306 pp.) ISBN: 978-1-5255-8410-7
BOOK REVIEW The lives of a handful of strangers intertwine in this novel of forgiveness and renewal. Moore organizes her book into several parallel narrative strands, each revolving around one of her small group of central characters. First, readers meet Merisela when she’s a teenager working at the Taco Snack Shop in the Mexican village of Playa Orma, “a beach resort glued onto a poverty-stricken fishing village,” and being sexually abused by her stepfather, Jose. Readers also encounter Mike Edgerton, who shows some promise as a baseball pitcher in school despite his impoverished background (“I didn’t think they’d let kids from that development play in the league,” he overhears somebody say. “I’ve heard the place is crawling with drugs”). But Mike is shortly in jail on manslaughter charges; there, he meets good-hearted social worker Keaton Thomas. The book’s most involving character is Maria Rojas, who gives up a thriving dental practice in Mexico to immigrate to Toronto with her husband, Eduardo. But he abruptly leaves her and their four children for another woman, forcing Maria to register for welfare. In alternating chapters, Moore follows these characters and others as they navigate small triumphs and one series of setbacks after another, each segment told with an appealing reserve and a good ear for dialogue. While her players often suffer life-changing difficulties, the author never descends into bathos, and the result is that their struggles seem all the more believable for being underdramatized. The eventual plot resolutions, including the central and glowingly optimistic one, are effectively rendered. Issues like immigration, domestic abuse, and inequality percolate beneath the surface of these separate stories, but the overall narrative is dominated by themes of endurance and redemption (foreshadowed in the book title’s reference to the Gospel of St. Matthew’s call for forgiveness). These themes feel very real when embodied by these well-realized characters—who become even more intriguing as they begin interacting with one another. A readable and involving tale about several characters finding new directions in life.
SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN
A REVIEW
Seventy Times Seven is a story about courage and the often unseen hand of God moving in the lives of human beings in the midst of difficulty and confusion.
It is a story of desperate courage:
- Courage to escape from abuse,
- Courage to forgive both abuse and betrayal,
- Courage to face the complexity and confusion of being an immigrant without legal standing in a strange country,
- Courage to trust God’s love, and
- Courage to love again after abuse, betrayal, and broken relationships.
The stories of Merisela and Michael open up for the reader the dynamics of fleeing abuse and betrayal, forgiving and trusting. Perhaps God has been moving in your life and you haven’t yet realized what He is doing or how He is working. Reading Seventy Times Seven may help you to step into a new place of becoming all that God has designed for you to be.
Review by Rev. Bruce Edwards, B.A., M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D., Pastor, Markham Chinese Alliance Church, Markham, Ontario
Amazon 5.0 out of 5 stars Forgiveness
Reviewed in Canada on July 11, 2021.
A heartfelt story of a lost young man and young woman that meet and finally find happiness. Their ability to forgive all the wrongs that they incurred is certainly an eye opener for many of us.
What a wonderful novel!
Reviewed in Canada on July 11, 2021.
A heartfelt story of a lost young man and young woman that meet and finally find happiness. Their ability to forgive all the wrongs that they incurred is certainly an eye opener for many of us.
What a wonderful novel!
5.0 Star Review from Literary Titan
July 27, 2021
The characters and voices (of "Seventy Times Seven") were written so beautifully. Moore created a novel bursting with relatable characters and prudent life lessons. This book contains mature content, but it is delivered in a thoughtful way that sheds light on the dark topics while still making it easy to process. Seventy Times Seven is a poignant romance novel that will appeal to anyone looking for an emotional Christian fiction story.
July 27, 2021
The characters and voices (of "Seventy Times Seven") were written so beautifully. Moore created a novel bursting with relatable characters and prudent life lessons. This book contains mature content, but it is delivered in a thoughtful way that sheds light on the dark topics while still making it easy to process. Seventy Times Seven is a poignant romance novel that will appeal to anyone looking for an emotional Christian fiction story.
A readable and involving tale about several characters finding new directions in life." --Kirkus Reviews
Amazon 5.0 out of 5 stars Forgiveness
Reviewed in Canada on July 11, 2021.
A heartfelt story of a lost young man and young woman that meet and finally find happiness. Their ability to forgive all the wrongs that they incurred is certainly an eye opener for many of us.
What a wonderful novel!
5.0 Star Review from Literary Titan
July 27, 2021
The characters and voices (of "Seventy Times Seven") were written so beautifully. Moore created a novel bursting with relatable characters and prudent life lessons. This book contains mature content, but it is delivered in a thoughtful way that sheds light on the dark topics while still making it easy to process. Seventy Times Seven is a poignant romance novel that will appeal to anyone looking for an emotional Christian fiction story.
January 3, 2023
I love your book, Doralyn. "Seventy Times Seven", great story that shows redemption and the unconditional love that can only be found in Jesus. Natalia Marques Resendes
5.0 out of 5 stars Great summer read
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
This was recommended by a friend and was a great summer read! I hope to read more from this author.
5.0 out of 5 stars Life challenges and answers
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2022
Merisela Ran away from her family, due to the bad things her step father did to her. She ran to a family member in Canada. She met Mike who was having issues too. Kenton helped Mike learn of God's mercy. Mike prayed Merisela would find God's forgiveness too. They both got through tough times, leaning on each other and God. They got married with God being their foundation. Good things come their way. It made me think about forgiving people too, so I can be right with my Lord and Savior.
