"The Armoire" Review

Published by the Evangelical Church Library Association

Maxine has spent her entire childhood wondering what her grandmother kept hidden in her armoire. Years later, as a college student, Maxine inherits the heirloom and discovers its extraordinary contents, which then take her on a divine journey to discover her purpose. Visits to both heavenly and hellish realms motivate her to set a new course for her life and serve God’s children with urgency. But that is only the beginning of her journey. From the day of her rebirth in Christ to the day she ascends into heaven, Maxine faces trials. Through family deaths, forgiveness of a murderer, and the feeling of failure as a parent, Maxine struggles, but ultimately finds her reward in heaven.

This engaging story illustrates realities beyond our understanding in vibrant scenes. Joy’s imaginings of the Tribulation period and the ascension to heaven are vivid and moving. Readers are sure to experience both conviction and excitement when experiencing Maxine’s journey.

At times, the writing style seemed overly direct and obvious. I occasionally felt the story did not trust the reader to understand, and therefore the author went to extremes to explain something that did not need expansive detailing. Furthermore, this active speaking to the audience sometimes came across as preachy. There were several times in which the story could have been stronger if the reader had been allowed to draw his or her own conclusions.

Nevertheless, this is an engaging story. Elements from the beginning of the book are tied in throughout, making the story feel like a unified whole. There are several instances that feel like all of the “puzzle pieces” are finally joining. Moments like this brought the narrative together, working as an illustration of God’s overarching story for humanity. This book definitely warrants a second read-through to soak in Joy’s insightful artistry.