One Extraordinary Day
One Extraordinary Day is written by Harold Myra and is published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Christian fiction is not a section of the bookstore I frequent regularly, if at all. I am not a fan of the genre because quality Christian fiction is such a rarity. William P. Young’s The Shack is a rare and contemporary exception to this general rule, obviously. The Shack is Christian fiction at it’s very, very best; Harold Myra’s One Extraordinary Day (Tyndale House 2008), however, is not. One Extraordinary Day unfortunately is an example of the worst of cliched Christian fiction.
My rating: stars
Frankly, the story teeters precariously upon a thin and rushed plot built upon huge conceptual leaps that left me scratching my head and asking, “What the …?” It’s very difficult to enjoy a story as story while one is trying to leap conceptual ravines and answer all of the questions he/she didn’t ask – and shouldn’t ask. The Shack worked as story because it naturally and effortlessly invited me into the story’s world – and I went! One Extraordinary Day does not invite me into it’s world. It does not because it can not. The plot is just too thin.
One Extraordinary Day is a story about a guy named David. We meet David just as he enters into a mid-life life-crisis, of sorts. He is distressed, depressed, and longing for something more from life. His wife suggests that he go to the woods and “Decompress!” David agrees. David, while hanging out in the woods, meets an angel whom he names “Michael.” Michael reads like a poor man’s Kyle XY. The character initially wanders through David’s world in true tabula rasa fashion, but then he suddenly – somehow – acquires the understanding and knowledge of humanity and earth to enlighten David with all the practical wisdom he needs to change his life. A stretch? Yes. Particularly humorous – though I wager it was not meant to be so – are the scenes in the hotel room (David teaches Michael about the difference between good and evil by introducing him to television and then watching the television) and at the magazine stand (Michael “picked up a gaudy soft porn publication” and responded by saying to David the following: “Beautiful women. Deadly celebration.”). Truly, Michael was a complete alien who first needed to be instructed/enlightened by David before he could transform David’s life and being. Again, Michael reads less angelic (angelic meaning carrying a message from God to humanity) and more like a poor man’s Kyle XY. It’s just weak character applied to an even weaker and cliched plot line. Poor man’s Kyle XY or not, Michael drops just enough enlightenment on David to help him achieve the life transformation he longed for. Michael, by the time the story ends, can indeed “hear the music.”
The story just seems to rushed to really connect with the two characters. The rush also creates those huge conceptual leaps that rip any hint of reality from the story. Overall, the whole thing suffers from lack of investment. The characters are shallow and cliched and the story line lacks development and thought.
There is one shining spot in One Extraordinary Day! There is a glimmer of hope that prevents me from branding the whole thing as a complete waste of time! I can say that I’m glad I read this book because had I not I would not have been introduced to the simple explanation of holiness attributed to the angel Michael. Michael’s explanation of holiness is beautiful. David asks, “What do you mean by holy?” Michael replies, “Being at one with the One. Holiness is what you long for. To be free of the rebellion’s decay, to see through the eyes of God, and to be delighted in His life coursing through you.”
This little conversation about holiness made the time I spent reading the rest of the book worth while, I suppose. Should you read this book? Well, that’s totally up to you, but beyond the above blurb concerning holiness I have no reason to compel you to do so.
Disclosure: This book was sent by the publisher for review on Tribe.
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I am sorry that you felt this way about this book. I found it a little hard to get into but quickly got my pen out and started underlining often because of the insight that Mr. Myra shared in that book. I was really glad I read it.