Book Review: Zion's Road: A Love Story about Faith and Redemption by Imani Wisdom

I liked the message in this story given through a rather different presentation.
Zion's Road: A Love Story about Faith and Redemption
by Imani Wisdom

• File Size: 192 KB
• Print Length: 48 pages
• Publisher: Pink Noire Publications, LLC (January 21, 2014)
• ASIN: B0093GSA6I

Genre: Romance, Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Temptation lurks like a waiting virus, grabbing you when you least expect it, ravishing your heart, mind, and soul—convincing you to take the easy way, instead of staying on the right path.
Zion’s Road: A Love Story is about faith and redemption. Harold Smith—a former Klansman in a small town of Tulla Springs, Mississippi—discovers second chances are possible when he learns that walking on the right path leads to an adventure of discovering his truths. During Harold’s journey, he meets a stranger who is opposite to what he believes.
The two travelers share an experience, as they delve into one of the mysteries from Harold’s past to find a shattering reality. Left to wonder that everything he knew in his life contradicts these revelations, how will this new discovery affect Harold’s pursuit to redemption? Will the heartfelt pain be too unbearable to complete his journey?

Review:
This is not quite what I expected but it is very interesting. Harold Smith was raised in the 1930s by a father whose family believed that whites were superior to blacks. Harold’s father was a fervent Klansman in Mississippi. As a teenager Harold had an experience that might have changed his view of the colored people in his community but instead he joined his friends and father treating them badly. At age 86, Harold is still spewing racial prejudice to his nephew. Then Harold meets a young, light skinned Negro boy who challenges him to take a journey. Harold has to make a choice to stay where he is (which might be a very dark, gruesome place) or risk moving along and discovering painful truths of his past.

This story addresses a very extreme attitude of racism that I found to be awful and difficult to understand, especially when certain facts of Harold’s past are revealed. The hatred that is portrayed is really distressing but it did exist in those years and among a certain group. (Sad to think that it might still exist today with some people and races or cultures.) The author presents a story that implies that a lot of the hatred and bigotry is handed down through the family. Although that may have some basis, we eventually mature to a place where we become responsible for our own choices. Harold has a chance to see this and to make new choices. Others around him also have this chance but the results may be different.

Although there is a sweet love story revealed in Harold’s past, I do not like that it was adulterous – that is also anathema to me. I liked Harold’s gentle guides who showed him so much love in spite of his awful treatment and attitude toward them in the past. The guides showed grace and forgiveness that could help Harold make better choices and perhaps find redemption through a changed attitude.
The writing makes for easy reading and I would take another look at work by Ms. Wisdom. 

I read this for "Z” to complete my Alphabet Soup Challenge. It was a free book from 2013 on my TBR Kindle shelf. It is still available for free.