It Came Even to Me


Fiction - Social Issues
296 Pages
Reviewed on 08/29/2024
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

It Came Even to Me by Drew Hill delves into the complexities of reconciling religious faith with contemporary views on sexuality. Set in a small town in Georgia, the story follows a pastor struggling to maintain his convictions while navigating the turmoil within his family, as love and forgiveness clash with hatred and intolerance. The narrative explores themes of faith, family division, and reconciliation, offering a poignant portrayal of one family's journey through conflict and eventual healing. Hill handles the varied and complex topics of this novel with a great sense of balance. There’s a confident narrative control that blends sensitive social issues with deep emotional storytelling, allowing readers to engage with important concepts naturally as part of the story that never feels like they’re being beaten over the head with issues just for the sake of it.

The eloquent writing style is thought-provoking and compassionate, with moral dilemmas portrayed in real terms of what they actually mean to the characters so that the issues feel real, accessible, and relatable. The author’s ability to portray the raw emotions and internal conflicts of his characters feels authentic, thanks to some realistic dialogue exchanges, and I often felt I was right on the shoulders of the families caught in very painful and insightful debates. Drew Hill's exploration of grace and truth in the face of intolerance provides a powerful and inspiring message for anyone who has ever had difficult conversations with those they love. Overall, It Came Even to Me is a highly recommended read for fans of drama and social issues.

Emma Megan

It Came Even to Me by Drew Hill is an extraordinary novel that follows a pastor in a small town, Joppa, Georgia, who learns a secret about his peace-loving son and compels him to reconsider his beliefs. When a hate crime occurs in Joppa, the pastor's son becomes a hero. But when others learn of the secret, his son becomes an abomination to God. The pastor doesn't know if he should be proud or ashamed of his son. His son's secret contradicts what he believes, and now he has to condone in his son what he has always condemned in others. What if even someone who has studied the Scriptures all his life can be wrong? Should he rethink the meaning of Scripture? Will the pastor accept his son as he is? Will he turn his back on his church and Christian beliefs, or will he reconsider his old assumptions and stand up for his son?

It Came Even to Me is a gripping and quite realistic work of fiction about a controversial topic. It's brilliantly written and perfectly captures the challenges of changing the status quo and unleashing a tremendous and much-needed transformation in church and community. This story is a must-read, focusing on the hard-to-swallow yet relevant themes of compassion, forgiveness, earth-shaking changes, faith, family, homosexuality, inclusiveness, acceptance, and more. It teaches the reader valuable lessons about sexual orientation, faith, and understanding. Drew Hill reminds us that sexual orientation is part of who we are, that it's not an option we choose, and, most importantly, that we are indeed responsible for our sexual behavior. I will not forget this story anytime soon.

Danelle Petersen

It Came Even to Me by author Drew Hill is a beautifully written novel about a Baptist preacher who has to come to terms with his son’s sexuality. No one knows better than Bart that a good Baptist keeps to the religion’s strict doctrine and has, for years, been teaching about the sinfulness of homosexuality. Bart feels hurt and betrayed by David; hadn’t he always been a good example to David to be a good and righteous man? David’s revelation sends Bart into a whirlwind of turmoil; could everything he has preached be wrong? Bart is confused, but being the compassionate person that he is, he decides to explore the subject of homosexuality and gradually starts accepting his son. But, not everyone is as accepting, especially Bart’s colleagues, who call for his immediate termination. But Bart is determined to bring the truth to the people; that being gay is not a sin. However, his fellow Christians are just as determined to stop him from spreading the news, and soon the conflict escalates, resulting in Bart paying a heavy price. Bart, unfortunately, realizes that not all Christians are followers of God…

It Came Even to Me is a character-driven novel that sends a powerful message to Christians regarding their attitudes toward one another. Sometimes, people can be so blinded by their actions that they become unaware of the heartache and pain they are causing, instead of being focused on doing God’s work. Giving in to harmful stereotypes is a dangerous thing and one’s skewed sense of righteousness can keep one from realizing the truth that God’s love is not just restricted to a certain group of people, but is available to everyone, regardless of their race or sexual orientation. God is tolerant of everyone, and as followers of Christ, we should be too, as Drew gracefully points out. Bart’s love and empathy allowed him to realize what he hadn’t before, thus taking him on his special journey with God. Bart is a wonderful example of what it means to be a true Christian and I hope that readers will find Bart’s story inspirational and motivating. I recommend this touching novel to those seeking to understand God.