My rating: 4.5/5
Immensely riveting and impactful, Tiger in the Shadows by Debbie Wilson is a thrilling story that fuses themes of faith, forgiveness, and redemption into a masterful novel.
Tiger in the Shadows is a page-turning, suspenseful novel, that depicts the adversity and persecution of Christians in China. This story is both plot and character driven and includes an array of outstanding characters that each contribute to the intrigue of the story. Set in the early 2000’s, main characters Stefanie Peng and Troy Hardigan are long time close friends, residing in Chicago. Stefanie receives devastating news about her grandmother, Nanai, and decides to fulfill a promise she made to her. This involves her traveling to China to seek the release of her grandfather, who has been unjustly held in a brutal China prison for decades, following his exposure as an underground Christian pastor. With strict religious laws and views concerning Christianity in China, it is extremely dangerous for one to freely practice the faith.
Stefanie’s time in China will prove tumultuous in her quest to find and aide in the release of her grandfather. She experiences many challenges, which inclines the help of Troy, a Marine veteran currently working for a high-tech company as a multinational salesman, who often travels internationally for business. Troy’s arrival and assistance in China, combined with the dangerous task at hand, will prove to be a dangerous mission for both Stefanie and Troy to overcome. Their faith, admiration for one another, and love for family are anchors they hope will help them to prevail.
Author Debbie Wilson is a skillful writer, who created a very intriguing story. I was impressed by her ability to take such a heavy topic concerning the persecution of Christians, and skillfully weave elements of suspense within the plot, that ultimately created an explosive story, that keeps the reader engaged. The Christian faith content was exceptionally captured within the story. The novel highlights the significance of faith and the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Although many Christians in China were persecuted or endured a life of hardships due to their beliefs, they remained relentless in their pursuit of Christ. This made for a hopeful story that will inspire Christians to grow closer to Christ.
I absolutely loved this story and was honored to read it. This book was thoughtfully gifted to me by the author; however, all opinions are unbiased and my own. I highly recommend this book to others.
