Summary:
Renowned Christian author Max Lucado weaves a captivating tale in "Coming Home." Arion and Argo are twins who have been shipwrecked on the island of Terrene for 14 years with their Captain. Terrene and all of its inhabitants are grey in color. Arion, Argo and the Captain are not grey.
One day the Captain tells the twins that he is leaving for the island of Bluestone and will come back for them one day. Bluestone is a beautiful island full of color and life - and the boys' true home. Before the Captain leaves, he reminds the boys to stay out of the grey forest in the center of the island and not to interact with the animals of the forest. Only the beach is safe, for if they venture inward, they will turn grey.
Arion listens to the Captain's warning and stays on the beach, but after awhile Argo decides to venture into the forest. He returns to tell Arion how much fun the forest is and that the Captain is never coming back. But Arion sees that Argo has turned grey just like the island and continues to wait and watch for the Captain.
The Captain finally returns to take the twins to Bluestone. Arion eagerly boards the ship. Before the Captain and Arion leave, they see Argo watching from the shore. Argo asks if he can come too. The Captain says yes and when he boards the ship the Captain touches him and makes him colorful again.
Analysis:
The story of Arion and Argo is well written and the pictures are beautiful, but in my opinion the plot falls flat toward the end. This seems to be a pattern I've noticed with Lucado's stories. His ideas are amazing and intelligent but his endings are lack-luster.
"Coming Home" obviously parallels the story of our lives here on earth and Jesus' second coming to take us "home." Lucado's story seems reminiscent of the Creation story in parts, such as when Argo emerges from the forest and tells Arion that he's seen things he's never seen before and knows the "truth" now (Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden, anyone?).
However, unlike Adam and Eve and other Biblical characters, there are no consequences for Argo's sin except he's now grey. He tells Arion he's having fun in the grey forest with the grey animals. But when the Captain comes he joins them without any big forgiveness scene or any epiphany on his part. There could have been at least a paragraph or two dedicated to reminding kids that God asks us to repent when we wander away from Him.
Renowned Christian author Max Lucado weaves a captivating tale in "Coming Home." Arion and Argo are twins who have been shipwrecked on the island of Terrene for 14 years with their Captain. Terrene and all of its inhabitants are grey in color. Arion, Argo and the Captain are not grey.
One day the Captain tells the twins that he is leaving for the island of Bluestone and will come back for them one day. Bluestone is a beautiful island full of color and life - and the boys' true home. Before the Captain leaves, he reminds the boys to stay out of the grey forest in the center of the island and not to interact with the animals of the forest. Only the beach is safe, for if they venture inward, they will turn grey.
Arion listens to the Captain's warning and stays on the beach, but after awhile Argo decides to venture into the forest. He returns to tell Arion how much fun the forest is and that the Captain is never coming back. But Arion sees that Argo has turned grey just like the island and continues to wait and watch for the Captain.
The Captain finally returns to take the twins to Bluestone. Arion eagerly boards the ship. Before the Captain and Arion leave, they see Argo watching from the shore. Argo asks if he can come too. The Captain says yes and when he boards the ship the Captain touches him and makes him colorful again.
Analysis:
The story of Arion and Argo is well written and the pictures are beautiful, but in my opinion the plot falls flat toward the end. This seems to be a pattern I've noticed with Lucado's stories. His ideas are amazing and intelligent but his endings are lack-luster.
"Coming Home" obviously parallels the story of our lives here on earth and Jesus' second coming to take us "home." Lucado's story seems reminiscent of the Creation story in parts, such as when Argo emerges from the forest and tells Arion that he's seen things he's never seen before and knows the "truth" now (Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden, anyone?).
However, unlike Adam and Eve and other Biblical characters, there are no consequences for Argo's sin except he's now grey. He tells Arion he's having fun in the grey forest with the grey animals. But when the Captain comes he joins them without any big forgiveness scene or any epiphany on his part. There could have been at least a paragraph or two dedicated to reminding kids that God asks us to repent when we wander away from Him.
