April Timms
Series
Praise
Title: Soiled Dove
By: April Timms
A CBM Christian Book Review
10.0 out of 10.0 stars
This is a wonderful novel series by April Timms that speaks of a young girl, Clara, encountering a world of bondage, freedom, healing, and hope – Through an unspeakable family tragedy.
Soiled Dove, set back in the late 1800s, speaks of a tale of grace in overcoming human trafficking. Clara, once an outgoing, family-loving, and pure young girl, was unknowingly sent to an environment that darkened her very spirit born from the depths of sin and of human deprivation. Her father had believed that he was sending her off to save her; however, Clara was sold into desperate circumstances, moving from place to place as a child of sex-slavery. However, Clara finds salvation, redemption, and grace from the most unlikely places.
This is the story of resilience and good coming from the most evil of situations. Intertwining scripture verses and Clara’s experience (non-graphic), the author focuses on Clara’s emotions and captivity. Yet, Clara finds redemption, love, and restoration.
A captivating and heartbreaking story created from a ten-minute dream given by the Lord! The author (as a mental health trauma therapist) recounts this in her book. To say the least, this is a special book! Readers will wonder – perhaps, Clara Freemont did exist, as of yet, God it seems to be fighting on all fronts to end this pervasive depravity that affects many across the globe.
This is book 1 of the series, Soiled Dove. Readers who enjoy Christian fiction set in the 1800s, this book is a mini-series in the making! Don’t miss - Soiled Dove - surely to become a classic.
Ten percent of the proceeds from this book fund an organization fighting human trafficking.
"Raw, redemptive, and deeply moving, Soiled Dove is a powerful tale of survival and faith as one young woman battles the horrors of human trafficking and discovers that even in the darkest places, God’s grace can lead to freedom and healing." – NewInBooks.com
Soiled Dove by April Timms is a short faith-based novel that centers on the life of Clara and her journey of resilience and survival as she becomes entangled in a dark and cruel world.
Clara Fremont, a young lady, felt shattered after hearing the devastating news about her parents. There had been an accident, and her mother had died while her father was hospitalized. Left alone and in pain, Clara decided to try her best to help her father recover. Her father eventually got better, but he was left disabled and depressed. In an attempt to provide for his daughter, her father sold her out to a strange man. Feeling sad and scared, Clara ended up accepting, hoping that this newfound life that was to come would end up in her favor.
Opinion:
Soiled Dove explains Clara's story of survival after being bound into human trafficking. It also expatiated on the gruesome reality of human trafficking as well as Christian faith-based elements. Soiled Dove, as the name implies, refers directly to females who have had their rights taken away from them and sold out to earn money through engaging in disgusting acts. They were once innocent as “Doves,” but are now tainted, leaving them “Soiled.”
Sold to a cruel man named Clyde, Clara is portrayed as one of many women who had been stripped of their pride and innocence just to be used as sex objects and commodities in exchange for money. This act conveyed an emotionally-charged story to readers. April Timms' story about Clara's life was raw; the emotions used created a deep connection between the character Clara, and me, the reader, allowing me to feel Clara's suffering and experiences rather than simply reading about it. Such emotional depths are very difficult to find in short novels, but the author made use of the length to direct a powerful narrative to readers.
While Clara's experiences were painful, her power of resilience and stubbornness began to change her. It shaped her, not just into survival but into a world where she refuses to let her light get dimmed and one where she learns to live again. This way, she was able to strengthen not only herself, but those around her. Though the story was about Clara, her transformative power is what binds the story together. She changed from being a weak and violated victim to a lady with strong faith. This was made possible not by miracles, but by the combination of her struggles, choices, and faith in herself.
One major theme of this book is that it is a Christian novel. However, even though it was sectioned in this category, the author did not allow spirituality to overshadow the story. Bible verses were quoted at the start of each chapter, but it did not sound preachy or full of sermons. This makes the book suitable for both Christian and non-Christian readers. Clara's faith development was also not limited to religious faith but to faith in general, which she had to instill in herself and those around her.
My final thought on this novel is that it was an emotionally-filled story that revolves around faith, survival, and transformation. Fiction readers of stories with such themes will find this novel to be a very compelling one. Aside from that, lovers of Christian faith-based books and mature young readers can also benefit from the novel. Human rights advocates and women's fiction readers can really benefit from reading the book as it raises awareness about abuse, human trafficking, and sex trafficking. Lastly, various Christian book stores and book clubs can find this to be a great read.