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04 June 2013

The Well by Stephanie Landsem Reviewed by Marian Baay

The Well


Reviewed by Marian Baay
~5 stars~*****

An Amazing Debut Novel

Mara is a 15 year old Samaritan girl who lives with her younger, crippled brother and her mother in a small clay house in Sychar. Mara’s mother, Nava, is mentally unstable, and Mara is trying to take care of her mother and brother. She is scorned in the village because of her mother’s sins, so life is not easy for Mara.

There’s a pagan man named Alexandros who stops by their house once in a while to stay the night with Nava. No one can know about this because the people of Sychar will stone Nava if they ever find out.
Mara is trying to persuade Nava to turn Alexandros down next time, because she is living in constant fear that her mother’s ‘secret’ will be exposed.

Shem is a young man from Caesarea where he received a good education, and where he could live a good life…if he hadn’t gotten himself into trouble. His father is sending him away to his grandparents in Sychar. Once there, he rescues Mara from three boys who are bullying her on her way to the well—and in doing so he makes his first enemies in Sychar.

One day Nava is going to the well where she meets Jesus. He knows all about her husbands and doesn’t condemn her. She receives new life at the well and is changed after that. But the village people refuse to believe she’s changed—they want to punish her for her sin.

When something bad happens to her mother, Mara is called in a dream by Jesus. Meanwhile Jesus has left Sychar and has gone elsewhere. Mara and Shem go after him—together they travel from Sychar to Nazareth, and further. On the way they get into several dangerous situations.

Will they find Jesus? Will her mother get healed? And what is the reason Jesus called Mara to come to him?

I enjoyed this book immensely! It is hard to believe this is a debut novel. The writing is excellent; the author has a pleasant voice, the plot is very well done, the characters are so real, easy to love, and easy to identify with. From the first till the last page, this book is a pure delight. I highly recommend this book!
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GIVEAWAY: We are giving away a copy of The Well, choice of format, to one commenter this week. 

TO ENTER: Like Stephanie Landsem's author page on Facebook to be entered in the contest. Put SL in your comment when you have done so. Also don't forget to leave your email address.

64 comments:

  1. SL thank you for such fine giveaways. I loved this post.
    faithfulacres7@gmail.com
    Linda Finn

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  2. SL Another great review--sometimes I wonder, if you gals ever read a book that you DON'T like. :-D
    Vicki OWG

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    1. I read enough books that I don't like, VICKI, but we don't post reviews of the books we don't like. Only the best are reviewed on OWG. :)

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  3. A wonderful review MARIAN, it was good to get a little more informed about this book that I've been hearing about for some time now! Thanks!

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    1. Thank you, NOELA! This really is a great book.

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  4. Wonderful Review..... Hope to pick it up the book to read... Thanks

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, BECCA! Have you liked Stephanie's author page on facebook? Please let us know.

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  5. MARIAN I love the review and the suspense is killing me, now I MUST read it!! It sounds like Stephanie is well on her way to a wonderful career as an awesome writer. (no pun intended lol)

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  6. Maybe we didn't do what Nava did, but we all were once sinners who had that same special encounter with Jesus and He changed our lives. Just thinking about that filled with my eyes with tears as I was reading your wonderful review, MARIAN. :)

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    1. Aww...thank you, m d Di! I think I'll have to reread it now. ;)

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  7. Great interview, sounds very interesting.
    S.L.

    Blessings, Tina Rice
    tfrice@comcast.net

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  8. Thank you, Marian, for such a lovely review and for having me on your blog this week. It's been great to get to know you and your readers.

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  9. Thank you for your wonderful review and I hope I can win this novel for my soul and spirit which is thirsting for it. Thanks for this contest and Blessings on your continued writing! Mary Lou K flowersmarylou85@gmail.com







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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Mary Lou. Hope you will read this book soon!

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  10. Thanks for the review and intro to a new author. Sounds like a great book!

    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, PATTY. Have you liked Stephanie's author page?

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  11. Wonderful review with a new author. Thank you for entering me in your giveaway.
    SL
    barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  12. Great review. Sounds like a very interesting read. Please enter my name. Thank you.
    Karen G.
    kmgervais(at)nycap(dot)rr(dot)com

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    1. Forgot this: SL
      Karen G.
      kmgervais(at)nycap(dot)rr(dot)com

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    2. It does sound like an intriguing read, KAREN! Marian did such a fine job on this review!

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  13. OH wow, now that is a unique story! You drew me into it with your review and now I want it on my TBR pile!
    Susan P
    farmygirl at hotmail dot com

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  14. There is always something rather special about reading a debut novel. It's like finding a treasure chest & opening it up for the first time. THE WELL does sound wonderful.

    SL

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com





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    1. Our dear, MARIAN, is sleeping in Holland right now, but I love the way you described that so wonderfully, MARY. It truly is like that!

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  15. I enjoy Biblical fiction, so this book sounds like one I'd like to read. It's thought provoking to put oneself in the position of people who lived in Jesus' time. I think it helps us to examine our own lives.
    may_dayzee (at) yahoo (dot) com
    SL

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    1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, KAY. I think you're right!

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  16. This was a great review for SL. Here book "The Well" sounds like something I really would like to read.

    Helen
    hmmbailey@live.ca

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    1. We will enter you in the drawing and I wish you lots of luck, HELEN.

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  17. Sounds like a great book! I liked her Facebook page!
    Lisa
    deiselbuffs(at)gmail(dot)com

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  18. Sounds like a AWESOME book to read !! Blessings ,Dana "Girl"

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    1. DANA, please like Stephanie's author page on facebook to be entered. Thank you!

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  19. Marian -- this books sounds absolutely WONDERFUL, especially given the fact that one of my favorite nonfiction books is also called THE WELL, by Mark Hall, pastor and lead singer of Casting Crowns. That book SO affected me that I would LOVE to read this one as well, particularly because of your glowing review.

    Thanks for the opportunity!

    Hugs
    Julie

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    1. I started reading The Well by Mark Hall, JULIE. It surely is a great read.
      This book is also amazing - it must be the title. ;)

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  20. Julie - agree wholeheartedly that I loved that too! Have you read the AD chronicles book that has that story in it? (can't remember which one it was)

    Want a copy of this. SL

    :)

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    1. I almost forgot! lauralyric[at]hotmail[dot]com

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    2. Thank you, LAURA! All the best in the contest.

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  21. Sounds good but then all of the books y'all read usually do :)

    ~SL~

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  22. Read as much of it as I could on Amazon. Would love to win this book!
    Amber Schamel
    Larkspur, CO

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    Replies
    1. It draws you in immediately, doesn't it? Good luck, AMBER!

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    2. btw - please let us know if you liked Stephanie's author page on facebook

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  23. So eager to read this one & even more so after your review! Thank you for the chance to win :)

    Beth
    bharbin07[at]gmail[dot]com
    SL

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  24. This sounds like a good book. I want to read it!

    Thank you for offering a giveaway.

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    1. It is a fantastic book, TANYA. Let us know if you liked Stephanie's author page on facebook to be entered.

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  25. S.L. I never heard anything like this one! The review says it all! It sounds so...surreal.

    Thank you for this giveaway and I look forward to reading this book!

    -Alenette
    balenette[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. This certainly is an original story, ALENETTE! All the best in the drawing.

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  26. I think I would love to read this book. I know it a story written on a Bible character. Please put my name in that hat. MAXIE

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  27. Oh my, I plum forgot to put the SL in my comment. So here it is.
    MAXIE

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  28. I love to try new Christian fiction! SL plshake@gmail.com
    Pat Shake

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  29. This looks really good! SL shopgirl152nykiki(at)yahoo(dot)com

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