Book Review: The Danaville Scroll by Don Bowlin

"The Danaville Scroll" is a fictional story that centers on a patch of land and a handful of good, rural folk who put their trust in God.

As the story begins, John Kelly finds himself` in need of employing a reliable farmhand. God answers his prayers in the stature of a young man by the name of Carew Hinson. The Caucasian Kelly and African- American Hinson form a lifelong bond, cemented by their enduring Christian faith.

The novel travels through many years on the farm and chronicles John´s youth, including the courtship and marriage to his wife, Sara. The chapters keep you engrossed in their personal lives and invite you to view their hardships, too: Sara´s tragic miscarriage, Carew´s accident, etc.

All the while, author Don Bowlin reveals, through the struggles, the strong Christian roots within the main figures of the book.

John and Sara eventually have a son, Lyle, and the years seem to pass quickly.

When Lyle becomes a young man and college student, the farm experiences a strange weather phenomenon. A vicious hail storm, fierce lightening and a prominent rainbow overtake the skies. What makes this occurrence even more bizarre is the fact that the same type of event had happened a year before.

The family and farmhand find themselves seeking God for guidance and understanding. After passionate prayer, they decide to study the ground affected by the uncommon weather. What they find is darker soil shaped in a circular pattern.

What follows is an investigation weaved around realistically portrayed lives. The first part of the book reads like a small town, Grisham type story. The second half is a bit of a mysterious trip, all within the context of an examination of the community´s relationship with Jesus Christ.

"The Danaville Scroll" is a wonderful read- especially for a city boy like me.