A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers

"If there's one genre today that I would argue is the most challenged in terms of containing wholesome characters and plotlines consistent with the Catholic faith it is young adult fiction. Believe me, I've read enough of these titles over the years to know! In addition to containing what can often be a racy scene here or a problematic theme there, I've experienced a persistent, unsatisfied longing to find a character in this genre that represents the person that my faith-filled peers and I are aspiring to be in all areas of our lives: our friendships, our familial relationships, our workplace, and our faith. That being said, I'm incredibly thankful that I have managed to find one series that fits this mold. My 11th grade Moral Theology teacher assigned my class A Voice in the Wind as summer reading, and it truly fulfilled that desire and need. Though the protagonist, Hadassah, is a first century Christian slave girl serving a wealthy Roman family, her honest voice, patient and wholehearted trust in God, and ongoing prayer for the conversion of those she meets strike a chord that feels equally relatable and modern as it does historic. But make no mistake, just because this novel is explicitly Christian in its themes and dialogue does not mean that it shies away from confronting difficult moral evils and societal issues that remain culturally relevant even to this day. Notwithstanding, the overarching message is one of God's power to heal hearts and transform lives through the witness of his disciples and the movement of the Holy Spirit. An equally satisfying read for those 16 to 60, the first book of the Mark of the Lion series is one I would recommend to all!