Tuesday, June 02, 2015

What kind of book is Abi of Cyrene?

A writer has trouble placing her own book in a classification. I'm not sure why. What kind of book is Abi of Cyrene?

It is definitely a novel.

Christian? Yes. Amazon classifies it as Jewish.
Biblical? As explained within the text, it is based on a few facts about an unnamed woman in the Bible. It does not depart from what is in the scripture.
African? Definitely, and it's also Roman and Jewish.
Travel? Maybe, but Abi spends years not leaving Cyrene.
Mystery? It has a mystery in the middle of it, but it is not primarily a mystery.
Romance? It is a love story, but it is not only a romance.
Thriller? It has killing, combat with animals, scary things.
Fast-paced? Some say it is, but Abi is a character who thinks about everything.
Young Adult? Not really, however many young adults will be able to read it without problems.
Family? Yes, but it is a story about an individual often outside her family.
CBA? In other words, does it fit into the category of books approved by strict Christian publishers? Although I've struggled to be discreet, it has quite a bit of necessary violence, and it depicts Abi's life in detail. I've painted the intimate scenes with broad strokes to keep it in good taste.
Historical? Yes, but it is written in language that modern readers can understand.
Inspirational? Without seeming immodest, I can call it inspirational because it simply records some events that really happened.  Chapters 45, 46, and 47 make me cry over and over. please read Chapters 1-44 first so you can see the events through Abi's eyes.
Unique? If you type the words "Abi of Cyrene" on a search bar, you will see "Simon of Cyrene" with numerous novels, sermons, and articles. I have not found a single book told from the point of view of Simon's wife.
Didactic? Not at all. I have not set out to try to teach a moral lesson. Instead, I've attempted to show what happened to Simon and Abi and how their lives were affected.

After reading it, let me know what kind of book it is.

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