Review: The Rapture by Liz Jensen

Bethany Krall is a very troubled teenager. She has been confined to the Oxsmith Adolescent Security Psychiatric Hospital for two years. When she was fourteen she killed her mother, stabbing her multiple times with a screwdriver. Now, after her previous psychologist suffered a breakdown, she is forced to work with a new psychologist.

Gabrielle Fox is trying to move on after a devastating car crash that deprived her of her lover and the use of her legs. Confined to her wheel chair, Gabrielle is assigned to Bethany Krall. Bethany proves to be more than a handful, defying any attempt at authority. Gabrielle is forced to put aside her own emotional baggage to attempt to reach the true Bethany.

The most disturbing aspect of treating Bethany proves to be her predictions of weather and natural catastrophes. Gabrielle, at first, attributes this to the ramblings of a very disturbed child. But after talking with Bethany's previous psychologist and some investigation of her own, she can not disprove the validity of the predictions.

The writing in this novel is amazing. I took my time reading this to simply enjoy Liz Jensen's use of language. I found myself re-reading several passages just for their impact. Her descriptions are edgy, yet the prose flows along like fine silk. I couldn't help but be in awe of this writing style.

The storyline is dark and mysterious. There is no superhero in this thriller, just ordinary people that have been cast in unusual circumstances. The characters in The Rapture are not perfect or one sided. In fact, Liz Jensen shows us the unpredictable nature of humanity. People are emotional and emotions lead to unexplainable behavior.

I do not necessarily agree with the portrayal of "global climate change" presented in the book. This plays a major roll in the storyline. I assume the book takes place in the near future, a future where the world has become more and more traumatized by the effects of global warming. However, I was able to enjoy the book, even with this opposing viewpoint.

This was a good read for me. I felt the emotional pain of both Gabrielle and Bethany as they progressed through the story. The suspense was captivating as I learned more and more about Bethany's predictions. I will say that I was slightly disappointed with the ending, but not enough to ruin the book for me.

I received an Advance Reading Copy of the book from the publisher. The Rapture is scheduled to be released on August 11, 2009.