"Marked"
by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
reviewed by Josh Meares
The Story
"Marked" and the following books in its series are the latest in the new teenage vampire romance sub-genre, and they have sold hundreds of thousands of copies. It is written by mother P.C. Cast, who specializes in paranormal romance novels, and daughter Kristin Cast, a college student at Northeastern State University. They have teamed up to write a series of books about sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird. Zoey lives in a world where vampyres have always existed, and everybody knows about it. Zoey has been "marked" as a fledging vampyre and must move to the School of Night -- or die. But Zoey is not just any fledgling; she has been chosen by the vampyre Goddess Nyx and given special powers. And she will need them because the most powerful group in her new school is not friendly, and they do not like new girls who have special powers, either. Zoey has to find herself in order to confront her enemies and maybe make a few new friends.
The Verdict
"Marked" contains interesting elements, but it is not a great book. The plot is straightforward but contains enough twists and depth so that it is not boring. The premise of a world where vampires and humans openly co-exist is a great twist on the typical vampire story. The Casts' writing is clear but awkward at times. The language is a little vulgar, and there are references to some adult sexual themes, namely oral sex. But Zoey Redbird's casual disrespect for people that are different from her, except for those kinds of people that it is not politically correct to disrespect, is annoying. The book almost sounds like it is endorsing putting down certain kinds of people! Zoey has no problems with people from different racial backgrounds or different sexual preferences. In fact, the homosexual character is the smartest character in the book. But Zoey's roommate, who speaks with a rural accent and dresses like a cowgirl, is consistently described like a puppy -- not-too-bright, but loyal and lovable all the same. Her accent and clothing are criticized for more than a paragraph! All football players in this book are stupid, shallow, beer-drinking guys interested only in partying and girls. Everyone who is fat is also described as stupid, lazy, and annoying. Zoey also critiques cheerleaders (stupid but peppy), popular people (promiscous and mean), etc. Overall "Marked" is moderately interesting but also feels like a sermon for the authors' discriminatory perspectives.
Worldview
Before we look at what we can learn from "Marked," can I just encourage everyone not to do something they already know they shouldn't do? Don't stereotype people. Not all football players are the same. Not all cheerleaders are the same. White people, black people, homosexuals, musicians, suburban kids, and gangsters are not groups of identical people. Everyone has their own story, their own personality. So let's just not stereotype people, okay? Zoey Redbird spends a lot of time criticizing the “People of Faith” in this book. The descriptions of the “People of Faith” contain enough details to let you know they're obviously talking about Christians. The authors are well-acquainted with our religion and many of our practices. The Casts live in Oklahama, in the heart of the Bible Belt, but their experiences can't have been very good ones. Zoey Redbird describes life in a Christian household like this: “So when I'm scared and alone, and whatever else is going to happen to me starts happening, I'm going to remember that nothing is as bad as being stuck here [in a Christian home]. Nothing.” That is a pretty tough condemnation of our religion. Nothing on earth is worse than living in a Christian family. What can we learn about ourselves from this book? Or what can we learn about how the world perceives us? Remember, we are ambassadors to the world (2 Timothy 3), and there are two parts to being an ambassador. An ambassador has to understand the country he represents, and he must understand the country he is living in. In our case, we represent the country of God, and most reading this live in the United States of America. What the Casts have done for us is given us some insight into how some people who live in the United States of America think about people who are citizens of the country of God. The most prominent condemnation is that Christians are hypocrites. “From the first day I met him I saw only one thing -- fake. He fakes being a nice guy. He fakes being a good husband. He even fakes being a good father.” Zoey believes that Christians crave the approval of our fellow “People of Faith” more than we care about other people. When Zoey comes home, hurt and in trouble, and tells her parents about her problems, this is how they respond: " 'But John, honey, what are we going to do about her? What will the neighbors say?' Her face paled even more and she stifled a little sob. 'What will the people say at Meeting on Sunday?' " Are they on to something? Are we really hypocrites? Has Christianity become something that is fake? The Casts's criticism of Christianity is startlingly similar to Christ's criticism of the Pharisees 2000 years ago in Matthew 23:2-16: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. " "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.' . . . . Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!" Are you more interested in showing love or in putting on a good front? Are you more interested in truth or in people thinking that you are the perfect student? It is so easy to get everything mixed up. We are supposed to be a shining light for the world, but we don't do it by hiding the bad things we have done. We do it by doing the right things! Maybe these things don't apply to you or your youth group. Maybe you don't have members who get drunk on Saturday before church on Sunday or people who are sleeping around. But let's take this time to get out your Bible (or follow this link) and read Matthew 23. Underline the condemnations that apply to you. Maybe there aren't any; maybe there are. But read it a second time anyway and highlight the places where Jesus tells us how his ambassadors should be living. These apply to all of us. Hypocrisy is a terrible sin and an easy trap to fall into. Let's take up our cross of a life that serves and loves others and put hypocrisy back in the graveyard where it belongs.
Questions
Please post your answers in the comments!
- Do you struggle with hypocrisy?
- Do you have a strong enough relationship with people in your youth group that you feel like you can confess your failures? Why or why not?
- Does your youth group have a regular time of confession? Would that be a good idea?
- Does your youth group have a reputation for love or for hypocrisy?
- Do you practice what you preach? If not, in what areas are you struggling now?
Comments
yvonne on Jan 15, 2010 said...
i thought that the whole series of house of night were very good. i read all 6 books in one week and cannot wait for the 7th book to be released in april 2010. i believe that everyone has their own way of describing their feelings. the book, well actually, none of the books, are too vulgar, and i agree with anonymous, we were once teenagers and i haven’t met one person that atleast one time or another haven’t made one racial remark. in my opinion, these books are very entertaining, cause that’s what they were made for, “ENTERTAINMENT”. there are alot of racial movies out there as well, so why only bombard these books. remember, “FREEDOM OF SPEECH”.
Nay on Jan 28, 2010 said...
Hey, everyone. Hi Mark!
Yvonne, yes I also believe that we all end up saying things that are racial, or stereotypical, or just rude. We all have had our moments when someone else has said something like this and we’ve laughed or consented to what they said. We aren’t perfect.
But as entertaining as some of it all is, it’s not all good for us.
Paul says, all things are lawful to me, but not all things are expedient (or good for me). 1 Corinthians 6:12
We don’t have standards in the things we say, do or read because we’re perfect, but because it isn’t healthy for us not to have standards.
Another reason why we should watch what we see, do and say is because we are supposed to be examples to others, and have others on our conscience. If we look and act just like the world, how will anyone see Christ in us?
Another thing, just because everyone else is doing something, doesn’t mean it’s a good thing.
Yes we all fall, yes we all have our issues, but we should still be careful what we put in our heads and hearts.
Sorry if this comment seems to drag on.
And again I’ll say I haven’t read any of these books. This is just an outside opinion.
Jasmine on Feb 16, 2010 said...
Thanks for writing this article. I’ve read the first 5 books of the series and when God was bringing me back to him I realized how unbibical this book really is. We should pray for these authors to experience God not from a wordly point of view, but from Jesus himself
Anonymous on Jan 01, 2010 said...
Hi, mark is really great to know that you are doing wonderfully.
my poin of view of this book is that yes we are becoming more to the “what would people say or think about us ” sure the book is talking about us in a bad way but i believe that we as parent should read this book i know what you are talking about the stereo type and sexual things in the book. but for us it kind of gives us a little more in to what our kids go through every day our sons and daughter go through this and they might even be say the same thing that we dont value our family or our faith that we only care about what would people say. maybe by being tolled what is wrong with our community not just by our own but by out sider we could do better to change the way our church is going. our kids get board in church or they feeel like its just any other day when we should feel honor and happy to know that we have the grace of God and we could help others have it as well.