Customer Reviews

The Penny: A Novel

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The Penny by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford is the bittersweet tale of Jenny Blake, growing up in 1950s St Louis. This young teen espies a penny in the pavement and her picking it up sets off a chain of events that changes the course of not only her own life, but her entire family's and those around them as well. The authors tackle the tough issue of sexual abuse and handle it with delicacy while facing up to the damage it does to families. Jenny's father rules his family with an iron fist, and her older sister Jean can't wait to escape from his abuse and his attentions. When Miss Shaw, the local jeweler, hires Jenny to work in her store, Jenny is given the opportunity to see Christianity in action. Her friend Aurelia also shows Jenny what friendship means. Jenny clings to the penny as she gives her heart to the Lord, but then is disappointed to go home and find that her father still comes into her bedroom at night. Jenny speaks for all those who give themselves to God expecting every circumstance of their life to change immediately and become disheartened when they don't. Jenny and Aurelia's friendship is tried by both Mr. Blake and the racial tension in their schools. The authors do a wonderful job of creating the racial tension in the 1950s South, even if they do sound a little preachy on occasion. Jenny starts giving out pennies in hopes of bringing change and light to others' hearts, and when her world starts to crumble, pennies start coming back to her from the lives she helped. Ultimately the penny gives Jenny the courage to stand up for what is right for Aurelia, her family and Miss Shaw. This is a book to make you start looking for the pennies that God puts in your path and encourages you to look for ways to put pennies in others' paths as well.

I found this book to be very depressing. It was hard for me to keep reading when things ALWAYS looked so bleak and hopeless. Anyone who has "been there" in one manner or another, is reminded over and over again of how Satan can keep us blind and bound and hopeless.

I know how close God always was and how He finally brings her to the realization that God was, is and always will "be there". I just thought the answer was too long in coming. It took a long, long time to get past the bad and rejoice with her in the answer.

I am glad I read it, but not sure if I would recommend it to others.

This book addresses so many issues, I could see myself in Jenny and my father was awesome, it touched so many areas. I was told once that many people can write a book, but someone like Joyce puts God's spirit into the book, I couldn't put it down and now that I have finished I want to read more. We are a hurting world, and books like this help us deal with our pain and make us realize we must reach out to others as well. God Bless Joyce and Deborah.

I am a huge fan of Joyce Meyer so I was a little apprehensive in buying and reading her first novel; what if I didn't like it! But that was foolish, this book has fast become one of my favorites. The characters were very much alive and I could feel what they were feeling. I especially liked the relationship between the sisters. I truly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed. Thank you Joyce and Deborah, I will be reading it again.

I read this book in just a few hours, wow! I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised and well pleased. I love Joyce Meyer and know some of her background. So I know she knew what she was saying and how to get a good message across. Every book, whether fiction and non-fiction should have a good message, and this book delivers. I can only pray, to all that read it, shall realize the needs in this world. That everyone should be willing to help others, through that of their own experiences.

I read this book in one sitting. It was too captivating to put down. It was so good that while I was stranded in the airport I read it again. This is a must for all who have had an abusive background. I know from experience that there are more of us who are still in denial.

Thanks Joyce for this novel. It was well written.

I read this book as I'm in a local book review group . It is a story about a 14 year old girl who is physically and sexually abused by her father. One day she finds a penny on the ground, and this leads on to her eventually finding faith in God; the story is her journey towards faith, strength & finally forgiveness. However, I think it is a poorly written book; it somehow lacks a depth that I was expecting to find. It left me fairly unmoved, although I should have been very moved purely due to the suffering that the story is based upon. But the writing style was too shallow, and it just didn't grip me. I felt that I didn't really get to know some of the characters, as the author's descriptions were sketchy; I felt that some of these characters needed developing more, which would have induced me to relate to them more, somehow. I didn't feel absorbed and enveloped in the book, as I would have wished to. It's not an unreadable book, but just a mediocre one which I wouldn't read again.

This book was definitely difficult to read at times---knowing that this book is largely based on the events of the life Joyce Meyer, it was tough to know some of the things she faced in detail. The book is great for showing how God is present in even the darkest of times...I cannot wait for her next novel...I will never look at pennies the same way!

for anyone that has been abused. I found it to be a strong book that speaks to the heart. It lets people in on the thoughts of those who have gone through this type of abuse. All their struggles with "unanswered" prayers, secret lives, and emotions.

I really like Joyce's books but I didn't know what to think of a first novel. I was very impressed. A great story that has some really uplifting messages. I couldn't put it down. I hope Joyce will write more fiction.