It's been a few years since Jonathan was faced with the greatest tragedy of his young life. He's still dealing with the aftereffects of loss along with other trials and triumphs of advancing adolescence in The Saints' and Angels' Song by author John Fischer.

Now, one thing I didn't expect this sequel to Saint Ben to be is another Saint Ben, and it isn't. It's quite a different ChristFic book. Still nostalgic in its '60s setting, still amusing at times, still with a literary feel, and still full of references to Ben—but quite a different book, all the same. I approached it as a different book as well.

I had a pretty hard time gaining a grasp on it, though. Some parts weren't too interesting for me, I've never liked Jonathan's parents, and this story felt downright weird in places. At times it almost seems like Jonathan is all but obsessed with thoughts of Ben, and the angel theme feels overdone at moments.

Along with the setting and the introduction of a Black character, the N-word shows up in one part of Jonathan's narration as he explains that some people use the word. But it only appears in that one paragraph and isn't flung around in the story's dialogue.

What I like most about this novel (and can also appreciate from the previous one) is how it presents children/adolescents as people, since that's what they are. Jonathan and his young friends aren't experiencing some kind of pre-life or lesser life than that of adults, but they're living life, and I like it when Jonathan plays an active role in determining what may happen next.

And I confess that when folks in the book sang "The Love of God" (the song from which this book gets its title), I sang right along! Granted, I was singing the 2002 MercyMe version, but still. It does make for what's most triumphant about this story. ( )