Sharing My Story

Diary of Hope
by Christine Kerrick
www.christinekerrick.com
56 pp. $9.95
This is a graphic novel (period). Many graphic novels are
just glorified comic books. Kerrick uses a combination of
written journal entries, sketches, illustrations and even
some sequential art to propel the narrative. This book
covers roughly the same ground as her recently completed
three issue mini series, Empire. However while the same
characters from Empire are involved in the same situations
Diary of Hope complements not just repeats the events of
the mini series.

Diary of Hope brings a greater depth into the thoughts
and feelings of the protagonist, Hope Mason. Hope is a
young woman whose father, along with millions of others,
have suddenly and mysteriously vanish from earth without
a trace. The Diary documents Hope’s life during the five
years after the disappearance of her father. During this
period she struggles with her own spirituality and belief
in God. After much hardship and soul searching she follows
the lead of her father, repents of her sin and becames a
Christian. This causes her to lose old friends and gain new
ones and eventuially leads to her death by martyrdom at
the book’s conclusion.

Kerrick theological stance on the end times is a pre-millenial
dispensationalist one. This position holds that true Christians
will be physically taken out (raptured) of the world before
the “Great Tribulation” and bodily return of Christ and the
end of history. While all Christians do not hold to this
eschatological position the book succeeds as a compelling
and gripping drama on its own merits despite whether the
reader agrees with the future times scenario underlaying
the story.

This is one of the best reads and professionally done
package to come out of the Christian comics movement
in recent years. Christine Kerrick has batted a home run
with this book. Buy it and savor it. Whether you agree or
not with the end times scheme you will be blessed.