I feel like I cheated, because I was abandoned by my father at about the same age as Donald was when his dad took off. As Donald Miller waxes eloquently in Father Fiction he often reflects ideas that I’ve learned through living in the pain, but then he sometimes gets me right between the eyes with an insight. He’s particularly strong at revealing his “fatherless” thoughts and comparing them to how others act; he openly shares his weaknesses, explaining them but not excusing them.

When he first begins to grasp God as a father through observing a child’s temper tantrum and how a father waits patiently knowing he has a better idea of what is good for his daughter though she writhes on the floor crying out that she is actually the one who is right. How often must God the Father patiently observe us as we throw tantrums about jobs, relationships or circumstance. I don’t know if I can ever be disgruntled again without picturing myself as a child throwing myself on the floor, kicking and screaming while my wise Father patiently waits for me to “get it”.

Kelly Ryan Dolan narrates this book so well that I presumed it was narrated by the author and the author had taken acting and speech lessons. As funny and irreverent in expression as the author is in prose, they’re a perfect match.

I give Father Fiction by Donald Miller 5 out of 5 stars.

Christian Audio provided Father Fiction (audio book) free of charge to me in exchange for writing this review as part of the Christian Audio Reviewers Program.

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