I feel like I am going to need weeks more to fully process the journey that this book was.  As far as the plot and the characters, I don’t think it’s a book that would have been meaningful to me if I weren’t a believer.  I’m sure it was my most highlighted book of the year, and there is no way I will be able to pull out a favorite quote - the beauty, truth, tenderness and vulnerability of the spiritual journey of Kristin is rivaled in my mind only by Cry, the Beloved Country. The setting was absolutely stunning and immersive, the characters were vibrant and real (even though none of them besides Arne, Simon and Lavrans were remotely likeable), and while the middle of the book lost me in a lot of the politics and I’m quite sure I didn’t follow half of the characters, I know the experience of reading this book is one I will value forever. I wish it had more consistent pacing and more redemptive moments, but overall it was beautifully crafted and full of truth about the kind of father God is to us all.  The ending was stunning and felt meaningful, even though there are many characters who were never followed up with.