There is an endless number of allegories out there, but few are strictly Christian. Hannah Hurnard's Hinds' Feet on High Places is an exception.
Hinds' Feet on High Places is an allegory for the Christian life. The Valley of Humiliation represents the fallen world and the High Places symbolize a mature relationship with Jesus Christ. Challenges are marked by deserts, cliffs, and storms, while valleys and meadows represent peaceful rest.
The characters do not have typical human names; instead, their names are literal implications of their statuses. For example, the main character is Much-Afraid (her physical disability instills fear) and one of her cousins is Craven Fear (sounds like "craving fear"), who attempts to force her into marriage. She also has cousins with names such as Pride, Bitterness, and Resentment, as well as companions Sorrow and Suffering (which often propel Christian growth).
At first, I thought Much-Afraid and the other Valley of Humiliation residents were sheep. As I continued reading beyond the first chapter, though, their descriptions suggest humans. If the characters had humanlike names (i.e. a name meaning "afraid" rather than literal "Much-Afraid"), though, they would feel more like people and less like sheep.
Hinds' Feet on High Places, as a Christian allegory, is full of relatable experiences and lessons. For instance, Much-Afraid struggles to trust the Shepherd (representing Jesus) when the journey becomes more challenging than she expects. Along the way, she learns about joy despite circumstances (she comes upon a flower named "Acceptance-with-Joy") and enduring trials (another flower is "Bearing-the-Cost").
The watercolor illustrations of the landscapes and non-human creatures are stunning. I especially appreciate the simple design of the singing blue birds (several songs are mentioned throughout the story).
Hinds' Feet in High Places inspired me to abandon myself for the Lord, but this does not mean I have no criticisms. I zoned out several times because of the excessively detailed descriptions. This view is biased because I struggle to pay attention to minor details; it might not be problematic for someone else.
Reading through the several pages about Hurnard's lessons from the slopes at the end was also difficult because of the tiny font size. However, as with Much-Afraid's journey, the lessons inspire me to spend more time with God and understand the language of His creation.
Hannah Hurnard's Hinds' Feet in High Places may be a slow read at first, but as you continue reading, your interest might grow. The same applies to following Jesus, after all.
SCORE: Great (9/10)
AGE RATING: 12+
Have you read Hinds' Feet on High Places? What do you think about it?
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