The Craving

ENDORSEMENTS

'The Craving' is an award-winning, split-time romance for young adults, with Christian themes.

It is a winner of the 2021 YA CALEB Award and the 2022 Global Book Awards YA Bronze medal, and finalist in the 2022 International Book Awards, Fiction: Religious category.

Brilliant!
Intriguing. A great and original story.
Story remained in my mind long after reading
-CALEB Award judges' comments.

Mind-boggling!
Exquisite, multi-layered book.
Un-put-downable.
Amazon reviews

What happens when two people long to be together ... but are worlds apart? A stadium collapse. A coma. A breathtaking journey of discovery.

Will Sutherland saves a girl from a falling beam in a stadium collapse, and is plunged into a coma. Finding himself on the Island of Eldrad, Will grapples with addiction and anger and tries to get back home to Aporto Bay. Meanwhile, Erin, the girl Will saved in the tragic accident, visits him in hospital, desperate for him to wake up. Will takes an extraordinary journey to find the truth of his life. He visits Idella city where he's promised every desire will be fulfilled. He's also given the keys to the astonishing worlds inside the seven doors of The House of Wisdom: Honour of the King, Love, Truth, Peace, Humility, Purity and Hardship. Why does Will change his mind about staying on the island? What happens when he wakes from the coma a completely different person?

This is an allegorical story about brokenness and the search for happiness. It is rich with twists and turns in an explosive mix of contemporary and fantasy worlds.

***

REVIEWS

Cedar
5.0 out of 5 stars The Craving was mind boggling!

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2021

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Wow, The Craving was mind boggling! I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story, and was really surprised by the ending! Well written and entertaining yet with a message that can give strength and encouragement. Highly recommended.

Jaci Cox
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read!

Reviewed in Australia on 12 December 2021

The moment I read this book, I knew I had to share it. My teenage son has also now read it and devoured it over a weekend. For a reluctant reader, that's a win. Beyond a young adult romance, this is both an allegory and a herald for our times from a creative and brave author.

Elizabeth Klein
5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautifully-Told Tale

Reviewed in Australia on December 27, 2021

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I'm left emotionally numb after reading The Craving, pondering how to write this. Whatever words I offer will not do justice to this beautiful, profoundly touching book. How do you explain the emotional attachment one feels for the main character, Will Sutherland, on his journey to Eldrad, the island of tragedies, truths and hopes? I was irrevocably captivated, my heart wrung with loss and sadness as I walked beside him on his journey that all began and ended at Fernhill Gully in Emerald Forest. I ached with the same chill damp that Will did; I smelled the same cornbread and corn toasting on the campfire in Jadyn's cave. I sensed the same horrors and cruelty of the Cravers, the same exhilaration and thrill of perils as I pursued the prose trail deeper-a true journey of the senses. The author, Jean Saxby, has created poetry that sings, her tale resonating with grace and faith. A faith that is strength and not weakness, one that Will begins to understand as he progresses deeper into the strange new world where he finds himself. Deeper into relationships with other outcasts that fetter his heart to both the King and the princess. Do dreams come true? That question resonates through this exquisite, multi-layered book. Maybe they do. Interestingly enough, I once knew a young man who, after a terrible motorbike racing accident, also met the King in a coma and then met the woman of his dreams. A real, true-to-life tale.

What stands out though, the one thing that gave me hope while reading this book, was the love of the King and faith in Him that buoyed Will and the other characters through their trials. None of them gave in to the evils around them, nor did they give up. They ploughed through the marshes and horrors, not forsaking their faith. That we are saved and transformed by His love is one of the fundamental underlying themes. That without faith we are colourless, 2D cardboard characters without meaning or purpose in life. It is the one glimmering light in our souls that we should take as a reminder for our ultimate future. Its mingled with the reassurance of the King's presence and the sense that He's always with us. The sweet twist at the end of this tale left me gratified, eyes moistened by the beauty of Saxby's prose, left elevated to a sweet height and craving more of this beautifully-told tale.

Wendy
5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific book for your Book Club

Reviewed in Australia on April 28, 2022 Verified Purchase

I'm so glad I recommended my Book Club read 'The Craving' by Jean Saxby. Although it is aimed at YA readers, all 7 of my friends read it and loved it. We invited Jean as our guest author. She provided a great list of thought-provoking questions that sparked a lively discussion about the meaning of life, faith, addictions, love, Christian values and the writing process. Parts of the story that stood out for me were the 7 doors at the House of Wisdom and the section where the potters carefully repaired the broken pots with seams of gold. Right through the book, I enjoyed the descriptive language, the surprising twists and turns of the plot and the perfectly unexpected ending. I would definitely recommend this inspiring book to adults and young people- and if you have a Book Club- I think you should put it on your list.

Lou
5.0 out of 5 stars Un-put-downable

Reviewed in Australia on January 9, 2022

Verified Purchase

An absolutely wonderful, thought provoking and intriguing book ....very hard to put down !

Publisher Description

What happens when two people long to be together ... but are worlds apart?'The Craving' is an award-winning, split-time Christian romance for young adults.
A stadium collapse. A coma. A breathtaking journey of discovery.

Brilliant!Intriguing. A great and original story.Story remained in my mind long after reading.-CALEB Award judges' comments. 2020

Winner of 2021 YA CALEB Award and the 2022 Global Book Awards YA Bronze medal, and finalist in the 2022 International Book Awards - Fiction: Religious category.

Will Sutherland saves a girl from a falling beam in a stadium collapse, and is plunged into a coma. Finding himself on the Island of Eldrad, Will longs to go home to Aporto Bay. He battles addiction and anger against his rival, Ben Maddock, and his own father who has walked out.

Meanwhile, Erin, the girl Will saved in the tragic accident, visits him in hospital, desperate for him to wake up.

Will takes an extraordinary journey to find the truth of his life. Will visits Idella city where desires are fulfilled, and he's given the keys to the astonishing worlds behind the seven doors of The House of Wisdom.

Why does Will change his mind about staying on the island? What happens when he wakes from the coma a completely different person?

This book has deep themes and allegory about hardship and how to find happiness. It is rich with twists and turns in an explosive mix of contemporary and fantasy worlds.