Kenny Kemp takes a fresh look at Jesus' inspiration for his famous parable about the Prodigal Son in The Welcoming Door. Taking one page of the Bible and turning it into 74, he creates the rich, colorful story behind Jesus the carpenter mending a broken family's door.
I was intrigued by Kemp's simple word choice. The simple, straightforward language may come off as youth-oriented, but the content suggests that this tackles mature themes. Rather than appealing to a younger audience, I think Kemp attempts to imitate the simple language of a parable.
Additionally, I enjoyed his use of irony for dramatic and comedic effect. When Reuben the Prodigal is knocking on impassive doors, begging for money and protection, Jesus is constructing a unconventional door, built to welcome rather than deny. When Reuben finally makes it to the "door yard". Jesus talks to the fattened calf about how some hellos are goodbyes, and leaves. Kemp wants to remind the reader that Jesus was Jewish, and with his power with words comes the power of humor. The parable becomes more tangible.
Overall, not very surprising content-wise, but it was never supposed to be. Kemp uses his artistic privilege to make the story more grounded.
I'm glad that you mentioned the simplistic word choice in the book and how it imitates the language of a parable. I feel like this especially works in this retelling of a parable that most Christians know. Children could understand this retelling and get something out of it (especially Arah's quest to understand Heavenly Father), while adults can understand the pain that Eli goes through as a parent and Simeon's bitterness about his wayward brother. While the story is unsurprising, it is enriched by the themes and language that Kemp includes.
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