A: Some of the details are definitely taken from experience, although the main plot points are not. I had a lot of fun with episodes like: the Banda machine; the file of pre-prepared lessons; the pep talk with the Head of Department; being mistaken for a boy because I was wearing trousers. All those things happened to me pretty much exactly as I wrote them for Rebecca. The closed door makes a final separation between those inside and those outside. There are none sort of in and sort of out. While there are gradations of rewards for those who are in and gradations of punishment for those who are out, there is a great chasm fixed between the two (Luke 16:26), with nothing in the middle. You won’t be basically in heaven because you’re a basically good person. Either you’re in because you have entered through the narrow door, which is Jesus Christ, or you’re out because you have trusted in your own goodness or in the fact that you’re a church-going American Christian. You need to examine yourself and carefully answer the question, “If I were to stand before God and He said, ‘Why should I let you into My heaven?’ what would I say?” The only correct answer is, “I am trusting completely in Your Son Jesus and His shed blood.” The whys.Not believable.Rebecca´s kiliing spree, maybe, she´s a psycopath,but the boys hiding their friend´s body just not to be caught pulling a prank in the theatre? I found it absurd.

The novel has two timelines from 1989 at King Henry’s Grammar School and 2006 at St. Oswald's. Roy wants to know the truth, and Rebecca wants to tell: her brother's story, Conrad, the ghost who never left her family; as a young teacher in men's school; and a liar husband! Our Lord did not say, “Good question! Let’s divide up into groups and discuss what each of you thinks about it.” To pool the group’s thoughts would only increase speculation. Jesus wasn’t interested in speculation about theology. He was concerned about the personal salvation of His hearers. So, rather than opening it up for discussion, Jesus gave a command that applied the question to His hearers’ hearts: “Strive to enter by the narrow door.” Thus salvation requires our earnest effort and our urgent attention. Finally, Jesus teaches us that … The plot revolves around the fallout from a pivotal event that occurred when Rebecca was five years old. At the end of the school year her teenage brother, Conrad, disappeared from his school – the neighbouring King Henry’s Grammar – never to be seen again. All but his parents believe he is dead. The parents’ lives paused on the day Conrad went missing. This has shadowed Rebecca’s life. She believes her parents remained sad that the wrong child stayed with them. In our text, Luke again emphasizes Jesus’ teaching ministry: “He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem” (13:22). If you know the end of the story, the mention of Jerusalem strikes an ominous note, because it meant rejection by the nation and the horror of the cross. Somewhere in some village some unnamed person in the crowd asked Jesus an interesting theological question: “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” I don’t know the man’s motives for asking the question. Perhaps he saw the increasing opposition from the religious leaders and he could sense that the crowds, although superficially interested in Jesus’ message, tended to side with their leaders. But he asked this question, “Are there just a few who are being saved?”It's over fifteen years since I read the first in the St Oswald's series; Gentlemen and Players and five years since I read the follow up; Different Class. Joanne Harris has long been one of my favourite authors, her ability to write in different genre and keep her readers entertained is amazing. I've been delighted to enter the world of St Owald's again, although it's a dark and twisted word with a lead character who is totally unforgettable. I’ll say more about missing the deadline in a moment. But for now, I am making the point that if you follow the crowd you will not follow the Savior into eternal life. Jesus says that there are many (and He is talking about the religious crowd) who will not enter through the narrow door. If you follow them, you will be shut out when that door slams shut. And, it always takes effort, both mentally and morally, to go against the majority. You have to think about matters for yourself and decide, “I will not follow conventional wisdom. I will not go along with group pressure. I will follow the Lord Jesus Christ.”

I love to sit around and discuss theological issues with anyone who is interested. That was probably one of the best aspects of seminary, to be able to interact with my classmates on a broad range of biblical and theological issues. But while it is fine to discuss theology, there is an inherent danger in doing so, namely, the danger of not applying the truth to one’s own heart. Those who are shut out seem surprised. They call out, “Lord, open up to us!” But He says, “I don’t know where you’re from.” They reply, “We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.” They were acquainted with Him. But the problem was, He was not acquainted with them. He tells them, “I do not know where you are from. Depart from Me, all you evildoers.” If you have a genuine personal relationship with Jesus, you will not continue in your evil deeds. Salvation is God’s free gift, apart from works, but those who are truly saved will make progress in holiness, apart from which no man will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). Big thank you to Joanne Harris, NetGalley and Orion Publishing My Review of A Narrow Door by Joanne HarrisAfter reading Gentlemen & Players at least 5 times, Blueeyedboy and A Different Class 2 or 3 times I was really excited when I heard about A Narrow Door and couldn’t wait to read it. Rebecca is the new Headmaster of what was formerly an all-boys’ private school that is opening up to girls for the first time in its history. Seeing this school and others like it through her eyes was an enlightening experience. There’s a lot of discourse here about women in academia, especially in private schools. Even when Rebecca is able to break into the “old boys’ club” atmosphere, she isn’t treated like the rest of her colleagues. One of the schools in this book doesn’t even have a lady’s restroom; the women are instead forced to use the handicap facilities, which goes a long way to showing how their male counterparts view them. Being female isn’t a disability. But so many men in so many professions seem to believe so. Harris managed to both romanticize academia, as readers tend to do, and shine a light on its underbelly. She remains impressively industrious, and is full of new book ideas, none of them particularly “en vogue”. “If I’d decided to become a brand,” she says, “I’m sure I’d have made much more money and would have had a much more certain career. I wouldn’t have had to fight all these little battles that I’ve had to fight.”

Rebecca’s brother Conrad disappeared when she was very small. In what way do you think this has affected her relationships and friendships in adulthood?

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Comedy Women in Print Prize 2021 longlist announced with Dolly Alderton and Naoise Dolan leading the nominees Before we reveal the victim’s possible identity, we need to go through some history first. At the start of the school year, Rebecca is defiantly making history at St Oswald’s. There is an old proverb that goes, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a woman to enter these gates," and she is the living embodiment of how this adage was proven false. She is telling all of this to the man who was her archrival for the power position at the school, Roy Straitley. It seems to be an odd choice, almost like she is speaking to him while in the confessional. The addition of the new smaller door sizes has allowed us to give customers more information regarding using two small doors for a larger cupboard where space is at a premium, true flexibility linked to imagination = a problem solved.....result.