Book Review: Onlookers by Valerie Volk
REVIEWED BY QUENTIN CASTLE*
History is full of people who become footnotes or disappear from the historical record altogether. Others might poke their faces into the story for a moment while others occupy centre stage for much longer. Whatever the case, we are often left none the wiser about their thoughts and inner experiences as their part in the story unfolds.
However, Valerie Volk has once again chosen to explore these individuals’ possible experiences in her new book, Onlookers. As with her previous books, Bystanders (2015) and Witnesses (2023), Volk has selected a range of biblical figures, some more central than others, and stripped back their roles in the narrative to explore the possibilities of their life situations and inner reflections.
Biblical fiction is a genre I have long enjoyed, and Volk once again shows she is adept in this style of storytelling. Volk writes with a warm style that is easy to read but not simplistic. Each vignette is engaging and often surprising.
Some characters have their checkered reputations redeemed. Others have their evil machinations laid bare. However, where Volk succeeds is in giving voice to those who have no voice.
One of Jesus’s unnamed sisters is given a voice and a name, as she tries to come to terms with her older brother’s unusual life choices. An aging prophet, known only for his oracles, is given personality and struggles with disappointment and despair as he faces the stubborn disobedience of those who failed to heed his divine warning. Even one of history’s most famous femme fatales is shown to be human and regretful for the part she played in the downfall of a mighty Israelite warrior and enemy of her people.
Although there is reverence for her source material, Volk doesn’t whitewash the characters or back away from the realities the biblical narrative describes or suggests.
By sharing these untold tales, Volk undertakes the ancient practice of exploring the Bible through creative storytelling and using undeveloped elements of the text as a jumping-off point for devotional exploration. This is supported by discussion notes that present a series of questions connected to each of the sixteen stories and the biblical passages behind them. This encourages the reader to explore the biblical figures for themselves and acquaint them with some of the more obscure passages of the Bible they may not be familiar with.
Once again, Onlookers is another enjoyable offering from Valerie Volk that encourages us to peel back the words of Scripture and imagine the flesh-and-blood lives behind the words on the page. But not only that, we too are encouraged to investigate these stories for ourselves and join the journey Volk has led us through by engaging with these characters and the stories from which they sprang.
To purchase the book or for more information, go to valerievolk.com
*Major Quentin Castle is the Corps Officer at Golden Grove Corps in South Australia
