The Shack Review

Ok, so I promised some kind of review about The Shack. I just want to tell y'all a little about the book and what I think.
Spoiler Warning: If you're planning on reading the book, you probably don't want to read this, as I'll be saying some stuff that you'd probably not want to know ahead of time.

I'm not sure where to begin, but I guess the front cover is just as good as anywhere. It calls the book a "novel". That was something I didn't like, nor did I agree with. I mean, it's not that big of a deal, since the book kind of starts out that way, but I didn't like the fact that it turned from being a novel into being a study on theology. After awhile, it started losing my attention. Sure, he threw in some transitions and interesting descriptions, but really, it was not what I was expecting.
Also, I wasn't ok with some of the liberties he took, including his representation(s) of God. I don't believe that God is a human (besides the person of Jesus, of course). He is a spiritual being, and definately involved in our lives, but that does not mean he is human. I believe that when the Bible says we are "made in the image of God", it is specifically talking about his attributes and character, not the way he looks. It wasn't necessarily the people chosen to represent God that I didn't like, what i didn't like was the fact that the author personified the attributes of God in the way that he did. Specifically, I didn't think it was necessary to use women to play the part of God. Of course he's gentle, and a comforter, etc, but I think it just wasn't necessary to use women to show that part of his character. I'm not prejudiced (at least, I don't think I am), I just feel that the "feminine" side of God has been overplayed by certain people, and that God is definately a Father, if nothing else. (As you may have read in the book Ultimate Intention by Fromke). [I hope all that didn't come out wrong.]
Beyond that, there were just a few things said that I didn't necessarily agree with. E.g. Authority needn't exist, man and woman should have equal say and share in everything, he is never disappointed in us, etc. I'm not saying that I am right in my thoughts, I just don't necessarily believe that these things are all correct.
However, I need to balance out all that I just said with a word for the other side. Did I disagree with everything in the book? Certainly not! The insight the author had into the heart of God was very amazing, and I could tell that he had gotten some major revelation prior to and during the writing of the book. He went places that many have been afraid to, and I have to commend him on that. He really put himself on the line, and I know many have been affected by this book in a positive way. He showed the goodness of God, the intimacy between the trinity, and the love the Father has for his children in greater ways than I've seen before. And I especially like the way that Jesus was shown in the book. He was very real and caring, and relatable.
I can't outright recommend this book to be read, and I'm not going to become a sudden advocate just because the book has become popular. However, there were definately good points. If you were planning on reading The Shack, and haven't yet, don't let me stop you. Read it yourself, and establish your own opinion. Also, if you have thoughts of your own, please share them.
If you think I was being to harsh here, and you disagree with anything I said, let me know, ok? I want to hear anything you have to say!