When the Nile Runs Red

DiAnn Mills
Moody Publishers (2007)
ISBN 9780802499110
Reviewed by Vicki Landes for Reader Views (6/07)


Best-selling author DiAnn Mills brings an international tragedy to life in her new book, “When the Nile Runs Red.”  Her novel weaves the real-life humanitarian crisis in the Sudan with the plight of her characters who have dedicated their lives to making a difference.  Although the book is a work of fiction, it breathes a reality that so many innocent people cannot escape from.

“When the Nile Runs Red” is a story of love, faith in God, and dedication to a people amid religious clashes, exploitation, bad politics, and ultimately survival.  Mills’ main character, Paul, is a Muslim-turned-Christian who is very much like the Biblical apostle of the same name.  In addition to surviving in a war-torn country, he must also evade his family who is now committed to killing him for his religious conversion.  With his doctor wife and a Southern Sudanese military officer, Paul endures circumstances that threaten his life, his unborn child, and his faith in God. 

Mills immediately captivates with her beautifully descriptive style so the reader can really feel the tension, suspense, and impending danger.  You vividly see the beauty of the land and her people while experiencing the horror which has intruded upon them.  Mills actually traveled to the Sudan to experience the situation before developing this story so her writing exhibits a uniquely fresh, first-hand account of the atrocities and the population’s ache for peace.  She also maintains a great deal of respect for this country’s crisis while creating her tale so the real-life tragedy is not lost in the fictional love story.  The book is definitely hard to put down – I ended up reading it in one sitting because I couldn’t walk away!

Mills does an exquisite job bringing together her fictional story with a crisis that begs for more attention from the Western World.  As someone who has been heavily involved in the U.S. government’s official involvement in humanitarian activities for Africa, I still walked away from this book with the question, ‘what more can I do?’  She ends her novel with website resources and information on organizations committed to helping the Sudanese people. 

“When the Nile Runs Red” is targeted at Christian women who enjoy romantic fiction and also to those that have enjoyed the author’s previous releases.  The book integrates a love story with a religious foundation so it’s appropriate for the entire family. 

Beautiful, wholesome, and educational, “When the Nile Runs Red” is definitely an eye-opening read!  DiAnn Mills excels at bringing a very worth cause to light while still maintaining her reputation as a best-selling author of fiction.  Absolutely fantastic! 

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