Saturday, August 17, 2013

Book Review: A Voice in the Wind

by Francine Rivers



 Back of the Book:


“The city was silently bloating in the hot sun, rotting like the thousands of bodies that lay where they had fallen in street battles.”  With this opening sentence, A Voice in the Wind transports readers back to Jerusalem during the first Jewish-Roman War, some seventy years after the death of Christ. Following the prides and passions of a group of Jews, Romans and Barbarians living at the time of the siege, the narrative is centered on an ill-fated romance between a steadfast slave girl, Hadassah, and Marcus, the brother of her owner and a handsome aristocrat. After surviving the massacre of her family and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, Hadassah is captured and sold to a well-to-do merchant’s family. Brought to Rome, she is pressed into service as a personal slave to hedonistic Julia Valerian.  Hadassah struggles to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and to treat her masters in a manner in keeping with His teachings, but she is forced to keep her religious identity a secret in order to survive.  Confused and alone, she has only her faith to cling to as she tries to subtly bring God into the lives of her captors.  Reckless, impulsive, and villainous, Julia tries to undermine Hadassah at every turn.  But Julia’s brother, Marcus, is a different sort altogether.  Is it possible for a love between Hadassah and Marcus to flourish considering not only their differing stations in life, but also the gap between Hadassah’s unrelenting faith and Marcus’ lack of belief in anything?  Simultaneously, Atretes, a captured soldier from Germania, is forced to become a gladiator. This is the time of Rome's decline and the decadence of a civilization on the verge of self-destruction serves as a powerful backdrop to the Barbarian’s struggle for survival in the arena.



This is what I think... 
If you think that Christian literature is boring or predictable (as I did) then you need to pick this series up. Oh My Gosh!!! EVERYONE in the book club LOVED it! Romance, intrigue, fighting gladiators... This story has something for everyone. 



If you read it let me know .... 
I would love to know what you thought.

I'll be joining Ricki Jill for Literary Friday


8 comments:

Tales of Whimsy said...

I've been meaning to try this authoress for ages. I always hear amazing things about her.

Anonymous said...

The Mark of the Lion series remains unequaled in my subjective opinion, and continues to be my very favorite fiction books to re-read!

Hadassah is such an example of a Christ-like servant-even through her doubts and struggles.

I need to do a re-read soon!

Delvalina said...

I love Hadassah story both in Bible and thia book. Francine River is one of my favorite author. I think she just released a new book :)

Michelle said...

I think I've found another new author to read. This sounds like an interesting book. Happy Reading! ~Michelle

~Visiting via Literary Friday!

Stephanie said...

Definitely one of my favorite series! Francine Rivers is an excellent author.

Ricki Treleaven said...

I will definitely check it out then because I like to support good literature, especially if it's Christian! I do agree that some of it is formulaic, especially the romances, but then again all romances are!!!

Thanks so much for linking-up, Liz. You have made me smile today in spite of being so sad about my friend.

xo,
RJ

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

You've really peaked my interest! I'll look for this book! I think I would like it, too! Hugs!

Anonymous said...

An interesting review of this book. I'm visiting from Literary Friday.