I read the previous book and thought it was mediocre. Why then did I pick up the sequel?
Well, I was experiencing a bit of a dry period as far as findiI read the previous book and thought it was mediocre. Why then did I pick up the sequel?
Well, I was experiencing a bit of a dry period as far as finding books I was really interested in when I decided to check this one out. There wasn't much else to read at the moment, and I guess I thought this might be better than Potiphar's Wife. While I don't hate it so far, I'm DNFing a few chapters in because I now have other books that I actually want to read. Maybe I'll pick it up again when I run out of the good stuff....more
Biblical fanfiction which tries very hard to rehabilitate the character of Potiphar’s wife, Zuleika, but never quite succeeds in making her likable. TBiblical fanfiction which tries very hard to rehabilitate the character of Potiphar’s wife, Zuleika, but never quite succeeds in making her likable. The plot felt forced at times because of this, and I just didn’t like how it was written. It’s nothing special and Zully’s character progression wasn’t compelling enough. Probably the most interesting character in the book was Potiphar himself, who is so devoted to serving Pharaoh he doesn’t know how to love anyone else. He was powerful and intimidating, while also having moments of weakness and vulnerability. Everyone else was pretty one-dimensional, including Joseph....more
Edit: Removed from favorites shelf. Still a good book.
So Francine Rivers: she began her writing career writing secular historical romances, then afterEdit: Removed from favorites shelf. Still a good book.
So Francine Rivers: she began her writing career writing secular historical romances, then after converting to Christianity she bought all the rights to her old books so that they would go out of print and began writing romance with biblical or Christian themes. Redeeming Love is her most popular work, and I can see why. The characterization and storytelling is more interesting and better executed than your typical "Christian romance" fare.
Of course, the Christian fiction label comes with certain genre expectations. Judging by the other reviews and comments, some readers apparently went into this expecting a clean, wholesome inspirational romance and were shocked and horrified by the "R-rated content". Considering that the summary describes the main character as a prostitute, I don't really know what to say to that. The book's subject matter is dark and the story deals with a lot of disturbing themes, including child rape/abuse, prostitution, and the exploitation of women in the Old West. It's not explicit/graphic or gratuitous, however. It a nice little simple story of love and redemption.
For those who have read the book or don't care about spoilers:
(view spoiler)[The climax, while almost cheesy, is pretty satisfying since Duke is such a loathsome character. Others may be disappointed that he didn't have it worse, but tacking on more violence and suffering to this novel would have probably gone too far into excess at that point.
My only issue (and the issue that a lot of other people had) was with the way Michael's brother-in-law was handled. I wouldn't go so far as to say he raped Angel, because they both viewed it as a transaction - she wanted a ride back into town, he wanted sex. It was however a very vitriolic, hateful action which is wrapped up rather too neatly at the end. It's years later and both characters have changed a great deal, but it kind of comes across as less a resolution and more just that the two of them were too tired after all the crap they'd been through to hold grudges anymore. (hide spoiler)]...more
I stumbled upon a Youtube comment naming this as a good Christian book to be adapted into a movie. I had never heard of it, so I looked it up and soonI stumbled upon a Youtube comment naming this as a good Christian book to be adapted into a movie. I had never heard of it, so I looked it up and soon procured a free digital copy.
I read a few reviews on here beforehand, so I went in knowing the writing would be flowery and overwrought. It wasn't as bad as I expected, and I eventually got used to the style. Yes, Corelli probably was a little full of herself, but I found her admonishment of critics charming at least, admirable at best. I've always felt like art is in many ways plagued by elitism, with a select few "respectable" writers held aloft by critics who can't be said to know better than the average person. I mean, plenty of critics blasted this book both when it was published and after, but I didn't think it was that bad. I actually rather enjoyed it. I wouldn't call it high art, but it's hardly trash.
The characters are memorable and interesting, if a little mysterious. Heliobas in particular stands out, and naturally he became a recurring character, appearing in two other Corelli books. The weird New Age Christian fusion philosophy might turn some people off - I did wind up skipping most of the "Electric Principle of Christianity" chapter because I wasn't interested in that aspect - but otherwise the plot moves swiftly. The idea of the novel is inherently grandiose, but the scale of the writing never quite reaches spectacular levels. Consequently, it feels strangely down to earth and simplistic, given the cosmic subject matter. That appears to have been one of the major complaints of contemporary critics, who claimed Corelli had "the mentality of a nursemaid".
As to whether it could be made into a movie, I think it might actually benefit from some Hollywood streamlining and simplification. I can see it working, provided it was put in the proper hands. It would probably wind up looking a lot like Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, though, so maybe not......more
Look at this thing. It's huge. Packed with words. The description of the burning of Rome alone went on for several chapters. A modern editor probably Look at this thing. It's huge. Packed with words. The description of the burning of Rome alone went on for several chapters. A modern editor probably would've axed at least half the book. It took me a year to finish it.
I loved every second.
Granted, I'm looking in from the perspective of the long-suffering Christian reader who is so used to her religion either being raked over the coals or given the lousy harlequin romance treatment by well-meaning believers. Christian media on the whole tends to suck, from music to movies to novels, but then all of art operates by Sturgeon's Law. Most of everything is crap.
So when I discovered this book (via the 1951 movie, which is very entertaining) I was pretty cautious. I had already tried to read Ben Hur, but since General Lew Wallace takes a couple of paragraphs to describe a hug between two characters, I couldn't get into it. This suffers from a lot of the same problems (problems which seem common among Victorian literature as a whole), but somehow it didn't bother me as much. Possibly because this is an English translation of a novel originally written in Polish, and a modern translation at that, so the editor can get the most out of it.
Let me give you an example. The climax is fantastic. The buildup allowed by this book's impressive length leaves you breathless. That scene in the arena, when everything comes down to life or death, freedom or tyranny, is insane. I was up late reading it. Even though I knew what was going to happen I was on the edge of the page, heart pounding, desperate to know what was going to happen. I've never had an experience like that, or at least I haven't had one like it in a very long time. And it was because of the way it was written.
I mentioned earlier that as a work of Christian fiction, this is in a league all its own. This is primarily because of the abundance of characters, all of whom come from different walks of life and have their own take on the subject. Everyone loves Petronius, the bored hedonist who rejects Christianity because he loves beauty and aestheticism too much. He's treated with dignity rather than scorn or pity; his motivations are not based on contempt or personal gain, like many an atheist/agnostic/non-Christian in other works, but his love for his nephew, who falls in love with a Christian. The apostle Peter, venerated as the first pope, is shown doubting his mission, even walking away from Rome during the persecutions. He turns back of course, but the fact he was allowed to be human is marvelous. Even Nero is memorable and entertaining in spite of his vileness and sadism.
In all, this might be one of my favorite books. I didn't mind the romance between Vinicius and Ligia - it's very classic, with a gentle but firm woman taming a hotheaded, impetuous man. It is a little long-winded at times, but if you can stick with it, this is a very enjoyable, rewarding novel....more
**spoiler alert** This was my first foray into the modern Christian fiction genre. It wasn’t bad, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it good either.
The s**spoiler alert** This was my first foray into the modern Christian fiction genre. It wasn’t bad, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it good either.
The switching viewpoints setup was done fairly well, although of course I found some characters’ stories more interesting and others more bland. Atretes’ gladiator narrative was captivating, Hadassah’s slave story less so. But this had more to do with the fact that she was boring as a character. The plot itself kept moving, even if it did verge off into soap opera territory every now and then.
My main issue is that it is very derivative of Quo Vadis, a far superior book and a genre classic. Even the two heroes of each book have the same name, Marcus. Both men are violent womanizing Roman patricians who are transformed by the love of a compassionate Christian woman. The difference is, I bought Marcus’ conversion and change of heart in Quo Vadis. I didn’t buy Marcus’ here.
I was intrigued by the ending, which came as a surprise. Eager to continue the story, I immediately picked up the next book in the series, only to be sorely disappointed. (view spoiler)[The shocking ending was undone within the first few page of the sequel, as we are told that Hadassah survived the arena despite being mauled by lions and nearly vivisected by an amateur physician. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[It is ridiculous for her to have survived. I say this having adored Quo Vadis, which has its heroine tied naked to the back of a bull and launched into the arena, only for her giant bodyguard to snap the creature’s neck and plead with the crowd and emperor for her life. That at least was properly set up beforehand, showing all the pains her friends took in order to save her life. This just felt like a cop-out, a lame excuse to keep her in the story. And why? So that Marcus can marry her after he inevitably converts, wrapping everything up in a neat little bow? (hide spoiler)]
I didn’t like Lygia from QV all that much, so I’d say Hadassah was an improvement, but only slightly. She was too saintly, too perfect. Very bland. But she had an arc that was completed when she overcame her fear.
Point is, I won’t be continuing with this series. Redeeming Love, another book by the same author, is much better....more
Just completed my second reading of my favorite book of all time, today on November 28, 2023. I listened to a free audiobook I found on YouTube, read Just completed my second reading of my favorite book of all time, today on November 28, 2023. I listened to a free audiobook I found on YouTube, read by Bruce Peery (?), whose reading I enjoyed.
I first read this book when I was 16, a sophomore in high school. It was like the famous quote, I forget who said it: "I was alone in this world until I read Dostoevsky." To say this novel spoke to me would be an understatement. It sparked a renewed faith in Christianity, an interest in the Orthodox Church, and a willingness to read Russian literature in general.
During my second reading, I was struck by many of the same things I was before. I thought Liza was the most intriguing character in the whole cast, and I still lament that we will never know what became of her and Alyosha. I had more sympathy for all of the characters this time around, especially Ivan, and was more keenly aware of Alyosha's moments of weakness. The depiction of grief found in Ilushya, his father and others hit me harder now that I've experienced the loss of someone close to me.
The lengthy conversation between Ivan and Alyosha remains a highlight. I recommend this book to everyone who knows how to read....more
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