I have spent my summer doing a lot of reading. The house has been empty except for me most days due to everyone else having obligations. So, in the quiet solitude, I have read. It has been wonderful!
The Thief of Corinth was an unexpected joy for me to read in one sense. I usually do not like biblical fiction. I feel we should just let the Bible speak for itself and not try to add to it. This book, however, was not trying to add to a Biblical account despite the fact that the back cover mentions Paul. The author does use Corinth as its main setting and Paul does show up in the book. However, the storyline is purely fictional. The part of the story where Paul interacts is written in a way that seems very possible for Paul to have actually lived, but does not try to take a Biblical account and add fictional ideas to it. I will say that I was beginning to wonder how the author was going to solve the final dilemma while keeping Christian morals. I am still contemplating the "justification" as I can definitely see what the author was aiming for, but I struggle a little with the process. I know we see all kinds of shady things taking place in the Bible where GOD's people act in situations in what appears to be ungodly ways to reach an end goal. (For example, Tamar. I mean really. How much more shady can you get?) This is just such a fine line. The following is an excerpt from the book during this dilemma. Don't worry. I left out anything that might make it a spoiler. "What if God has heard the cries of the many who are being pressed and trampled under...and is using our predicament as a means of releasing them?" Yes, I believe the LORD uses our situations for His good. But what must occur for the "release" to come in this situation is questionable. I'm just still wrestling with it. Because of this issue, I would only recommend this book to a strong Believer. Our society uses the "ends to justify the means" so, so much. I realize that most believe that "all is fair in love and war" and the conflict the author undertook in the final part of her book could be looked at as war.. but... I find it difficult to swallow that the LORD would ask someone to do something wrong in order to make a right possible. Other than this issue, I really enjoyed the book. It is well written and I enjoyed the dialogue and writing style very much. The characters were likable, even despite their flaws (which every good character has some). I am anxious to read what must be coming next as the author hinted in her final notes that one of the main characters would not be left here. But, I will do so with caution. Blessings, The Mother
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October 2019
Book Review
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